The Anthropocene is a proposed geological epoch characterized by significant human impact on the Earth’s geology and ecosystems. Patel and Moore argue that this term problematically suggests that the current ecological crisis is caused by an undifferentiated humanity, rather than the specific logic of capitalism.

“Capital” refers to a process by which money flows through nature, transforming money into commodities and back into money with a profit. Capital is not a stock of money or resources but a dynamic process of circulation and accumulation that reshapes socioecological relations.

Capitalism is an economic and social system based on the private ownership of the means of production, the exploitation of labor, and the endless accumulation of capital. Patel and Moore argue that capitalism has been the primary driver of global environmental change over the past five centuries.