60% of Earth's Land Has Already Exceeded Its Limits

The signals from Earth are becoming increasingly clear. An international research team recently published a paper in the journal 'Nature Sustainability' stating that 60% of Earth's land has already exceeded the ecological safety limit. This result is not just a warning; it shows that the soil, water, forests, and biodiversity that have sustained human life can no longer maintain their previous resilience.

This study comprehensively analyzed 15 indicators, including soil erosion, water resource depletion, biodiversity loss, and carbon absorption capacity. The assessment concluded that more than half of the world's land has surpassed the ecosystem's self-purification capacity. Scientists pointed out that agricultural expansion and urbanization are the main causes. Over the past few decades, humanity has cleared forests for more food and filled wetlands for industrial growth. In this process, the soil has lost its fertility, rivers and groundwater have been depleted or polluted, and wild species have rapidly declined due to habitat loss.

The problem is that these changes do not merely result in environmental loss. When the soil that grows food collapses, a food crisis soon follows. When water is polluted and disappears, local communities and national economies become unstable. Heatwaves, floods, and droughts caused by climate change occur more frequently and intensely in conjunction with these land limit exceedances. This means that human society as a whole could suffer a direct hit from ecosystem collapse.

Nevertheless, we still justify endless expansion in the name of growth. The single indicator of GDP remains the top priority of national policies, and indiscriminate land development is repeated in various regions. However, as this study shows, growth no longer guarantees sustainability. Rather, the way we pursue growth is revealing the reality that it is collapsing the ecological foundation of the Earth.

What is needed going forward is not abstract awareness but concrete transformation.

First, agriculture must move away from intensive production. Indiscriminate use of pesticides and fertilizers destroys the microbial ecology of the soil, leading to reduced yields and soil degradation in the long term. Methods like organic farming and regenerative agriculture have been proven to enhance soil resilience and store carbon, even if they incur initial costs.

Second, cities should create more green spaces instead of more buildings. According to climate research, urban forests can lower urban temperatures by an average of 2-4 degrees in summer and contribute to absorbing fine dust. Additionally, green spaces improve citizens' mental health, leading to reduced healthcare costs.

Third, businesses and policies should focus not only on productivity and efficiency but also on recovery and circulation as their achievements. Carbon trading systems, ESG management, and circular economy models are already spreading internationally. The issue is not the declaration but the implementation. Business activities and policy enforcement that operate within ecological safety limits enable long-term competitiveness and prosperity.

The Earth no longer shows infinite patience. The result that 60% of land has already exceeded its limits means that if we cannot protect the remaining 40%, human life will also be unsafe. The warnings have been sufficiently heard. Now it is our turn to respond.

Reference: Nature Sustainability (2025.09.09), Times of India (2025.09.09)