In 2007, Johan Rockström and Will Steffen set out to answer a fundamental question: “What is the safe operating space for humanity on Planet Earth?” They suggested limits, called Planetary Boundaries — guardrails to keep us a safe distance from these catastrophic tipping points. Because as our population has grown, we’ve pulled more resources away from our life-support systems. We’ve diverted water, land, and minerals to agriculture, industry, and urban development. People began to wonder, “would these pressures eventually prove too much?”

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