Planetary boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet

Abstract

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

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Affiliated Institutions

• Stellenbosch University ZA
• University of Wisconsin–Madison US
• Natural History Museum of Denmark DK
• Energy and Resources Institute IN
• Stockholm Environment Institute SE
• Natural History Museum Aarhus DK
• Wageningen University & Research NL
• Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences SE
• University College London GB
• Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research DE
• Scripps Institution of Oceanography US
• KTH Royal Institute of Technology SE
• Australian National University AU
• McGill University CA
• Stockholm University SE
• University of Copenhagen DK
• International Livestock Research Institute KE
• Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation AU
• Stockholm Resilience Centre SE

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