Potential use of planetary boundary thinking in the UK

The planetary boundary (PB) concept is based on a set of nine boundaries for critical processes that regulate the functioning of the earth’s ecosystems at a global level.  The concept posits that crossing these boundaries takes us into ‘zones of uncertainty’, with potential risks of reaching thresholds or tipping points that could generate abrupt or irreversible changes on a large scale, or of substantially eroding the resilience of the earth’s eco-systems.  Although the importance of operating within PBs is increasingly recognised in policy circles, the EU, national governments, and businesses, the concept has not yet been systematically applied in the UK by Government or other public bodies.  Given the Government’s commitment to produce a 25 Year Environment Plan, and a Resources and Waste Strategy, it seems timely to consider how PB thinking might be used to inform UK policy development and decision-making.  This paper is intended to prompt discussion about meeting that challenge:

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