Researchers at The Australian National University (ANU) examined the Earth system as a single complex system and assessed the impact of human activities on the system's trajectory.
They have for the first time come up with a mathematical equation - known as the Anthropocene equation - to describe the impact of human activity on the Earth system.
"Over the past 7,000 years the primary forces driving change have been astronomical - changes in solar intensity and subtle changes in orbital parameters, along with a few volcanoes," said Will Steffen ANU.
"Human-caused greenhouse gas emissions over the past 45 years have increased the rate of temperature rise to 1.7 degrees Celsius per century, dwarfing the natural background rate," Steffen added.
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"We are not saying the astronomical forces of our solar system or geological processes have disappeared, but in terms of their impact in such a short period of time they are now negligible compared with our own influence," he said.
"Crystallising this evidence in the form of a simple equation gives the current situation a clarity that the wealth of data often dilutes," he added.
"The global economy can function equally well with zero emissions. Research shows we can feed nine billion people - the projected world population by 2050 - and reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the same time," he said.
The study was published in the journal The Anthropocene Review.
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