Human activities have caused significant damage to the Earth's environment and climate. What we realise now is that we have undermined our planet's life support systems. The ones we are dependent on to survive. The unsustainable use of resources, such as fossil fuels and intensive agriculture, is putting our life support systems at risk, and groundwater depletion in many countries could lead to freshwater crises.
This concept identifies the limits of how far we can 'push' the system beyond return.
It appears, we have exceeded safe levels in six out of nine vital systems.
This visual shows the current status of the nine Planetary Boundary systems and processes, on the basis of data from Richardson et al., Science Advances (2023). Description:
Planetary Boundaries are defined for those nine biophysical systems and processes that regulate the functioning of life support systems on Earth and ultimately the stability and resilience of the Earth system. Here’s the sum total of our impact on the planet.
You can see the areas we’re still within safe limits – and those where we are well past. Three of the boundaries are based on what we take from the system:
The remaining six come from waste we deposit back into the environment:
Explainer: The length of the wedges represents the current status with respect to the planetary boundary (green) and the high-risk line (orange). Smooth fading indicates an uncertainty range, while dashing means that there is no quantification of the current state beyond the planetary boundaries.
The scientifically-defined boundary levels collectively define the safe operating space of the Earth system.
The term ‘Planetary Boundary’ is often used interchangeably to describe both the quantitative safe boundary level for a control variable, as well as the underlying system or process.
For example, climate change is a Planetary Boundary (process), while 350 ppm is the safe Planetary Boundary (level) for climate change.
Ref: Stockholm Resilience Centre based on analysis in Richardson et al 2023, CC BY-ND and https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/output/infodesk/planetary-boundaries)
So now we know the status quo and the precarious next steps we are pacing as humanity.
There remains one large 'elephant in the room': Are there any TIPPING POINTS we need to be aware of in our planetary system?
In any system, such as the climate system, a tipping point is a critical threshold that, when crossed, leads to large and often irreversible changes in the system. Or put differently, tipping points are critical thresholds beyond which a system reorganizes, often abruptly and/or irreversibly so. Therefore, if tipping points are crossed, they are likely to have severe impacts on human society and all living systems on Earth.
See these charts by the Potsdam Institute (ref PIK (CC-BY), based on Armstrong McKay et al., Science (2022).
The full damage caused by negative tipping points will be far greater than their initial impact. The effects will cascade through globalised social and economic systems, and could exceed the ability of some countries to adapt. Negative tipping points show that the threat posed by the climate and ecological crisis is far more severe than is commonly understood and is of a magnitude never before faced by humanity.
The summary report concludes that "...The existence of tipping points means that ‘business as usual’ [BAU] is now over. Rapid changes to nature and society are occurring, and more are coming. If we don’t revise our governance approach, these changes could overwhelm societies as the natural world rapidly comes apart. Alternatively, with emergency global action and appropriate governance, collective interventions could harness the power of positive tipping point opportunities, helping navigate toward a thriving sustainable future."
This is a little gem: Did you know that the etymology of the world 'apocalypse' comes from the Greek word “apokalupsis,” which translates to “revelation” or “uncovering.” So perhaps it is not about the END but about revealing what we need to know now - a lifting of the veil, if you wish.
"Even a wounded world it feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth give me daily and I must return the gift."
Robin Wall Kimmerer in 'Braiding Sweetgrass
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