Planetary boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1259855
• Publication Date: 2015-01-16T02:19:39Z
• Authors: Will Steffen; Katherine Richardson; Johan Rockström; Sarah E. Cornell; Ingo Fetzer; Elena M. Bennett; Reinette Biggs; Stephen R. Carpenter; Wim de Vries; Cynthia A. de Wit; Carl Folke; Dieter Gerten; Jens Heinke; Georgina M. Mace; Linn M. Persson; Veerabhadran Rama...; Belinda Reyers; Sverker Sörlin
• Keywords: ozone depletion; biosphere; earth science; critical transitions; water; boundary layer; 01 natural sciences; acidification; biodiversity loss; marine-environment; biophysics; evolution; early-warning signals; 11. Sustainability; humans; climate; earth (planet); 0105 earth and related environmental sciences; environmental flow requirements; nutrient limitation; safe operating space; 15. Life on land; functional diversity; stabilization; astronomy; fresh water; climate change; priority journal; 13. Climate action; biological evolution; atmosphere; heterogeneity; ozone layer

Crossing the boundaries in global sustainability

The planetary boundary (PB) concept, introduced in 2009, aimed to define the environmental limits within which humanity can safely operate. This approach has proved influential in global sustainability policy development. Steffen et al. provide an updated and extended analysis of the PB framework. Of the original nine proposed boundaries, they identify three (including climate change) that might push the Earth system into a new state if crossed and that also have a pervasive influence on the remaining boundaries. They also develop the PB framework so that it can be applied usefully in a regional context.

Science , this issue 10.1126/science.1259855