Earth-system science
Great Acceleration
The dramatic surge in human activity and its planetary impact since about 1950, captured in the IGBP's paired socio-economic and Earth-system trend indicators.
Definition
The Great Acceleration is the term used for the rapid and widespread increase in human activity and its impact on Earth's natural systems beginning around the mid-20th century. First used in scientific circles in 2005 and developed by Will Steffen and colleagues within the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme, it is illustrated by a dashboard of indicators — originally 24, later updated to 12 socio-economic and 12 Earth-system trends from 1750 onward — nearly all of which show a sharp inflection after 1950.
References
origin and indicator structure
dashboard lineage
Overview
What it means
Population, GDP, energy and water use, fertiliser consumption, and connectivity indicators all rose steeply post-1950, and Earth-system indicators — CO2 concentration, temperature, ocean acidification, tropical forest loss, biodiversity decline — moved with them.
The graphs provide the core empirical case that humanity has become a geological force, anchoring the Anthropocene concept and the planetary boundaries framework.
How it is used
The concept frames Earth-system science communication, Anthropocene research, and arguments for a safe operating space for humanity.
Why it matters
It converts the claim that "things changed after 1950" from impression into measured, synchronised trends across society and planet.
Review
Public comments appear only after editor acceptance. Draft comments stay in the review queue.
Reviewers choose the definition or an overview paragraph, leave a comment or replacement, and attach evidence or a source link.
Editors compare reviewer cards side by side. AI may help find agreement, conflicts, unsupported claims and possible source issues.
Only an editor-accepted synthesis changes the public page. Reviewer identities are shown only with consent and an editorial decision to attribute them.
Submitted reviews stay private until an editor decides whether to accept and attribute them.
Contribute to this entry
Help improve this definition
Your contribution is private while it is checked. Nothing changes on this page unless an editor accepts it.
Loading verified endorsements… Endorsements are not votes and never determine publication.
Endorse this definition
Endorse the exact version shown here. This is not a vote, and publication remains an editorial decision.
Review board
Comment on a specific line. Each reviewer stays separate until an editor accepts a merged draft.
Each person comments on the definition or overview in their own draft card, with role, evidence and suggested wording kept together.
AI can compare comments against the current text, flag conflicting claims, surface missing evidence and identify where reviewers agree.
An editor merges compatible suggestions into a draft change, checks sources, records disagreements and decides what can be published.