Podcast
Questions and Answers
How many of the nine boundaries have we exceeded?
How many of the nine boundaries have we exceeded?
4
Which are the four boundaries that we clearly have already exceeded?
Which are the four boundaries that we clearly have already exceeded?
Climate, forest loss, nutrients, and biodiversity.
Why is it so dangerous that we have exceeded these four boundaries?
Why is it so dangerous that we have exceeded these four boundaries?
Because we are now crossing irreversible tipping points, and we are perilously close to tipping the Earth into a state that is untenable to support our own civilizations.
How do we see signs that we are in the danger zones?
How do we see signs that we are in the danger zones?
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When do corals bleach?
When do corals bleach?
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What do we observe about the events of coral bleaching?
What do we observe about the events of coral bleaching?
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How many major bleaching events have occurred in the last five years?
How many major bleaching events have occurred in the last five years?
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In percentage, how much of the Great Barrier Reef's coral have already died?
In percentage, how much of the Great Barrier Reef's coral have already died?
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Why is it fatal if the coral bleaching events occur back-to-back every year?
Why is it fatal if the coral bleaching events occur back-to-back every year?
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What makes it likely that the corals will all die?
What makes it likely that the corals will all die?
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How many of Australia's most vulnerable birds, a species of cockatoos, were left on Kangaroo Island in South Australia after last year's fire season?
How many of Australia's most vulnerable birds, a species of cockatoos, were left on Kangaroo Island in South Australia after last year's fire season?
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What were the reasons for the COVID-19 pandemic?
What were the reasons for the COVID-19 pandemic?
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What is a 'zoonotic' disease and how does it spread?
What is a 'zoonotic' disease and how does it spread?
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What is the best way to prevent zoonotic diseases from spreading?
What is the best way to prevent zoonotic diseases from spreading?
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Why is it no longer sufficient to do some economic growth here and then do some environmental impact reduction over there?
Why is it no longer sufficient to do some economic growth here and then do some environmental impact reduction over there?
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What should be our immediate priorities?
What should be our immediate priorities?
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How many billion tons of carbon dioxide have we emitted since the beginning of the industrial revolution?
How many billion tons of carbon dioxide have we emitted since the beginning of the industrial revolution?
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To stay below 1.50 Celsius increase in temperature, what is the maximum of CO2 that we could still emit?
To stay below 1.50 Celsius increase in temperature, what is the maximum of CO2 that we could still emit?
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If we emit 40 million tons per year, how many years does that leave us with?
If we emit 40 million tons per year, how many years does that leave us with?
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How many billion tons of CO2 do we collectively emit today?
How many billion tons of CO2 do we collectively emit today?
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What is the most rapid - and still realistic - percentage by which we should cut our CO2 emissions every year?
What is the most rapid - and still realistic - percentage by which we should cut our CO2 emissions every year?
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What kind of a rate of change would it be to reduce our CO2 emissions by 6.7% every year?
What kind of a rate of change would it be to reduce our CO2 emissions by 6.7% every year?
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Why is getting down to zero CO2 emissions not enough?
Why is getting down to zero CO2 emissions not enough?
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What is an effective way to draw down the carbon emissions that are already in the air?
What is an effective way to draw down the carbon emissions that are already in the air?
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What is planting trees one of the most effective transformations?
What is planting trees one of the most effective transformations?
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Aside from planting trees, which second transformation could we easily do that would let us stay within the planetary boundaries?
Aside from planting trees, which second transformation could we easily do that would let us stay within the planetary boundaries?
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Who is Johan Rockström?
Who is Johan Rockström?
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Who is David Attenborough?
Who is David Attenborough?
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What is Johan Rockström's main focus in his research?
What is Johan Rockström's main focus in his research?
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What is the Holocene?
What is the Holocene?
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What is significant about the stable plus/minus 1 degree temperature variation during the Holocene?
What is significant about the stable plus/minus 1 degree temperature variation during the Holocene?
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What is one of the most important human practices that became possible during the Holocene?
What is one of the most important human practices that became possible during the Holocene?
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What did humans grow during the Holocene?
What did humans grow during the Holocene?
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What three stable features did the Holocene conditions provide?
What three stable features did the Holocene conditions provide?
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What does the name 'Anthropocene' indicate?
What does the name 'Anthropocene' indicate?
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What are some changes driven by humans on the planet?
What are some changes driven by humans on the planet?
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What is John Rockström's first planetary boundary?
What is John Rockström's first planetary boundary?
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What are some effects of violating the planetary boundary of climate change?
What are some effects of violating the planetary boundary of climate change?
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How does world temperature get affected when ice sheets melt?
How does world temperature get affected when ice sheets melt?
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If all of the Greenland Ice Sheet melts, how much could world water levels rise?
If all of the Greenland Ice Sheet melts, how much could world water levels rise?
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If all of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet melts, how much could world water levels rise?
If all of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet melts, how much could world water levels rise?
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If all of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet melts, how much could world water levels rise?
If all of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet melts, how much could world water levels rise?
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What is a tipping point in sustainability discourse?
What is a tipping point in sustainability discourse?
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What is the primary greenhouse gas that has been warming our climate?
What is the primary greenhouse gas that has been warming our climate?
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How is CO2 measured in the atmosphere?
How is CO2 measured in the atmosphere?
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In what year did we pass the safe boundary zone (350 ppm) for CO2?
In what year did we pass the safe boundary zone (350 ppm) for CO2?
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What was the CO2 concentration in the movie Breaking Boundaries (2021)?
What was the CO2 concentration in the movie Breaking Boundaries (2021)?
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What is the high-risk zone for CO2 concentration in the atmosphere when tipping points become likely?
What is the high-risk zone for CO2 concentration in the atmosphere when tipping points become likely?
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What are other planetary boundaries besides climate change?
What are other planetary boundaries besides climate change?
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What is the first biosphere boundary concerned with?
What is the first biosphere boundary concerned with?
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What alarm did scientist Carlos Nobre sound about the Amazon?
What alarm did scientist Carlos Nobre sound about the Amazon?
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What scientific experiment did Nobre conduct in 1998?
What scientific experiment did Nobre conduct in 1998?
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As the Amazon forest is reduced, what is diminished?
As the Amazon forest is reduced, what is diminished?
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What happens if the Amazon dry season becomes longer than four months?
What happens if the Amazon dry season becomes longer than four months?
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How much loss of the world's forest cover risks triggering catastrophic tipping points?
How much loss of the world's forest cover risks triggering catastrophic tipping points?
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What is the second of the biosphere boundaries concerned with?
What is the second of the biosphere boundaries concerned with?
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What is one danger of losing biodiversity, like bees?
What is one danger of losing biodiversity, like bees?
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What is the reason for the drastic decline of insects?
What is the reason for the drastic decline of insects?
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How much of the world's crop species rely on insect pollination?
How much of the world's crop species rely on insect pollination?
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Why do we need to protect biodiversity?
Why do we need to protect biodiversity?
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How many of the birds on earth are still wild?
How many of the birds on earth are still wild?
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How much of the mammals on earth are still wild?
How much of the mammals on earth are still wild?
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How deep into the danger zone are we regarding biodiversity?
How deep into the danger zone are we regarding biodiversity?
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What is the third biosphere boundary concerning water?
What is the third biosphere boundary concerning water?
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How much water do you need every day to stay alive?
How much water do you need every day to stay alive?
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What is the danger of extracting too much water from rivers?
What is the danger of extracting too much water from rivers?
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How far are we in the danger zone regarding fresh water?
How far are we in the danger zone regarding fresh water?
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What is the fourth boundary of the biosphere concerned with?
What is the fourth boundary of the biosphere concerned with?
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What is significant about nutrients, nitrogen, and phosphorus?
What is significant about nutrients, nitrogen, and phosphorus?
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What is the problem with overuse of fertilizers?
What is the problem with overuse of fertilizers?
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Why is the loss of fish in the Baltic Sea a deep concern?
Why is the loss of fish in the Baltic Sea a deep concern?
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How do we produce fertilizers?
How do we produce fertilizers?
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Why were fertilizers invaluable?
Why were fertilizers invaluable?
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Why are fertilizers problematic?
Why are fertilizers problematic?
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What are the effects of 'eutrophication'?
What are the effects of 'eutrophication'?
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What may eutrophication in the ocean have contributed to in our planet's past?
What may eutrophication in the ocean have contributed to in our planet's past?
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How deep are we in the danger zone regarding the nutrient boundary?
How deep are we in the danger zone regarding the nutrient boundary?
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What is the 'little-known drama' playing out in the oceans?
What is the 'little-known drama' playing out in the oceans?
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What is the problem when CO2 emissions end up in the ocean?
What is the problem when CO2 emissions end up in the ocean?
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How much more acidic has the world's ocean become over the past decade?
How much more acidic has the world's ocean become over the past decade?
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What effects does ocean acidification have?
What effects does ocean acidification have?
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How much are we in the danger zone regarding ocean acidification?
How much are we in the danger zone regarding ocean acidification?
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What are 'novel entities' produced by humans that threaten planetary boundaries?
What are 'novel entities' produced by humans that threaten planetary boundaries?
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What is one pollutant that already has a boundary of its own?
What is one pollutant that already has a boundary of its own?
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Where does 75% of aerosol pollution come from?
Where does 75% of aerosol pollution come from?
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How do we notice aerosol pollution?
How do we notice aerosol pollution?
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Why is cooling caused by aerosol pollution not a good thing?
Why is cooling caused by aerosol pollution not a good thing?
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How much of global warming are aerosol pollution particulates masking?
How much of global warming are aerosol pollution particulates masking?
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How many people does air pollution kill every year?
How many people does air pollution kill every year?
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How much does life expectancy decrease due to air pollution?
How much does life expectancy decrease due to air pollution?
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Have we crossed the planetary boundary regarding aerosols?
Have we crossed the planetary boundary regarding aerosols?
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What is the ninth planetary boundary?
What is the ninth planetary boundary?
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Why does the ninth boundary have a unique distinction?
Why does the ninth boundary have a unique distinction?
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How is the ozone layer beneficial to us?
How is the ozone layer beneficial to us?
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What causes the diminishing of the ozone layer?
What causes the diminishing of the ozone layer?
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Why is the repair of the ozone layer encouraging for our chances to improve life on the planet?
Why is the repair of the ozone layer encouraging for our chances to improve life on the planet?
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Study Notes
Johan Rockström
- Swedish scientist focused on sustainability.
- Co-directs Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany.
David Attenborough
- English broadcaster, naturalist, and prominent BBC figure.
- Advocated for climate action at 2021 COP26 in Glasgow.
Holocene
- A stable warm period lasting around 10,000 years.
- Maintained Earth's climate within a temperature range of plus-minus one degree Celsius.
- Enabled predictability in seasons, establishing conditions necessary for civilization.
Human Impact in the Holocene
- Significant human practice during the Holocene: agriculture.
- Domesticated crops include rice, wheat, teff, maize, and sorghum across various continents.
Anthropocene
- Characterizes human-driven changes on Earth, marking the first geological epoch primarily created by humans.
- Major transformations: conversion of half the world’s habitable land for crop and livestock, overfishing, atmospheric changes, and increased global temperature.
Planetary Boundaries
- First planetary boundary defined by Rockström: Climate Change.
- Effects of climate change boundary violations: shrinking glaciers and altered ecosystem dynamics.
Ice Melt and Sea Level Rise
- Melting Greenland Ice Shield could raise sea levels by approximately 7 meters.
- Loss of West Antarctic Ice Shield could contribute another 5 meters.
- East Antarctic Ice Shield melting could result in a 50-meter rise.
Tipping Points
- Tipping points signify critical moments where small changes can lead to irreversible impacts.
- Examples include the potential cascade effect of various environmental stresses.
CO2 and Greenhouse Gases
- Key greenhouse gas driving climate change: CO2.
- Measured in parts per million (ppm); the safe upper limit is 350 ppm, breached in 1988.
- Current levels at 415 ppm, rising risk of tipping points increases beyond 450 ppm.
Biosphere Boundaries
- Four biosphere boundaries: Land configuration, Biodiversity, Hydrological cycle, Nutrient flow.
- Concern over rapid habitat transformation and biodiversity loss; major tipping point near the Amazon rainforest.
Amazon Rainforest
- Important for global stability; ongoing deforestation threatens to push ecosystems towards irreversible change.
- Significant drying trend observed due to increased dry seasons and deforestation practices.
Biodiversity Crisis
- Nature degradation at unprecedented scales; 68% global wildlife loss in 50 years.
- Critical species such as bees are essential for food production; insect pollination is vital for 70% of crop species.
Freshwater Dependency
- Lifesaving requirement of roughly 3,000 liters of freshwater per person daily.
- Danger of over-extraction from freshwater sources could lead to river depletion.
Nutrient Flow Boundaries
- Essential for life: nitrogen and phosphorus. Their overuse in fertilizers leads to aquatic eutrophication, causing algal blooms and oxygen depletion.
- Current nutrient boundary is dangerously exceeded, risking mass extinction due to past eutrophication events.
Ocean Acidification
- Approximately one-third of emitted CO2 dissolves in oceans, increasing acidity by 26% in recent decades.
- Affects marine organisms, particularly those reliant on carbonate for skeletal structures.
Aerosol Pollution
- Comprises 75% of pollution from fossil fuel combustion.
- Causes global dimming and masks 40% of global warming, contributing to health issues leading to 7.5 million annual deaths.
Ozone Layer
- Only planetary boundary improving due to global action against ozone-depleting chemicals.
- Protects against harmful UV radiation that can damage DNA, crucial for reducing skin cancer risks.
Exceeded Boundaries
- Four boundaries already exceeded: climate change, deforestation, nutrient overuse, and biodiversity loss.
- Exceeding these threatens irreversible tipping points, endangering human civilization.
Coral Bleaching
- Rising sea temperatures lead to widespread coral bleaching events, with 50% of the Great Barrier Reef's coral already lost.
- Frequent bleaching events inhibit coral recovery, threatening marine ecosystems.### Coral Bleaching
- Continued high carbon emissions lead to annual coral bleaching events.
- Coral ecosystems have surpassed the tipping point for survival.
Bird Species Decline
- Following the fire season, no vulnerable cockatoo species remain on Kangaroo Island, South Australia.
COVID-19 Pandemic Causes
- Ecosystem destruction, aggressive agricultural practices, and deforestation contributed to the pandemic.
- Urban areas with high population density and pollution are also significant factors.
Zoonotic Diseases
- Zoonotic diseases are transmitted between animals and humans by germs.
Prevention of Zoonotic Diseases
- Protecting ecosystems is crucial for preventing the emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases.
Sustainable Growth Model
- Economic growth must be framed around sustainability, integrating environmental considerations into all development activities.
Immediate Climate Priorities
- Urgent focus on reducing carbon emissions to zero and stabilizing global temperatures.
Historical Carbon Emissions
- Since the industrial revolution, 2,400 billion tons of carbon dioxide have been emitted.
CO2 Emission Ceiling
- To limit global temperature rise to below 1.5°C, a maximum of 300 billion tons of CO2 can still be emitted.
Future Emission Projections
- At a rate of 40 million tons of CO2 emissions per year, only 7 years of emissions are possible under current circumstances.
Current CO2 Emissions
- Presently, the world emits 50 billion tons of CO2 annually.
Emission Reduction Targets
- A 6.7% yearly reduction in CO2 emissions is deemed rapid yet achievable.
Rate of Change for Emission Cuts
- Reducing emissions by 6.7% each year represents exponential change in emission reduction.
Importance of Negative Emissions
- Achieving net zero CO2 emissions is insufficient; it is essential to also remove existing atmospheric carbon.
Carbon Drawdown Strategies
- Planting trees is identified as a cost-effective and practical approach to sequester atmospheric carbon.
Benefits of Tree Planting
- Planting trees helps offset ongoing carbon emissions, prevent soil erosion, increase rainfall, enhance soil fertility, and stabilize climate and food production.
Dietary Changes
- A shift to a more flexitarian diet is another easily implementable transformation to help remain within planetary boundaries.
Studying That Suits You
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Description
Test your knowledge on influential figures in sustainability with these flashcards from HLST 310. The quiz covers notable contributions by Johan Rockström and David Attenborough, highlighting their impact on climate discussions and research. Perfect for students seeking to enhance their understanding of environmental issues.