There will be no “safe” places to live on Earth by 2050 without a dramatic change in economic systems, with the private sector the best placed to lead the transition.
A new report, co-authored by 60 leading natural and social scientists from across the globe, found Earth would only remain able to provide even a basic standard of living for everyone in the future if economic systems and technologies were dramatically transformed.
One of three lead authors, Distinguished Professor Xuemei Bai, from the Australian National University said it was also vital critical resources were more fairly used, managed and shared.
Professor Bai said the report, published in The Lancet Planetary Health, outlined how cities and businesses had the power to play a crucial role and become the “stewards” of critical Earth systems.
She said the report built on last year’s Safe and Just Earth System Boundaries report, which found that most of the vital limits within which people and the planet could thrive had been surpassed.
“Companies and cities have the means to act and drastically transform and reduce pressure on the planet. They have a huge potential to make a difference, especially if they work towards the same goal, which is to ensure the planet can provide for everyone long-term.
“They are more nimble and flexible than states, and can reduce their pressure on the planet by setting science-based targets in line with our findings.”
Professor Stuart Bunn, from Griffith University, who co-led one of the working groups, said the report found the planet’s ability to provide and protect was being stretched past its limits, although it remained possible for humans to escape poverty and harm, if urgent action was taken.
Professor Bunn said the only way to provide for everyone and ensure societies, businesses and economies thrived without destabilising the planet was to reduce inequalities in how critical Earth system resources, such as freshwater and nutrients, were accessed and used and how responsibilities, such as reducing carbon emission, were shared, alongside economic and technological transformation.
“By 2050, unless urgent transformations are made, Earth’s climate will deteriorate to the point where there will be no ‘safe and just space’ left,” he said.
“That means that even if everyone on the planet only had access to the resources necessary for a basic standard of living in 2050, the Earth would still be outside the climate boundary.”
Professor Bunn said Earth systems faced the risk of crossing dangerous tipping points, which would cause further significant harm to people around the world unless energy, food and urban systems were urgently transformed.
He said the paper outlined a series of recommendations to ensure Earth’s climate remained within this so-called “safe and just space”.
- A well-coordinated, intentional effort between policymakers, businesses, civil society and communities can push for changes in how we run the economy and find new policies and funding mechanisms that can address inequality whilst reducing pressure on nature and climate.
- Fundamental to the transformation is more efficient and effective management, sharing and usage of resources at every level of society, including addressing the excess consumption of some communities, which limits access to basic resources for those who need them the most.
- Investment in sustainable and affordable technologies is essential to help us use fewer resources and to reopen the safe and just space for all, particularly where there is little or no space left.
