Planetary boundaries

Question 1

What are planetary boundaries?

Answer 1

They identify 9 processes that are critical to maintaining resilience and stability of Earth system as a whole

Question 2

What is the purpose of this?

Answer 2

The framework aims to delineate (portray precisely) and quantify anthropogenic perturbation that if respected would allow Earth to be in a ‘holocene” like interglacial state.

Question 3

What is Holocene period?

Answer 3

It began during the end of last ice age during which agriculture and modern civilisation evolved. It was also characterised by warm and stable planetary conditions

Question 4

What is causing uncertain future of our planet’s environment?

Answer 4

Human induced changes are causing many earth system components to fall out of equilibrium

Question 5

What is the purpose of establishing planetary boundaries?

Answer 5

The framework delineates the biochemical and biophysical systems and processes known to regulate the state of the planet within ranges

Question 6

Explain more about planetary boundaries framework

Answer 6

they bring a scientific understanding of anthropogenic global environmental impacts into a framework that calls for considering the state of Earth system as a whole.

Question 7

What is geospehre?

Answer 7

Flow of energy and non living materials on earth and atmosphere

Question 8

What controlled global environmental conditions?

Answer 8

Interactions between geosphere and biosphere controlled global environmental conditions

Question 8

what is biospehere?

Answer 8

All living organisms and ecosystems

Question 8

What is exactly do the nine boundaries represent?

Answer 8

They represent the components of the earth system critically affected by the anthropogenic activities

Question 9

What does the framework do?

Answer 9

formulates limits to the impact of the anthroposphere on Earth system by identifying a scientifically based safe operating space for humanity that can safeguard both Earth’s interglacial state and its resilience.

Question 10

What are the boundaries?

Answer 10

All of the framework’s individual boundaries therefore adopt preindustrial Holocene conditions as a reference for assessing the magnitude of anthropogenic deviations.

Question 11

What is the prerequisite of EVS?

Answer 11

Understanding how biosphere, anthroposphere, and geosphere processes interact with one another is a prerequisite for developing reliable projections of possible future Earth system trajectories.

Question 12

What is the zone of increasing risk?

Answer 12

It is a new way to understand the limits we should set to protect our planet’s systems. Instead of focusing on uncertainty, researchers emphasize that as we get closer to certain environmental limits—like carbon dioxide levels—we face greater risks of serious changes that could permanently alter our climate.

Question 13

What are the core boundaries of the framework?

Answer 13

Biosphere integrity and climate change

Question 14

Name the 9 planetary boundaries

Answer 14

1- Climate change
2- biosphere integrity
3- atmospheric aerosol loading
4- ocean acidification
5- Freshwater change
6- land system change
7-Novel entities
8-Stratospheric ozone depletion
9-biogeochemical flows

Question 15

Give a brief about climate change

Answer 15

This boundary is concerned with the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The limit is set at 350 parts per million of CO2 to avoid dangerous climate impacts.

Question 16

Give a brief about biosphere integrity

Answer 16

refers to the rate of species extinction. The boundary aims to keep the extinction rate below 10 species per million species per year to maintain ecosystem resilience.

Question 17

Give a brief about atmospheric aerosol loading

Answer 17

Refers to particles in the atmosphere that can affect climate and human health. This boundary is about minimizing particulate pollution to ensure air quality and climate stability.

Question 18

Give a brief about ocean acidicication

Answer 18

This boundary deals with the chemical changes in oceans due to increased CO2 absorption, which threatens marine life, especially coral reefs. Maintaining pH levels is critical to marine ecosystems.

Question 19

Give a brief about fresh water change

Answer 19

Pertains to the consumption of freshwater resources. The boundary aims to manage water withdrawal sustainably to avoid freshwater scarcity.

Question 20

Give a brief about land system change

Answer 20

Focuses on the conversion of natural ecosystems to agricultural or urban land. The boundary seeks to limit deforestation and promote sustainable land use to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Question 21

Give a brief about novel entities

Answer 21

Encompasses new materials and technologies (like plastics, nanomaterials, and synthetic chemicals) that may have unknown impacts on ecosystems and human health. The boundary aims to regulate these substances to avoid unforeseen consequences.

Question 22

Give a brief about Stratospheric ozone depletion

Answer 22

Focuses on the ozone layer’s integrity, which protects life from harmful UV radiation. The boundary seeks to limit substances that deplete the ozone layer, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

Question 23

Give a brief about biogeochemical flows

Answer 23

This boundary addresses the cycles of nitrogen and phosphorus, crucial for agriculture. It aims to prevent excessive nutrient runoff, which can cause eutrophication and dead zones in oceans.

Question 24

What is tipping point?

Answer 24

refer to critical thresholds within ecological or environmental systems, where a small change or disturbance can lead to a significant and often irreversible shift in the system’s state.

Question 25

What is NPP

Answer 25

Human appropriation of net primary production (NPP) is a crucial concept that measures the extent to which human activities consume or alter the natural biomass production of ecosystems. NPP represents the total amount of organic material produced by plants through photosynthesis, minus the energy that plants use for their own respiration. It essentially reflects the energy available to support life on Earth, forming the backbone of biological systems.