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Estimates of how the different control variables for planetary boundaries have changed from 1950 to present.
Summary
Researchers examined how planetary boundary control variables -- including novel entities such as microplastics, nanomaterials, organic pollutants, and radioactive materials -- have changed from 1950 to the present relative to the safe operating space. The estimates illustrate the degree to which human activity has pushed multiple Earth system boundaries beyond safe limits over the past seven decades.
The green shaded polygon represents the safe operating space. Adapted from: Steffen et al 2015, https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html, reproduced under license [70]. AM – Antimicrobials, AMR – Antimicrobial resistance, BII – Functional diversity, E/MSY – Genetic diversity, Novel entities – organic pollutants, radioactive materials, nanomaterials, microplastics, N – nitrogen, P – phosphorus.
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