Planetary Boundaries

Planetary Boundaries (English Planetary Boundaries, Planetary guard rails, load limits of the planet ) is a concept of the ecological limits of the earth. It was developed by a 28 -member team of scientists led by Johan Rockström, Stockholm Resilience Centre and published in the journal Nature in 2009. Among the co-authors include among others Will Steffen, Australian National University, Hans -Joachim Schellnhuber, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and the Nobel laureate Paul Crutzen. The concept has already been adopted in parts of the international climate policy as a target, for example, when two degrees climate guard rail (see two-degree target). It is also the main WBGU 2011 World in Transition - A Social Contract for a Great Transformation based.

Description of the concept

To avoid catastrophic global environmental changes humanity is to observe ecological exposure limits. The authors prioritize nine essential for the system earth ecological dimensions. You define these dimensions for global limits. If a limit is exceeded, there is a risk of irreversible and sudden environmental changes that limit the habitability of the earth for mankind.

Seven of the ecological dimensions, the authors were able to quantify. Three have already exceeded the load limit: climate change, biodiversity loss and nitrogen cycle.

The nine processes and their load limits: