Governance of Global Sustainability
1.1 - Drivers and causes of unsustainability
Rockström, J., Steffen, W., Noone, K., Persson, Å., Chapin III, F. S., Lambin, E., ... & Nykvist, B. (2009).
Planetary boundaries: exploring the safe operating space for humanity.Ecology and society,14(2).
[ COMPLETE]
Identify key Earth System processes and attempt to quantify for each process the boundary level that
should not be transgressed if we are to avoid unacceptable global environmental change. Unacceptable
change is here defined in relation to the risks humanity faces in the transition of the planet from the
Holocene to the Anthropocene.
Threshold = a non-linear (falling down slope) transition in the functioning of coupled human-
environmental systems. (tipping point)
- Thresholds are intrinsic features of those systems and are often defined by a position along one
or more control variables
Boundary = a human-determined value of the control variable set at a ‘’safe’’ distance from a dangerous
level.
- Determining the safe distance involves normative judgements of how societies choose to deal
with risk and uncertainty.
Threshold vs boundary:
Threshold is about specific measurements and boundaries are warnings that you are about to cross the
threshold.
What is easier for policies: attack threshold or boundary?
Boundary: because you still have a little operating space left after crossing the boundary
Threshold:
Difficult to implement until you really see the threat (like wearing face mask for covid).
There is always someone paying the cost of the policy. You have to keep this in mind
Climate change
Boundary is based on:
- Analysis of the ECS (equilibrium climate sensitivity) of the climate system to GHG
- Behaviour of large polar ice sheets under climates warmer than those of the Holocene
- Observed behaviour of the climate system at a current CO2 concentration
1.1 - Drivers and causes of unsustainability
Rockström, J., Steffen, W., Noone, K., Persson, Å., Chapin III, F. S., Lambin, E., ... & Nykvist, B. (2009).
Planetary boundaries: exploring the safe operating space for humanity.Ecology and society,14(2).
[ COMPLETE]
Identify key Earth System processes and attempt to quantify for each process the boundary level that
should not be transgressed if we are to avoid unacceptable global environmental change. Unacceptable
change is here defined in relation to the risks humanity faces in the transition of the planet from the
Holocene to the Anthropocene.
Threshold = a non-linear (falling down slope) transition in the functioning of coupled human-
environmental systems. (tipping point)
- Thresholds are intrinsic features of those systems and are often defined by a position along one
or more control variables
Boundary = a human-determined value of the control variable set at a ‘’safe’’ distance from a dangerous
level.
- Determining the safe distance involves normative judgements of how societies choose to deal
with risk and uncertainty.
Threshold vs boundary:
Threshold is about specific measurements and boundaries are warnings that you are about to cross the
threshold.
What is easier for policies: attack threshold or boundary?
Boundary: because you still have a little operating space left after crossing the boundary
Threshold:
Difficult to implement until you really see the threat (like wearing face mask for covid).
There is always someone paying the cost of the policy. You have to keep this in mind
Climate change
Boundary is based on:
- Analysis of the ECS (equilibrium climate sensitivity) of the climate system to GHG
- Behaviour of large polar ice sheets under climates warmer than those of the Holocene
- Observed behaviour of the climate system at a current CO2 concentration
