O'Neill, DW orcid.org/0000-0002-0790-8295, Fanning, AL, Lamb, WF et al. (1 more author) (2018) A good life for all within planetary boundaries. Nature Sustainability, 1 (2). pp. 88-95. ISSN 2398-9629
Abstract
Humanity faces the challenge of how to achieve a high quality of life for over 7 billion people without destabilizing critical planetary processes. Using indicators designed to measure a ‘safe and just’ development space, we quantify the resource use associated with meeting basic human needs, and compare this to downscaled planetary boundaries for over 150 nations. We find that no country meets basic needs for its citizens at a globally sustainable level of resource use. Physical needs such as nutrition, sanitation, access to electricity and the elimination of extreme poverty could likely be met for all people without transgressing planetary boundaries. However, the universal achievement of more qualitative goals (for example, high life satisfaction) would require a level of resource use that is 2–6 times the sustainable level, based on current relationships. Strategies to improve physical and social provisioning systems, with a focus on sufficiency and equity, have the potential to move nations towards sustainability, but the challenge remains substantial.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2018, Author(s). This is an author produced version of a paper published in Nature Sustainability. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) > Sustainability Research Institute (SRI) (Leeds) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number Leverhulme Trust RL-2016-048 EU - European Union 752358 Leverhulme Trust IAF-2017-026 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 09 Feb 2018 10:42 |
Last Modified: | 02 Feb 2021 14:16 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Springer Nature |
Identification Number: | 10.1038/s41893-018-0021-4 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:127264 |