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VyraNews #17: Planetary Boundaries in Business.
Vyra Newsletter & Luke Fagan, Vyra Learning Director
April 18, 2024
Happy Thursday! 🌍
Planetary Boundaries - they sound like something from a sci-fi novel, don't they?
But what exactly are they, and why should your business care?
Let’s take a crash course in the basics and show you why these concepts are becoming more relevant in the boardroom.
What’s a planetary boundary? How many are there? Who’s responsible?
In 2009, a team of Earth system and environmental scientists, spearheaded by Johan Rockström from the Stockholm Resilience Centre and Will Steffen from the Australian National University, introduced the concept of planetary boundaries.
They didn't just make this stuff up; they identified nine critical areas that are feeling the heat from human activities. These brilliant minds proposed that these boundaries represent the "do not cross" lines for keeping Earth’s systems stable. Think of it as the planet's own set of safety instructions. |  |
What are the 9 Planetary Boundaries?
In 2023, and for the first time, all nine planetary boundaries were assessed. Six of the boundaries are now transgressed. Read more here and below.
Planetary Boundary | Specific Target | Potential Consequences if Exceeded | Exceeding in 2023? |
|---|---|---|---|
Climate Change | CO2 levels below 350 ppm and/or a 1°C change from pre-industrial levels | Increased global warming, extreme weather events, loss of biodiversity | Yes |
Biodiversity Loss | Fewer than ten extinctions per million species per year | Collapse of ecosystems, loss of services such as pollination and water purification | Yes |
Biogeochemical Flows | Nitrogen below 62 teragrams/year; Phosphorus below 11 teragrams/year | Eutrophication, algal blooms, dead zones in aquatic environments | Yes |
Ocean Acidification | Aragonite saturation state above 2.75 | Damage to marine life, especially shellfish and coral reefs, affecting biodiversity | No |
Land-System Change | 85% of Earth's forests to remain intact | Loss of habitat, increased carbon emissions, disruption of water cycles | Yes |
Freshwater Use | Less than 4,000 cubic kilometres per year globally | Water scarcity impacting agriculture, drinking supplies, and natural ecosystems | Yes |
Atmospheric Aerosol Loading | Manage particulate concentration to minimise impacts | Respiratory health issues, alteration in climate patterns, impact on water cycles | No |
Stratospheric Ozone Depletion | Ozone-depleting substances less than 0.275 Dobson units | Increased UV radiation leading to higher rates of skin cancers, crop damage, and disruption of ecosystems | No |
Novel Entities | Avoid releasing new compounds that could impact the Earth system | Pollution, health risks, and unpredictable long-term environmental damage | Yes |