#154: The Nine Planetary Boundaries: A Safe Operating Space for Humans

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

Episode 154

Nine Planetary Boundaries: A Safe Operating Space for Humans 

Over the period of 5 decades we have added 4 billion people to our planet. By 2020 our population was 8.5 billion. With the combination of more people and longer lifetimes our absolute numbers continue to rise.

All of these people of course require the use of more resources. We continue to turn forests into farmland, wilderness into wheat fields and prairie into parking lots at an unprecedented rate. It is now becoming painfully obvious that there are limits to essential global resources.

We are now over stepping the planetary boundaries that are vital for our survival and we are pushing the physical limits of our planet. So join me for E154 with is Part One of The Nine Planetary Boundaries. A Safe Operating Space for Humans. 

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E154, which is Part One of The Nine Planetary Boundaries. In Part One I am going to focus on the concept of A Safe Operating Space for Humans.

Good News Story of the Week

But let’s start out with our good news story of the week because it is all about one more step toward sustainability. 

I think by now one of the things we all realize is just how much our travel affects the environment. And that has become painfully obvious in the airline, automobile, and trucking industry. But one of the challenges has always been to produce reliable batteries that are environmentally friendly. In fact, that is the big push in the EV, or electric vehicle industry right now.  

Well, you will be happy to know that NASA scientists in coordination with Georgia Tech University in the United States, has made a fascinating discovery. They may have just created a lighter, safer battery that has a discharge power that is multiple times greater compared to the lithium-ion batteries. 

Lithium-ion batteries are currently the industry standard in EVs. But they contain liquids that make them vulnerable overheating, loss of charge over time, and fire. The new solid-state battery created by NASA does not have such drawbacks. 

The Georgia tech programs receives funding from NASA and they were tasked with solving aviations biggest challenge, battery-powered flight. Their new design reduces battery weight by 30 to 40% and has 2 to 3 times the energy storage compared to lithium-ion which is the current market standard. 

And to go along with that, the trucking industry has also been conducting tests with large freight trucks. In just two years of operation, battery-powered electric big rigs have doubled their range and charging speed. This opens up yet another way that we can reduce carbon emissions. 

So, there you go folks, yet another step towards a sustainable future. 

Nine Planetary Boundaries

So let’s move onto this weeks episode, which is Part One of The Nine Planetary Boundaries which is called A Safe Operating Space for Humans.  I must say up front that of all the topics I have researched while producing this podcast, this subject of the nine planetary boundaries is by far one of the most concerning. So I hope you will stick around because there is some really good information in this episode. But there is so much information that I decided to divide this into two episodes. Part one is called A Safe Operating Space for Humans. Part two is called Living Beyond the Brink. In this first part I am going to define this concept of the nine planetary boundaries and show that this is actually vital for our long-term survival. 

Last week I talked a lot about the possibility of limiting the growth of the human population. And as I said last week, you don’t have to be a math whiz to realize that more people means the utilization of more resources.

But what I want to do for you is to put this into the little bit of a different perspective, perhaps a historical and geological perspective. The last 12,000 years prior to the Industrial Revolution, the period of time since the end of the last ice age, has been called “The Age of Man.” 

During this period of time there has been unprecedented stability on our planet. The average surface temperature varied less that 1 degree Celsius, or 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit, above or below the average. This time period is when we see the emergence of advanced societies during which both human and animal life has thrived.  This period of time contains all of humanity’s recorded history as well as the rise and fall of many civilizations. 

It is expected of course that any species living in a given ecological niche is going to influence their environment in some way. However, few if any species has changed the environment as much or as fast as humanity has managed to do. The sheer scale of our impact on the planet is becoming more and more apparent. Our oceans are warming and acidifying, our ice caps are melting, and we have achieved a species extinction rate that rivals any other mass extinction across all geologic time. It is estimated that in the next 25 years approximately 25% of all species on this planet will be extinct. 

But what is not readily apparent in our daily lives is that our actions are not without consequence. 

But what I want to do is narrow this down a bit so that I can put this into perspective. Just briefly I want to revisit that concept of ecological balance. 

This is defined as a state of dynamic equilibrium within a community of organisms in which genetic, species and ecosystem diversity remain relatively stable subject to gradual changes through natural succession. And this is exactly what we see during the 12,000 years prior to the Industrial Revolution. 

It is important to note that within a given ecological niche, one simple change has the potential of causing devastating effects. For example when an ecological niche has developed to operate within a given temperature zone and there is sudden warming, it may completely destroy that ecological niche because the organism in that niche cannot adapted quickly enough.  

When a vital species in a given niche, which is known as a keystone species, is taken out of the ecological equation, that system may completely collapse. For example, predators are often a keystone species because they help to keep population numbers in balance. When they are taken out of the equation, the population multiples, there is over grazing and the depletion of local resources. What follows is malnutrition, starvation, disease and death. This sort of natural balancing system is easily observed in a localized ecosystem. For example, a national park or a game reserve. 

But as far as humans are concerned few of us actually have an ecological perspective outside of our own community, state, or nation. Few of us truly realize that our entire planet is simply one large closed and isolated ecological niche because there are no net imports into the planet.  And as you may well know by now, the changes we have made to our ecological niche are now evident on a global scale. 

What I want to focus on in this episode is the concept of nine planetary boundaries that are vital to sustaining life on this planet and whether or not we are violating those boundaries. And if so, what does that mean for humanity. 

Scientist and researchers developed this concept of planetary boundaries within which humanity can continue to develop and thrive in a sustainable manner. The concept of nine planetary boundaries was first proposed in 2009 by Johan Rockstrom, the founding director of Sweden’s Stockholm Resilience Centre, and a group of 28 renowned scientists. 

Since then, their framework has been revised several times. But as of the present time, this team was able to provide a detailed outline of planetary resilience by mapping out all nine boundary processes that define a safe operating space for humanity. The latest update to this concept quantifies all of these boundaries.

Now if you can think of the entire planet as being our ecological niche it will help you to appreciate that all life on Earth, including humanity, is sustained by vital biochemical systems which are in a delicate balance. The problem is that human beings, mostly due to our rapid population growth and untethered,  indiscriminate consumption of resources, is destabilizing these vital processes and endangering the very stability of our “safe operating space.”  

So what exactly are these boundaries?

Well I am going to go over each one of these. But, very quickly, the nine boundaries are fresh water use, land systems, biosphere integrity, climate, stratospheric ozone, atmospheric aerosols, ocean acidification, biochemical flows, and novel entities. 

1. Fresh water use: 

Now what you have to understand is that due to the natural ability of the Earth to recycle water through our weather systems, the amount of fresh water on the planet has always been the same since the time of the dinosaurs. Most of the water on the planet is ocean water. Of all of the fresh water on the planet we only have access to about 1% of it because the remainder is in the form of ice fields. 

Our agricultural systems, industry and our booming global population is putting an ever greater strain on the freshwater cycle. As our global population doubled, our water usage increased by 5 times. In addition to that, climate change is altering weather patterns, deforestation is contributing to less rainfall and more heat. We are now seeing rivers literally run dry and major water reservoirs are evaporating. It does not help matters that the average American household using over 300 gallons of water per day. 

And of the fresh water that we do have, on a global basis it is estimated that 40% of all fresh water is severely polluted. In the US approximately 50% of all fresh water is considered too polluted to use for fishing, swimming, or drinking. 

And of course life on Earth cannot exist without fresh water. At the present time, nearly half the worlds population lives in areas that are experiencing moderate to severe water stress. But I am happy to report that Switzerland, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Denmark are at the top of the list for having the cleanest water on the planet. 

2) Land-systems: 

Land-system change: It is estimated that 95% of our land on the entire planet has been altered in some way by human activity. And about 84% of that has multiple human impacts.

Some of these changes result in permanent destruction, such as urbanization. Think of it this way, every square foot of land that we occupy used to be wilderness. 

And as you could likely guess, agricultural activities have been the primary driver of altering our land. Our changes in land use and cover such as deforestation, urbanization, and shifts in vegetation patterns also alters the climate. Such things change the reflectivity of the Earths surface, we increase emissions by burning forests, urbanization causes heat island effects. All of these changes alters the natural water cycle with the end result of loss of biodiversity, loss of freshwater, and increased CO2 in the atmosphere. 

3) Biosphere integrity: 

Biosphere Integrity refers to the balance between living creatures and resources on the planet, as well as the maintenance of biodiversity.  Now this has to do with a balanced ecosystem. As I mentioned before, you can think of the entire planet as being a closed self sustaining ecosystem. 

Thanks to a wonderful natural process called photosynthesis, the carbon dioxide that once permeated the Earth’s atmosphere has been sequestered underground and in plant life. But human activity is causing the release of much of that CO2. Furthermore, our demand for food, water, and other natural resources is putting a strain on our entire ecosystem. We are altering the functionality of that system by a rapid decline in plant and animal life, loss of genetic diversity, and degradation of ecosystems on a global scale. 

4) Global climate:

Most likely you already guessed that one of those boundaries is global climate because we hear about this almost everyday. Unfortunately for humanity, global climate change represents only one of the nine critical planetary boundaries that are responsible for sustaining all life on this planet. We passed the safe boundary of CO2 concentrations in our atmosphere in 1988.

We are now seeing increase temperatures, more frequent and more severe storms, increased episodes of prolonged drought, and our oceans are warming. This of course affects our food supply, results in numerous additional health risks, and is now displacing thousands of people yearly.  

5) Stratospheric ozone: 

The ozone acts as a protective layer against UV radiation from the sun. It is a very thin part of the Earth’s atmosphere and it absorbs almost all of the sun’s harmful UV radiation. You can think of the ozone as being the Earth’s sunscreen. It absorbs about 98% of the UV radiation. 

Too much exposure to UV radiation can alter our very DNA and cause different types of cancer. If the ozone layer was depleted, life on Earth was essentially cease to exist.

Stratospheric ozone depletion was first detected in 1980. Chemicals such as Chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs are the cause of our thinning ozone layer. CFCs are essentially everywhere, in refrigerants and in plastics. Once these chemicals are released into the atmosphere it damages the ozone layer. 

6) Atmospheric aerosols: 

Essentially atmospheric aerosols consists of small particles of solids, such as dust, or liquids, such as water, that become suspended in the atmosphere. We often think of aerosols as being something from a can such as spray paint or insect repellent. But there are also natural aerosols such as wildfire smoke or volcanic ash, and even salt from ocean spray. Human aerosol pollution is caused by smokestacks, car exhaust, and even clothes dryers. 

Unfortunately, the science behind aerosol pollution is very complex and scientist are completely unsure what would happen if aerosol production was suddenly and dramatically reduced. It could actually destabilize the entire global climate.

What we do know is that excess aerosols in the atmosphere definitely alters the climate. Additionally, aerosol pollution kills 4.2 million people every year. 

7) Ocean acidification: 

The acidification of the oceans happens when atmospheric CO2 dissolves in the sea water. As CO2 dissolves it releases hydrogen ions which is what causes the shift in pH. Ocean acidification is driven primarily by two things: the burning of fossil fuels and massive deforestation.  

Since 1850 the oceans have absorbed about 30 to 50% of the CO2 that we have released into the atmosphere. This has in fact slowed down the affects of climate change. Since that time, the acidity of the oceans has increased by 26%. This increased acidity makes it difficult for calcifying organisms such as coral and some plankton, to form shells and skeletons. This limits their survival and consequently will have tremendous affects further up the food chain. 

8) Biogeochemical flows or cycles;

While this may sound complicated, it is actually very straight forward. Humanity’s use of fertilizers have been central to our agricultural systems and our massive food production. Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P) are the rate limiting nutrients in most natural systems. Consequently, these two chemicals are the main constituents of agricultural fertilizers. The run off and leaching of fertilizers from agricultural land and into the surrounding and downstream ecosystems alter natural plant communities, decreases biodiversity and results in species extinction. Consequently, we are completely reshaping ecosystems on numerous levels. 

9) Novel entities: 

Now the last planetary boundary is what is called novel entities. This refers to artificial chemicals, plastics, heavy metals, radioactive materials, as well as many other things that humans produce and release into the environment. Presently, there are about 350,000 different types of artificial chemicals currently on the market with many more in the process of production. Many of these chemicals have been shown to have negative impacts on the natural world and human health. But the rate at which these novel entities are being produced by industry exceeds the governments ability to assess the risks and monitor the impacts. Consequently, society in general is flying blind as to the potential chemical threats. 

So, there you have it folks, the nine planetary boundaries. You know I got to thinking about this concept the other day on a very personal level. I think it is safe to say that everyone of us has a list of things, or boundaries if you will, that we must abide by or live within for our lives to function the way we want, or to keep us within our comfort zone.  For example, a place to live, electricity, a supply of food and fresh water, a means of transportation, a support group of people whether that be friends or family, and adequate income to meet our financial needs and to give us a decent standard of living. IN many respects you could think of this as your own ecological niche. You have to abide by certain principles in order to keep you life in balance. 

Well, it is not different with the environment and the place where we live. For example, I have owned the homestead property for over 25 years. During that time, I have substantially altered only 5% of that property. Consequently, I continue to harvest plants to eat, water to drink, and wood to keep us warm in the winter. So we have maintained a balance and have a fantastic lifestyle. 

But it is no different with the entire planet. I think the challenge is that despite being very much a global community many nations tend to be extremely independent and do whatever is best for their people instead of looking at the bit picture of the entire planet. 

But, it should be quite clear at this point that whatever happens in one country affects another. It is quite possible for there to be a financial crises, a natural disaster, a major crop failure, or even a foreign invasion that sets off a reaction that affects the entire global community. We see this over and over. And that is why we must act as a global community to live within our safe operating space. 

A couple of years ago while working on a podcast production I stopped in the middle of what I was doing and ask myself a simple question. Is there anything I can do that does not impact the environment in some way. After a lot of thought I decided the clear answer was no. Just think about this for a moment. Every single thing we do has some sort of environmental impact. Now think of that in terms of 7 billion people. 

It should be obvious from my presentation here that we are already pushing the limits of these nine planetary boundaries. And what we are doing is not without consequences. 

So what does all of this mean? 

Initially Johan Rockstrom and his team of scientist set out to define the boundaries for a safe operating space for humanity. Knowing that we were already pushing those limits they also wanted to determine what we could do before we trigger rapid catastrophic environmental change.

And that folks is going to be the topic of part two of the nine planetary boundaries, which is called Living Beyond the Brink. 

But now that you know what these boundaries are, until next week’s episode, take some time to think of things you do in your own life to exceed these boundaries. Then decide what you can do to make a difference. And that is part of what will be covered next week. 

I hope you will join me again next week. And until then, always remember to live sustainably because this is how we build a better future.