Adapting the planetary boundaries to understand Australia’s contribution to planetary health.
2022
Authors
Brett Bryan, Carla Archibald, Michalis Hadjikakou, Abdullah Shaikh
Abstract
This report summarises work conducted as a part of the Land Use Futures program to adapt the planetary boundaries to the Australian context. Planet-A members outline how Australia is tracking against the freshwater use, biodiversity and land-system change boundaries. The report finds that Australia has transgressed national-scale limits for three planetary boundaries: biodiversity, land-system change, and nitrogen and phosphorus flows. Australia is approaching national limits for climate change and freshwater use. Australia’s land use is a key contributor to these trends, with natural systems under increasing pressure as a result of many land management practices.
National limits have been transgressed for biogeochemical flows, biosphere integrity and land-system change.
