The new Planetary Health Check 2025 from the Planetary Boundaries Science Lab at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) shows that seven of nine planetary boundaries have now been exceeded – one more than in the previous year. For the first time, the ocean acidification boundary is also considered to have been breached. The main cause is the burning of fossil fuels, the consequences of which are already being felt: coral reefs and Arctic ecosystems are under pressure, and entire food chains are threatened. ‘The oceans are our planet’s life support system – without healthy seas, there is no healthy planet,’ explains oceanographer Sylvia Earle. There is hope that international cooperation can be effective: the ozone layer has recovered and global air pollution from aerosols has decreased. PIK Director Johan Rockström emphasises that decisive action can still reverse the situation.
Further information can be found on the PIK website or on the Planetary Health Check website, where the full report is also available for download.
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