In October 2025, journalist and historian Laurent Testot, alongside cartographer and author Perrin Remonté, will release "Notre Empreinte sur Terre - Des cartes et infographies pour comprendre l'Anthropocène" (Our Footprint on Earth - Maps and Infographics to Understand the Anthropocene), published by Armand Colin.
This work offers a visual exploration of humanity's impact on the planet, illustrating how our activities have transformed the environment through maps and infographics. Testot, known for his book "Cataclysmes. Une histoire environnementale de l'humanité" (Cataclysms. An Environmental History of Humanity), and Remonté, recognized for his ability to approach geography with sensitivity and poetry, collaborate to provide a unique perspective on the Anthropocene. Testot highlights that the Anthropocene is the "magic recipe" by which humanity has transformed the Earth, introducing plastic everywhere and altering animal distribution. He views this concept as a demonstration of our capacity to reshape our environment. He adds that the Anthropocene also allows for reflection on a "good Anthropocene," compatible with our values and survival imperatives, emphasizing that we are degrading Earth's habitability for ourselves and future generations.
Remonté explains that maps have the power to connect disparate points and elements we don't usually see together. They synthesize and facilitate the understanding of complex data, offering a new perspective on environmental issues. This book serves as an invitation to become aware of the scale of our impact on the planet and to consider alternatives for a more sustainable future. The concept of the Anthropocene, while not yet officially formalized by geological bodies, signifies a period where human influence has become a dominant force shaping Earth's systems. This epoch is characterized by profound changes in climate, biodiversity, and resource availability, driven by human activities. Scientists have debated the precise starting point of the Anthropocene, with some suggesting origins as far back as early agriculture or even the extinction of megafauna, while others point to the Industrial Revolution or the mid-20th century, marked by events like the Trinity Test and the subsequent "Great Acceleration" of human impact.
Visualizations of human impact reveal the extent of our modification on the planet. It is estimated that nearly 95% of the Earth's surface shows some form of human modification, with 85% bearing evidence of multiple impacts. These modifications span across various categories, including human settlements, agriculture, transportation, mining, and energy production. The least modified biomes tend to be tundra, boreal forests, and deserts, while tropical dry broadleaf forests and temperate grasslands are among the most heavily modified. The mapping of the "Human Footprint" quantifies this influence, considering factors like population density, land transformation, and human access through infrastructure such as roads. This book's approach, utilizing maps and infographics, offers a powerful way to grasp the complex interactions between human activities and natural cycles. By visually presenting data on oceans, atmosphere, land, and biodiversity, it aims to illuminate the fragility of our world and underscore the urgent need to manage our pollution and energy consumption to mitigate climate change. It encourages a conscious understanding of our role in shaping the planet's future and inspires consideration of more sustainable pathways forward.