A recent study revealed that the Earth “exceeds the safe zone for humans on 6 out of 9 criteria important for their health,” and that two of the remaining three elements are “going in the wrong direction.”
A group of international scientists reported in the journal Science Advances on Wednesday that Earth's climate, biodiversity, land and fresh water, nutrient pollution and "modern" chemicals (man-made components such as small plastic particles and nuclear waste) are all out of control.
While the study showed that only ocean acidity, air health, and the ozone layer are still at levels considered safe, ocean and air pollution are headed in the wrong direction.
In 2009, study researchers established 9 different standard categories and used scientific measurements to judge the health of the Earth as a whole.
The latest study was an update to another study dating back to 2015, and added a sixth element to the unsafe category. The water measurement changed from “barely safe” to the “out of control” category due to the deteriorating condition of the rivers.
It also developed better measurements for a broader understanding of the problem.
Comments Johan Rockström, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany, one of the study participants
- “We are in a very bad situation. This analysis shows that the planet is losing resilience.”
- “These measurements determine the fate of the planet.”
- “The nine elements are well established scientifically through a number of separate additional studies.”
- “If the Earth could transcend these nine elements, it could become relatively safe, but right now it is not safe.”
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