Planetary boundaries refers to a concept developed by Johan Rockström (Stockholm Resilience Centre) and Will Steffen (Australian National University).[1] It concerns a framework of boundaries or limits for environmental change, aimed at delineating a "safe operating space for humanity".[1] The boundaries have been based on scientific research and show nine different Earth system processes that cannot be crossed without creating abrupt environmental change that may be irreversible.[1] In the case of several boundaries, the points have already been crossed and we are close to crossing others.[1]
The nine planetary boundaries
The nine planetary boundaries are:[2]
- Stratospheric ozone depletion
- Loss of biosphere integrity (biodiversity loss and extinction)
- Chemical pollution and release of novel entities
- Climate change
- Ocean acidification
- Freshwater consumption and the global hydrological cycle
- Land system change
- Nitrogen and phosphorous flows to the biosphere and oceans
- Atmospheric aerosol loading
See also
- http://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html - Stockholm Resilience Centre on the planetary boundaries
- http://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries/planetary-boundaries/about-the-research/the-nine-planetary-boundaries.html - the nine planetary boundaries
- http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol14/iss2/art32/ - the original article on planetary boundaries, published by Ecology and Society