According to a new study released Wednesday, human activity has now gone past six of nine planetary boundaries, which are ways to measure the stability and livability of Earth for humans. The study published in the journal Science Advances represents the third update of the planetary boundary framework carried out by 29 scientists from eight different countries.
The planetary boundaries concept identifies nine global priorities relating to human—caused changes to the environment. The concept sets boundaries on how much we can allow ourselves to impact not only the climate but also other global processes that can support modern civilization. Respecting these safety boundaries would minimize the risk of human activities setting off a dramatic and potentially irrecoverable change in global environmental conditions.
Crossing six boundaries does not necessarily mean a disaster to follow, but it is a clear warning signal. “We can regard it as we do our own blood pressure,” said the study lead author Katherine Richardson of the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. “A blood pressure over 120 is not a guarantee of a heart attack but it increases the risk of one. For our own and our children’s sakes we need to reduce the pressure on these six planetary boundaries.”
As pressure on the planet increases and vital boundaries are being violated, we don’t know how long we can keep turning against these key boundaries before combined pressures lead to irrecoverable change and harm.
Richardson likens the framework to a bank statement—“it tells us how much of various resources of the Earth system we can allow ourselves to use without greatly increasing the risk in the overall environmental conditions we experience on Earth.”
According to Richardson, the study shows that focusing on climate alone will not solve the climate crisis; it must be seen together with the biodiversity crisis. Life is what makes this planet unique and it is the interactions between land, ocean, atmosphere and life that together provide conditions upon which our societies depend.
There is still time to prevent disasters, but we must take action, not next year or next month but now.
12. What can be inferred from the first paragraph?
A.Our planet is safe enough to live on. |
B.Man puts our environment in great danger. |
C.The environmental stability can be ensured. |
D.The earth we live on is in a healthy condition. |
13. What does the underlined word “minimize” mean in the second paragraph?
A.Reduce. | B.Increase. | C.Reconsider. | D.Challenge. |
14. What does the writer mention a blood pressure over 120 to indicate?
A.Blood pressure is an important indicator in measuring physical health. |
B.Breaking six boundaries is certain to result in environmental disasters. |
C.Crossing boundaries is a clear warning against damaging environment. |
D.Paying attention to the behavior towards environment is very important. |
15. What is the best title for the text?
A.The nine planetary boundaries we should never go past |
B.How much of various resources of the Earth system we can use |
C.The ideal conditions upon which our humans depend to survive |
D.Immediate actions should be taken to protect the environment |