Earth Beyond Six of Nine Planetary Boundaries

The authors present an updated analysis of the planetary boundaries framework, revealing that human activities have pushed Earth beyond six of the nine critical environmental thresholds that define a safe operating space for humanity. These transgressed boundaries include climate change, biosphere integrity, land-system change, freshwater use, biogeochemical flows, and novel entities. The study emphasizes that the stability of Earth’s systems, essential for human well-being, is increasingly compromised, and calls for urgent, integrated global action to restore planetary resilience and avoid irreversible environmental damage.