A Safe Operating Space Within Planetary Boundaries

Is there a limit to human development and growth without creating serious environmental concerns?

Earth has been changing over the last 100,000 years dramatically, however the planet’s environment has been unusually stable for the past 10,000 years. This period is known as the Holocene.

Since the industrial revolution, a new era known as the Anthropocene has arisen where humans have become the main driver of global environmental change, threatening the stability of the Earth. This instability comes with severe consequences and catastrophes to large parts of the world.

These pressures outlined by Johan Rockstrom (an environmental scientist) include:

  1. Population Growth→ Equity issue where a vast majority of environmental impacts on the planet are caused by the rich minority

  2. Climate Agenda→ Where we are at risk of destabilising the ice sheets and creating 6-7 metre sea level rise

  3. Ecosystem Decline→ forests, land and biodiversity are all being reduced, inhibiting nature’s ability to regulate the climate

  4. Surprise→ The notion that we need to abandon our old paradigm, where ecosystems behave linearly and predictably

In 2010, Rockstrom identified 9 Planetary Boundaries, which he said should guide the future of human development in a way that ensures we don’t go over the edge.

“Together, the stability of these nine processes is essential to maintaining the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and ecosystems in the delicate balance that has allowed human civilizations to flourish.” (Mongabay Series)

There are 9 processes that make up the planetary boundaries with 3 already passed:

  • Climate change – passed

  • Rate of biodiversity loss (terrestrial and marine) – passed

  • Interference with the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles – passed

  • Stratospheric ozone depletion

  • Ocean acidification

  • Global freshwater use

  • Change in land use

  • Chemical pollution

  • Atmospheric aerosol loading

If one boundary is transgressed, all the others are at risk. “One for all, all for one. The key is understanding that the world we live in is one big ecosystem. An interconnected flow which creates chain reactions.

From learning about this safe operating space, I’ve learnt that there needs to be a shift in mindset. Instead of blindly assuming that growth has no limits, we can use these planetary boundaries as a fence and guide, then back track innovation so that we can all operate safely.

As harsh as this sounds, it’s also an exciting opportunity to create transformative and innovative development. An opportunity that needs to be capitalised on now by us all!’


https://www.ted.com/talks/johan_rockstrom_let_the_environment_guide_our_development/transcript?language=en#t-631471 – Johan Rockstrom’s Ted Talk

https://www.nature.com/articles/461472a – Nature Article

https://news.mongabay.com/2021/03/the-nine-boundaries-humanity-must-respect-to-keep-the-planet-habitable/ Mongabay Series

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