According to a recent report, our planet will only be able to support even the most basic living standards for everyone in the future if we undergo significant changes to our economic systems and technologies, and if critical resources are used, managed, and distributed more equitably. This report was co-authored by over sixty prominent natural and social scientists from the Earth Commission, including Joyeeta Gupta from UvA, as well as Prof. Xuemei Bai and Prof. Diana Liverman. It was published today in The Lancet Planetary Health.
The research builds upon last year’s ‘Safe and Just Earth System Boundaries’ article in Nature, which revealed that we have exceeded many crucial limits required for both human and planetary health. The current report highlights the concept of ‘Safe and Just Space’—a framework that minimizes harm to both people and nature while ensuring that everyone’s basic needs are met—and outlines strategies for achieving and maintaining this space.
Already Declining
Projections for the year 2050 indicate that this safe space will continue to diminish due to inequality unless immediate action is taken. To ensure everyone’s needs are met and societies, businesses, and economies can thrive without harming the planet, we must address disparities in access to essential Earth system resources, like fresh water and nutrients, in tandem with economic and technological reforms.
The findings indicate that inequality and disproportionate consumption by a small group are major factors contributing to the reduction of this safe space. Providing basic resources to those who currently lack them would exert far less strain on the Earth system compared to the excessive consumption habits of the minority.
Joyeeta Gupta states, ‘We are starting to understand the harm that inequality inflicts on our planet. Rising pollution levels and the mismanagement of natural resources are causing considerable damage to both people and the environment. If we continue to widen the gap between the wealthy and those in need, the consequences for all will become increasingly severe, as the foundational systems that support our way of life, markets, and economies begin to deteriorate.’
A Life Without Poverty
If the Earth System Boundaries act as a ‘ceiling’ beyond which planetary stability is compromised, the Safe and Just Space serves as a ‘foundation,’ illustrating the bare minimum required from the Earth system for individuals to live free from poverty. The area in between offers numerous opportunities to create a better future for both people and the planet.
To achieve this safe space, the report advocates for action in three key areas. First, we need to revamp our economic systems through new policies and funding strategies that tackle inequality while relieving pressure on natural resources and climate. Second, we should manage, share, and utilize resources more effectively across all societal levels, addressing the excessive consumption by certain groups that limits essential resource access for those most in need. Third, investment in sustainable and affordable technologies is crucial to help us minimize resource use and reopen the Safe and Just Space for everyone, especially in areas where there is very limited space available.
Gupta concludes, ‘It is still within our reach for every individual to escape poverty and safeguard against harm from changes in Earth systems—but our planet’s capacity to provide and protect is being pushed to its limits.’
