A5021342980- Global Energy and Sustainability Research
- Sustainability and Climate Change Governance
- Ecosystem dynamics and resilience
- Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics
- Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
- Climate Change Policy and Economics
- Marine and coastal ecosystems
- Sustainable Development and Environmental Policy
- Climate variability and models
- Complex Systems and Decision Making
- Land Use and Ecosystem Services
- Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Earth Systems and Cosmic Evolution
- Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Environmental Impact and Sustainability
- Sustainability and Ecological Systems Analysis
- Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life
- Water-Energy-Food Nexus Studies
- Recycling and Waste Management Techniques
- Ocean Acidification Effects and Responses
- Innovation, Sustainability, Human-Machine Systems
- Global trade, sustainability, and social impact
- Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
- Interdisciplinary Research and Collaboration
- Transboundary Water Resource Management
Stockholm Resilience Centre
2015-2024
Stockholm University
2015-2024
BI Norwegian Business School
2023-2024
BOKU University
2023-2024
Høyskolen Kristiania
2023-2024
Cornell University
2014-2024
Bolin Centre for Climate Research
2020-2022
Dairy Australia (Australia)
2022
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
2015
Cabot (United States)
2010-2012
Crossing the boundaries in global sustainability The planetary boundary (PB) concept, introduced 2009, aimed to define environmental limits within which humanity can safely operate. This approach has proved influential policy development. Steffen et al. provide an updated and extended analysis of PB framework. Of original nine proposed boundaries, they identify three (including climate change) that might push Earth system into a new state if crossed also have pervasive influence on remaining...
We explore the risk that self-reinforcing feedbacks could push Earth System toward a planetary threshold that, if crossed, prevent stabilization of climate at intermediate temperature rises and cause continued warming on "Hothouse Earth" pathway even as human emissions are reduced. Crossing would lead to much higher global average than any interglacial in past 1.2 million years sea levels significantly time Holocene. examine evidence such might exist where it be. If is resulting trajectory...
This planetary boundaries framework update finds that six of the nine are transgressed, suggesting Earth is now well outside safe operating space for humanity. Ocean acidification close to being breached, while aerosol loading regionally exceeds boundary. Stratospheric ozone levels have slightly recovered. The transgression level has increased all earlier identified as overstepped. As primary production drives system biosphere functions, human appropriation net proposed a control variable...
Climate tipping points occur when change in a part of the climate system becomes self-perpetuating beyond warming threshold, leading to substantial Earth impacts. Synthesizing paleoclimate, observational, and model-based studies, we provide revised shortlist global "core" elements regional "impact" their temperature thresholds. Current ~1.1°C above preindustrial temperatures already lies within lower end some point uncertainty ranges. Several may be triggered Paris Agreement range 1.5 <2°C...
Linking knowledge with action for effective societal responses to persistent problems of unsustainability requires transformed, more open systems. Drawing on a broad range academic and practitioner experience, we outline vision the coordination organization systems that are better suited complex challenges sustainability than ones currently in place. This transformation includes inter alia: agenda setting, collective problem framing, plurality perspectives, integrative research processes,...
The exponential increase in the use of plastic modern society and inadequate management resulting waste have led to its accumulation marine environment. There is increasing evidence numerous mechanisms by which pollution causing effects across successive levels biological organization. This will unavoidably impact ecological communities ecosystem functions. A remaining question be answered if concentration ocean, today or future, reach above a critical threshold leading global vital...
Humanity faces a major global challenge in achieving wellbeing for all, while simultaneously ensuring that the biophysical processes and ecosystem services underpin are exploited within scientifically informed boundaries of sustainability. We propose framework defining safe just operating space humanity integrates social into original planetary concept (Rockström et al., 2009a,b) application at regional scales. argue such can: (1) increase policy impact as most governance takes place rather...
The idea that there is an identifiable set of boundaries, beyond which anthropogenic change will put the Earth system outside a safe operating space for humanity, attracting interest in scientific community and gaining support environmental policy world. Rockstrom et al. (2009) identify nine such boundaries highlight biodiversity loss as being single boundary where current rates extinction furthest space. Here we review evidence to based on weaknesses with this metric its bearing humanity's...
The planetary boundaries framework proposes quantitative global limits to the anthropogenic perturbation of crucial Earth system processes, and thus marks out a safe operating space for human activities. Yet, decisions regarding resource use emissions are mostly made at less aggregated scales, by national sub-national governments, businesses, other local actors. To operationalize concept, need be translated into aligned with targets that relevant these decision-making scales. In this paper,...
Near-term gains on socio-economic goals under the 2030 Agenda could reduce Earth system ‘safety margin’ represented by nine planetary boundaries. We built an intentionally simple global systems simulation model, Earth3, that combines a model of human activity with biophysical environment. Earth3 fills key gap in family integrated models, being capable simulating complex dynamic implementation challenge full Agenda. generates consistent, transparent pathways from 1980 to 2050 for seven world...
Abstract Fresh water—the bloodstream of the biosphere—is at center planetary drama Anthropocene. Water fluxes and stores regulate Earth's climate are essential for thriving aquatic terrestrial ecosystems, as well water, food, energy security. But water cycle is also being modified by humans an unprecedented scale rate. A holistic understanding freshwater's role Earth system resilience detection monitoring anthropogenic modifications across scales urgent, yet existing methods frameworks not...
The planetary boundaries framework proposes quantified guardrails to human modification of global environmental processes that regulate the stability planet and has been considered in sustainability science, governance, corporate management. However, boundary for freshwater use critiqued as a singular measure does not reflect all types interference with complex water cycle Earth System. We suggest will be more scientifically robust useful decision-making frameworks if it is redesigned...
With the establishment of sustainable development goals (SDGs), countries worldwide agreed to a prosperous, socially inclusive, and environmentally future for all. This ambition, however, exposes critical gap in science-based insights, namely on how achieve 17 SDGs simultaneously. Quantitative goal-seeking scenario studies could help explore needed systems' transformations. requires clear definition "target space." The 169 targets 232 indicators used monitoring SDG implementation cannot be...