Earth is a complicated planet, with a huge number of complex processes working together to make the place livable for humans and every other organism. Since the industrial revolution began — and perhaps earlier — humans have been changing many of these components directly by removing resources like stored carbon or fresh water from the system or indirectly by releasing wasteful byproducts such as aerosols, carbon dioxide and other kinds of pollution.
Earth scientists have broken down the major components that make our planet livable into a framework of nine planetary boundaries. Any of these boundaries, including climate and biodiversity, could drastically change the conditions that have made our species thrive on Earth for the past 10,000 years if exceeded.
“It would then be foolish for humanity to knowingly do something to trigger a state change in the conditions we have here,” says Katherine Richardson, a biological oceanographer at the University of Copenhagen’s Sustainability Science Center. “You need some guardrails, and that’s what planetary boundaries are all about.”
What Are Planetary Boundaries?
Planetary boundaries are a concept introduced in the field of Earth system science to define a safe operating space for humanity within which we can thrive and maintain a stable environment.
