In September 2023, a team of scientists quantified, for the first time, all nine processes that regulate the stability and resilience of the Earth system. These nine planetary boundaries were first proposed by former centre director Johan Rockström and a group of 28 internationally renowned scientists in 2009. Since then, their framework has been revised several times. Now the latest update not only quantified all boundaries, it also concludes that six of the nine boundaries have been transgressed. Crossing boundaries increases the risk of generating large-scale abrupt or irreversible environmental changes. Drastic changes will not necessarily happen overnight, but together the boundaries mark a critical threshold for increasing risks to people and the ecosystems we are part of.
For more information check out: Planetary boundaries – Stockholm Resilience Centre