articleScience AdvancesSep 13, 2023GOLD OA

Earth beyond six of nine planetary boundaries

University of Copenhagen · Australian National University · +14 more institutions

PubMed
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Abstract

This planetary boundaries framework update finds that six of the nine boundaries are transgressed, suggesting that Earth is now well outside of the safe operating space for humanity. Ocean acidification is close to being breached, while aerosol loading regionally exceeds the boundary. Stratospheric ozone levels have slightly recovered. The transgression level has increased for all boundaries earlier identified as overstepped. As primary production drives Earth system biosphere functions, human appropriation of net primary production is proposed as a control variable for functional biosphere integrity. This boundary is also transgressed. Earth system modeling of different levels of the transgression of the…

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Authors

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Topics & keywords

Keywords
  • Biosphere
  • Planetary boundaries
  • Context (archaeology)
  • Earth system science
  • Boundary (topology)
  • Environmental science
  • Geology
  • Earth science
UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Life below water
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