Resilient and stable Earth system is critical for human health - Scientists call for unified approach

Human activity affects the planet in ways that extend far beyond climate change. To measure and track the resilience and stability of the Earth system, scientists first developed the Planetary Boundaries framework in 2009. They identified safe boundaries for nine critical Earth system processes, of which six are currently transgressed, indicating an increasing risk of destabilizing Earth’s life-support systems. 

Ample evidence now shows that Earth system change already poses urgent threats to human health - from impacts on air quality and water supply to food production, infectious disease exposure, and community habitability. Changes to the Earth system already affect all dimensions of health and are expected to account for a large share of the global burden of disease in the coming decades. These concerns gave rise to Planetary Health, which is focused on analysing and addressing the impacts of human disruptions to Earth’s natural systems on human health and identifying solutions that stabilize the Earth system while ensuring health, equity, and justice for all. 

To address these interconnected challenges, science is now working not only to uncover and communicate these risks, but also to help shape the societal transformations needed to protect both well-being and stability.

The authors of the Comment outline four cornerstones:

• Earth system and human health monitoring: Systematic investigation of health impacts from Earth system changes, with continually updated evidence to assess threats and inform decision-making.  
• Justice-centered policy: Ensuring universal access to essential resources for everyone while simultaneously addressing the disproportionate impact of Earth system changes on future generations, Indigenous peoples and marginalized communities, who are least responsible for destabilizing the Earth system.
• True cost and benefit accounting: Revealing the hidden health costs of environmental destruction and the true benefits of safeguarding nature’s contributions to people to identify efficient changes - for example, transforming the global food system would cost substantially less than current hidden costs.
• Integrated communication: Building understanding that environmental problems threaten everyone's health, security, and prosperity, while providing pathways for collective action.
  
  

The Planetary Boundaries and Planetary Health communities indicate that major societal shifts through large-scale, systemic changes, rather than focusing only on individuals’ daily lifestyle decisions, are necessary to adequately address this urgent, global challenge. The strategic alignment of scientific frameworks will help to provide policymakers and societies with concrete pathways through implementation of what the authors call “Planetary Health in All Policies”, ensuring every policy decision considers both human health and Earth system stability.