A study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and BOKU University in Vienna maps the planetary boundary of “functional biosphere integrity” in spatial detail and over centuries. It finds that 60% of global land areas are now already outside the locally defined safe zone, and 38% are even in the high-risk zone. The study was published in the renowned journal ‘One Earth’.

Functional biosphere integrity refers to the plant world’s ability to co-regulate the state of the earth system. Together with biodiversity loss and climate change, functional integrity forms the core of the Planetary Boundaries analytical framework for a safe operating space for humanity. The study builds on the latest update of the Planetary Boundaries framework published in 2023.