The paper proposes that reinforcing feedbacks could push the earth system toward a planetary threshold past which lies an irreversible “Hothouse Earth” scenario that catastrophically disrupts ecosystems, societies, and economies. The authors suggest that a deep transformation based on a fundamental reorientation of human values and operating systems is necessary, as well as resilience-building strategies to address earth system change.
Trajectories of the Earth System in the Anthropocene
Author(s)
Will Steffen, Johan Rockström, Katherine Richardson, and Hans Joachim Schellnhuber
Publication Date
6 August 2018
Publisher
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
DOI / URL
Resource Type
Academic Journal Article
Systems Addressed
Climate • Earth System