60% of Earth's Land Exceeds Safe Biosphere Limits, Study Finds

A new study shows that 60 % of the planet’s land surface now lies outside the safe operating zone for functional biosphere integrity, with 38 % classified as high‑risk.

• Researchers from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and BOKU mapped biosphere integrity from the 1600s to today, comparing human appropriation of net primary production with declines in photosynthetic activity.
• By 1900, 37 % of land had moved beyond the safe zone and 14 % was already high‑risk; today those figures have risen sharply to 60 % and 38 % respectively.
• High‑risk zones are concentrated in Europe, Asia and North America, driven by intensive agriculture and land‑cover conversion, while many tropical areas retain a larger share of safe land.
• The analysis used the LPJmL land‑surface model, integrating historical climate data, detailed land‑use records, HANPP inventories and satellite‑derived vegetation health observations.
• Authors argue the map provides a scientific basis for stronger climate and land‑use policies, emphasizing the need to protect natural ecosystems while meeting human demands.

Why it matters: The expanding biosphere overshoot threatens climate stability and ecosystem services that underpin food and water security.

Read more: https://getnews.me/60-of-earths-land-exceeds-safe-biosphere-limits-study-finds/