Hand in hand with the end of the last ice age and the new constant and warm climate came the success story of mankind. Without our influence, this constancy would have continued for many millennia. However, we seem to be managing to end humanity's prosperity through our careless use of resources.
In all our destructive activities, we have managed to turn the tide every time. Regulating forces such as scientists, thought leaders and personalities have repeatedly put us in our place.
Let us introduce you to the "barriers" that are almost common knowledge in sustainability circles: The nine Planetary Boundaries.
Nine planetary boundaries
A 28-strong team of researchers from the Stockholm Resilience Center led by renowned resilience researcher Johan Rockström published "A safe operating space forhumanity" in 2009. This concept of planetary boundaries or ecological limits was updated in 2015. They defined nine threshold values which, if exceeded, would result in unacceptable changes to the Earth and lead to unforeseeable new living conditions.
Limits already exceeded:
Climate change, integrity of the biosphere, biogeochemical cycles, land use change, chemical pollution, freshwater use
Limits not yet quantified:
Atmospheric aerosol exposure
Limits not exceeded:
Ocean acidification, stratospheric ozone depletion
Climate change and biosphere integrity (Climate change, Biosphere integrity)
Climate change and biodiversity are understood by scientists to be the most important limits, as they are of fundamental importance for our earth system and are important for the continued existence of humans.
The guideline value for climate change of 350ppmCO2 has already been greatly exceeded (403 ppm in November 2017). The loss of ice masses and glaciers that previously reflected the sun's rays into space can no longer be reversed, sea levels will rise and our climate will become warmer. The integrity of the biosphere is also no longer guaranteed. The extinction rate is already 100 to 1000 times higher than naturally expected.
Biogeochemical cycles (Biochemical flows)
Humanity has intervened too much in the nitrogen and phosphorus cycle through industry and agriculture. Both substances are important for plant growth and are applied excessively to fields in the form of fertilizer. The plants cannot absorb the quantities, which means that the substances end up in water, air and ecosystems.
Land-use change (Land-system change)
Forests, grasslands and wetlands have been converted into farmland. The remaining forest area, which is important for regulating the climate, is already too small and we have therefore left the safe scope for action.
Exposure to chemicals (novel entities)
A large number of persistent and toxic substances such as pesticides, heavy metals and radioactive substances have a massive impact on the environment. Their application can have irreversible effects on living organisms. Over 100,000 active substances are in circulation.
Atmospheric aerosol loading (Atmospheric aerosol loading)
Aerosols are solid or liquid suspended particles in the air, including particulate matter. Around 7.2 million people die every year due to aerosol pollution. Humans increase pollution primarily through the combustion of various materials and also through land use change, as this releases dust into the air.
Due to the high complexity of the behavior of aerosols, it has not yet been possible to define a limit.
Ocean acidification
Around a quarter of globalCO2 emissions are absorbed by the oceans through conversion into carbonic acid. Although this slows down climate change, it also leads to acidification of the oceans, which has a negative impact on the growth of corals, crustaceans and plankton. Fortunately, the pollution limit has not yet been reached.
Freshwater use (Freshwater use)
The freshwater cycle is strongly influenced by climate change. Furthermore, human intervention in water bodies and land use is changing global water flows and evaporation rates. It is therefore assumed that half a billion people will face water shortages by 2050.
Stratospheric ozone depletion
The ozone layer protects us from harmful UV radiation from the sun. Thanks to the global ban on ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons, which was agreed in 1987 in the Montreal Protocol, humanity seems to have found a way to remain within an acceptable framework in the future.
Based on the concept of planetary boundaries, an environmentally friendly and healthy diet has also been developed. In 2019, the Lancet Commission published the planetary health diet.
Knowledge and action
The fact that we have already left the safe operating space in six areas may sound pessimistic, but consider the "ozone depletion" limit! Doesn't it prove once again that mankind is capable of radical measures?
By defining threshold values, we have the tools in our hands to take action. And the Swedish scientists in particular are optimistic:
"As the risks of the Anthropocene to human well-being become clearer, science is reaching the point where a systematic breakthrough is possible - and necessary. Exploring and defining a safe and good space for action will ensure the further development of human societies."
"As the risks of the Anthropocene to human well-being become clearer, research is maturing to a point where a systemic step-change is possible-and necessary-in exploring and defining a safe and just planetary operating space for the further development of human societies."
So is the breakthrough imminent? Will the science that started the destruction save us again?
Author: Dr. Isabell Riedl
Dr. Isabell Riedl has been with LAMPERT since 2012 and is head of the sustainability and communications department. She studied ecology with a focus on nature and landscape conservation and tropical ecology at the University of Vienna. She wrote her dissertation on the importance of tree rows in agricultural areas for forest birds in Costa Rica. Throughout her life, she has been particularly committed to ecological sustainability. She is part of the editorial team of the online magazine "Nachhaltigkeit. Rethink."
