Local and social facets of planetary boundaries: right to nutrients

Abstract

Anthropogenic nutrient flows exceed the planetary boundaries. The boundaries and the current excesses vary spatially. Such variations have both an ecological and a social facet. We explored the spatial variation using a bottom-up approach. The local critical boundaries were determined through the current or accumulated flow of the preceding five years before the planetary boundary criteria were met. Finland and Ethiopia served as cases with contrasting ecology and wealth. The variation in excess depends on historical global inequities in the access to nutrients. Globally, the accumulated use per capita is 2300 kg reactive nitrogen (N r ) and 200 kg phosphorus (P). For Finland, the accumulated use per capita is 3400 kg N r and 690 kg P, whereas for Ethiopia, it is 26 kg N r and 12 kg P. The critical N boundary in Finland is currently exceeded by 40 kg cap −1 a −1 and the accumulated excess is 65 kg cap −1 a −1 , while the global current excess is 24 kg cap −1 a −1 and there is space in Ethiopia to increase even the accumulated flow. The critical P boundary is exceeded in Finland and (although less so) in Ethiopia, but for contrary reasons: (1) the excessive past inflow to the agrifood system in Finland and (2) the excessive outflow from the agrifood system triggered by deficits in inflow and waste management in Ethiopia. The critical boundaries set by Finnish marine systems are lower and those set by freshwaters are higher than the planetary boundaries downscaled per capita. The shift to dominance of internal loading in watercourses represents a tipping point. We conclude that food security within the safe boundaries requires global redistribution of nutrients in residues, soils and sediments and of rights to use nutrients. Bottom-up assessments reveal local dynamics that shed new light on the relevant boundary criteria and on estimates and remedies.

A comparative study of ‘safe and just operating space’ for the south and south-east Asian countries

“…A significant amount of work has also been done on establishing and applying PB framework at regional-scale (Dearing et al, 2014; Häyhä et al, 2016; Cole et al, 2017; McLaughlin, 2018). Some studies have been done to explore the connection of food system and nutrients with PB framework (Kahiluoto et al, 2014, 2015; Campbell et al, 2017; Conijn et al, 2018). A preliminary framework to apply the PB framework in the marine context has been done by Nash et al (2017).…”

“…Dao et al (2015) have analysed the sustainability of Switzerland through the PB framework. Nitrogen and phosphorus boundaries of Ethiopia and Finland was assessed by Kahiluoto et al (2015). The planetary boundary of phosphorus was improved by Carpenter and Bennett (2011).…”

Matching scope, purpose and uses of planetary boundaries science

“…de Vries et al (2013) reestimate the nitrogen boundary by adding a measure of per capita dietary nitrogen needed to feed humanity to the limit of nitrogen that the biosphere can process. Looking at nitrogen and phosphorus flows, Kahiluoto et al (2014) find nutrient uses exceed boundary values, but highlight the spatial disparity in nutrient excesses and needs, implying that local targets and resource redistribution, in addition to behavioural changes in diets, waste and recycling are necessary to implement sustainable resource use (Kahiluoto et al 2015). The needs perspective relates boundary processes and human use of resources in a functional and pragmatic way.…”

System Merits or Failures? Policies for Transition to Sustainable P and N Systems in The Netherlands and Finland

“…After the historical case narratives for the two countries (see Sections 4 and 5) had been drafted, a comparative analysis was conducted spanning the 1970-2015 period. This involved manual coding of both case histories for the occurrence of particular "failures" according to the Weber and Rohracher classification [10], in particular, the key concepts of "failures" to prevent transformative change towards sustainable nutrient management. These types of failures were then analyzed and compared between the two countries (considering commonalities and differences).…”

“…P scarcity may have serious implications, like market failures or even warfare, which might endanger future food security. If global food security is to be guaranteed, P boundaries must not be exceeded [9,10].…”