A new study led by Professor at CMEC, Katherine Richardson, updates the Planetary Boundary framework and shows human activities are increasingly impacting the planet and, thereby, increasing the risk of triggering dramatic changes in overall Earth conditions.
A new study led by Professor at CMEC, Katherine Richardson, updates the Planetary Boundary framework and shows human activities are increasingly impacting the planet and, thereby, increasing the risk of triggering dramatic changes in overall Earth conditions.
For over 3 billion years, the interaction between life and climate have controlled the overall environmental conditions on Earth. Human activities, for example replacing nature with other land uses, changing the amount of water in rivers and in soil, the introduction of synthetic chemicals to the open environment, and the emission of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere all influence these interactions.
Respecting and maintaining interactions in the Earth system so that they remain similar to those that have controlled Earth conditions over the past ~12,000 years are critical for ensuring human activities do not trigger dramatic changes in Earth condition – changes that likely would decrease the Earth’s ability to support modern civilizations.
Read more at University of Copenhagen - The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Image: Melting sea ice in the North Atlantic. (Credit: MARIA SCHEEL / AARHUS UNIVERSITY)
