Report says seven of nine planetary boundaries are breached

A report called Planetary Health Check 2026 says seven of the nine planetary boundaries have been breached. 1 2 It was written by more than 60 scientists; the Daily Mail says it was compiled by the Planetary Boundaries Science Lab. 2 1 Both outlets list the breached boundaries as including climate change, novel entities such as synthetic chemicals, biosphere integrity, biogeochemical flows, land system change and freshwater change; the Mirror also names ocean acidification. 1 2

Stratospheric ozone depletion and atmospheric aerosol loading remain in the safe zone. 1 2 Lead editor Niklas Kitzmann told Live Science that a patient with such a blood test would be sent to intensive care, and that the world must start bending emission and nature-degradation curves within a few years. 1 The report cites faster-than-expected climate change, record coral bleaching, and a possible Atlantic circulation shutdown and Antarctic ice loss. 2

Professor Carlos Nobre of the University of Sao Paulo warned that up to 70 per cent of the Amazon forest could turn to dry savanna if it crosses its tipping point. 2 The authors say there is still hope, pointing to the renewable energy transition and international treaties, but that current efforts are not sufficient. 1 2