A recent study by the Stockholm Resilience Centre has sounded alarm bells by revealing that humans have breached six out of nine Planetary Boundaries. These boundaries define limits to human activities on Earth to prevent a shift from the stable Holocene period, with breaches risking abrupt environmental changes. Human actions, particularly industrialization since the Industrial Revolution, are the main drivers of these changes. The framework emphasizes a “safe zone” for human societies within Earth system process boundaries and has gained international recognition. The nine boundaries include climate change, ocean acidification, stratospheric ozone depletion, biogeochemical flows in nitrogen and phosphorus cycles, global freshwater use, land system change, erosion of biosphere integrity, and chemical pollution.
Facts/Terms for UPSC Prelims
- Planetary Boundaries: These are limits defining the safe operating space for human activities within the Earth’s systems to maintain environmental stability.
- Holocene: The Holocene is the geological epoch characterized by relatively stable climate conditions over the past approximately 11,700 years, during which human civilization developed.
- Industrial Revolution: A period of rapid industrialization and technological advancement that began in the late 18th century, leading to significant societal and economic changes.
- Non-linear Environmental Changes: These refer to unpredictable and abrupt shifts in environmental conditions due to factors like human activities, often resulting in adverse consequences.
- Aragonite Saturation State: A measure of the saturation level of seawater with respect to the mineral aragonite; it is crucial for marine ecosystems and their ability to support calcium carbonate-based organisms.
