Our planet is relatively massive, but it is a world of finite resources and we are quickly approaching our limits. The planetary boundaries framework establishes how safely humanity can operate within Earth's biological and physical limitations before undermining our own ability to survive. This is why when burning fossil fuels causes global heating, scientists warn about the safe upper limits of climate change.
Yet climate change is just one of the nine planetary boundaries that humanity must respect for Earth to remain a healthy planet for our species. Unfortunately, according to a recent study in the journal Science Advances, humanity is not merely failing to respect the climate boundary — we're at existential risk for six of the nine planetary boundaries that exist.
