This stark warning comes after an Earth resilience strategist warned mankind has exceeded four of the nine limits for hospitable life on the planet.
Excerpt From: Climate change: Antarctica’s glaciers melting, sea levels rising
Johan Rockstrom predicts we are getting close to dangerously close to hitting the fifth in a an article published in Science earlier this year.
Rockstrom came up with the idea of nine planetary boundaries in 2007 and his theory goes that in order to keep Earth hospitable, humans need to live within these nine specific boundaries.
THE NINE PLANETARY BOUNDARIES:
1. Climate change
2. Lost biodiversity as species become extinct
3. Addition of phosphorus nitrogen and other elements to the world’s crops and ecosystems
4. Deforestation and other land use changes
5. Emission of aerosols into the atmosphere that affect climate and living organisms
6. Stratospheric ozone depletion
7. Ocean acidification
8. Freshwater use
9. Dumping of organic pollutants, radioactive materials, nanomaterials, micro-plastics and other man-made substances into the world’s environment.
The nine planetary boundaries. Picture: TED. Source: Supplied
SO FAR, WE’VE WRECKED FOUR OF THEM:
As the above graphic shows, when it comes to harming the planet, humans have already made massive mistakes when it comes to climate change, extinction of various species and adding
phosphorus and nitrogen to the world’s ecosystems.
We’ve also made mistakes when it comes to deforestation and are on the way to ruining the Earth further in regards to poisonous aerosol emissions and stratospheric ozone depletion.
The nine planetary boundaries. Picture: TED. Source: Supplied
However Rockstrom maintains his recent paper — which is co-authored by 17 colleagues — isn’t a doomsday message, but more of a reminder how lucky humans have been to survive this long.
“The planet has been our best friend by buffering our actions and showing its resilience,” Rockstrom told Ideas Ted, earlier this month.
“But for the first time ever, we might shift the planet from friend to foe.”
Exposing the Big Game 
The fact that one crucial Planetary Boundary is missing–Human Population–is unfortunate. The “P” word seems to be left out of many such discussions, when in fact, it really is at the core of all the others. http://www.foranimals.org
Right, Why couldn’t he come up with an even 10 Planetary boundaries and include overpopulation? After all, it’s the one thing driving all other problems.
Unbelievable. I’m sure we’ll surpass the next 3 or 4 within 15 years. I’m only sorry for the damage we’ve done to the other inhabitants of the world. As humans, we deserve whatever we get, but they don’t.
True.
So true, and I feel as you do, tranforminglifenow. I remember reading an essay by Chris Hedges, talking about “this time we’re taking the whole world with us.” It is a horrible tragedy, and most of Homo sapiens is asleep about it. Imagine, those of us alive now are witnessing the death of this planet–I often call it the Hospice Mode.
I like Hospice Mode. Very appropriate. Some many people insist nothing is happening. I don’t know about you, but I can get quite disheartened about it.
Reblogged this on Sherlockian's Blog.
Yes, Transforming, it is indeed very sad.
I like the picture by Torro – as well as the article.