Human activity is pushing most of Earth's land beyond safe zone! A new global study reveals that 60% of Earth's land is now outside the safe zone of the biosphere, putting ecosystems and human life at risk. The research, published in Science Daily, highlights how human actions, like farming and energy production, have deeply changed the planet. The study shows that the Earth's safe zones are shrinking fast due to human activities. Europe, Asia and North America are the most affected. Scientists urge the world to take action and protect the planet’s future.
Biosphere integrity means the ability of plants and nature to maintain a healthy Earth system. Plants help by using sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into energy through photosynthesis. This energy supports life by keeping the balance of carbon, water and nitrogen in the environment.
Scientists say that human activities, such as cutting forests, farming and using land for cities, have caused serious changes in nature’s processes. These actions have disturbed the balance needed to keep the Earth safe.
Researchers from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) in Germany and BOKU University in Vienna led the study. It was published in the journal One Earth. The study used data going back to the year 1600 to see how human actions changed the Earth over time.
The scientists focused on two key measurements:
Human Use of Biomass: This measures how much of the Earth’s plant energy humans use for farming, harvesting wood and other purposes.
Ecosystem Risk: This measures changes in vegetation and the balance of water, carbon and nitrogen in ecosystems. If this balance is disturbed too much, ecosystems can collapse.
The study used a global model that simulates how water, carbon and nitrogen move in the environment every day. This model helped them track changes year by year.
The study found that problems started as early as the 1600s in Europe, Asia and North America. By 1900, 37% of land was outside the safe zone, and 14% was in the high-risk zone. Today, these numbers have increased to 60% and 38% respectively.
This means that more than half of the Earth’s land is now in trouble. The main reason is strong land-use changes, especially due to agriculture. Forests were cut down, grasslands turned into farms and wetlands disappeared.
Fabian Stenzel, the lead author of the study as mentioned by Science Daily, said, “Human demand for biomass continues to grow. This includes food, materials and bioenergy production.” He explained that scientists need to measure how much the Earth can safely provide.
Wolfgang Lucht, head of PIK’s Earth System Analysis, said, “This research helps us understand how much we are disturbing nature’s energy flows.” He added that these flows are the base of all life on Earth.
Johan Rockström, PIK’s Director, called the study a breakthrough. He said it offers “better understanding of planetary boundaries.” Rockström also warned that governments should act quickly.
"This is a clear sign that we must protect the biosphere and take strong climate actions together," he said. "We must see it as one big issue, not separate problems."
If the damage continues, ecosystems may collapse. This can lead to fewer crops, less clean water, more floods and harmful climate changes.
The study suggests that governments should:
Scientists also stress the importance of global cooperation. They believe that protecting the planet’s biosphere must be part of international climate policies.
Despite the alarming findings, scientists believe there is still time to act. They say that by using better farming techniques and protecting nature, we can reduce the risk. Fabian Stenzel added, "Our study helps people and governments see where the problems are. This way, we can fix them before it’s too late."
