The planetary boundary that many are familiar with is climate change, but climate change is just one of nine boundaries. The others are biosphere integrity, land system change, novel entities (such as toxic substances), freshwater change, stratospheric ozone depletion, atmospheric aerosol lo...
Human pressures have pushed the Earth system deep into the Anthropocene, threatening its stability, resilience and functioning. The Planetary Boundaries (PB) framework emerged against these threats, setting safe levels to the biophysical systems and proc
The acclaimed scientist behind the planetary boundaries framework outlines what he thinks it would take to ensure humanity remains within a safe operating space amidst increasing environmental risks.
The updated Planetary Boundaries framework (2022) showing 5 boundaries transgressed, now including “novel entities.” Credit: Stockholm Resilience Centre/Azote An international research team has highlighted the critical impacts of synthetic chemicals and plastics on Earth’s stability, pointing out that ...
ocean acidification, ozone depletion, aerosols and ‘novel entities’ (pollutants and pathogens)1. Since 2019, a task force called the Earth Commission, co-led by one of us (J.R.), has been integrating social-science perspectives to ensure that such quantified boundaries are ‘just’ as well...
planetary boundaries frameworknovel entitiesplastics pollutionEarth system processesclimate changebiodiversitymicroplasticsPlastics are an international governance priority because of extensive and resource-intensive production, uncontrolled environmental releases, and failure to control the chemicals within the materials...
Human pressures have pushed the Earth system deep into the Anthropocene, threatening its stability, resilience and functioning. The Planetary Boundaries (PB) framework emerged against these threats, setting safe levels to the biophysical systems and proc
This entry has reviewed the issue of Limits to Growth, its more modern formulation as Planetary Boundaries and the relevance of both concepts to global population health. It has used these frameworks to classify and extend some environmental health risks. These include novel entities and behaviors,...
In one important breakthrough [in 2023], we were able to put quantifications on [the remaining two boundaries],aerosol loadingandnovel entities(chemical pollution), based on research originating from other research groups around the world, which we synthesized into the planetary boundary framework. ...
which have led to the transgression of many planetary boundaries (PBs)9,10,11. The unequal distribution of wealth and income results in unequal consumption and environmental footprints3,4,5, causing considerable variations in the contribution to PB transgression among different expenditure (income) gro...