Leiden University in the Netherlands have disclosed that humans have surpassed six out of the nine planetary boundaries critical for sustaining life on Earth for future generations.
This revelation highlights the increased risk of significant and irreversible environmental changes resulting from exceeding these boundaries.
In a keynote lecture, Professor Jan Willem Erisman, an expert in Environmental Sustainability, emphasized the necessity for systemic transformations in food production, energy consumption, and overall lifestyles.
The interconnected nature of all planetary boundaries was underscored, exemplified by the cascading effects of surpassing the nitrogen limit, impacting both biodiversity and climate.
Additionally, Erisman emphasized the significance of social boundaries, such as education, social equality, and healthcare.
Recognizing the interdependence of planetary and social boundaries, he stressed the importance of addressing them in an integrated manner to safeguard a sustainable and habitable Earth.
The concept of planetary boundaries was first introduced in 2009 by a group of scientists led by Johan Rockström from Stockholm University, Sweden.
It refers to the limits within which humanity can safely operate to avoid crossing critical thresholds that could lead to abrupt environmental changes and jeopardize the Earth’s ability to support human life.
The nine planetary boundaries identified by the scientists are as follows:
Climate Change: The boundary is set at a maximum of 350 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. This threshold aims to prevent the global average temperature from increasing by more than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
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Biodiversity Loss: The boundary addresses the rate of species extinction and aims to maintain biodiversity levels that are within 90% of pre-industrial levels.
Nitrogen Cycle: The boundary focuses on the excessive use of nitrogen-based fertilizers and aims to prevent the annual release of more than 35 million tons of nitrogen into the environment. High nitrogen levels can lead to ecosystem imbalances, including harmful algal blooms and loss of biodiversity.
Phosphorus Cycle: The boundary addresses the excessive use of phosphorus in agriculture, aiming to prevent the annual release of more than 11 million tons of phosphorus into the environment. Uncontrolled phosphorus discharge can lead to water pollution and eutrophication.
Land Use Change: The boundary concerns the conversion of natural ecosystems, such as forests and wetlands, into agricultural or urban areas. It aims to maintain a maximum of 15% of the Earth’s land surface under human-induced land use change.
Freshwater Use: The boundary focuses on sustainable freshwater consumption and aims to prevent the depletion of freshwater resources beyond a certain limit.
Ocean Acidification: The boundary addresses the increasing acidity of the oceans caused by the absorption of excess CO2. It aims to prevent a decline in average ocean pH below a critical threshold, which could harm marine ecosystems.
Ozone Layer Depletion: The boundary aims to prevent the depletion of the ozone layer caused by the release of ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
Chemical Pollution: The boundary focuses on the release of synthetic chemicals into the environment, aiming to prevent widespread exposure to chemical substances that may have adverse effects on ecosystems and human health.
According to the latest information, six out of the nine planetary boundaries have been crossed, indicating that humanity has exceeded the safe operating space within those boundaries.
