Search
Planetary Health: Measuring and Managing Planetary Biomarkers

June 27, 2023 | Earth.Org | Source 

The article highlights the importance of measuring and managing the five fundamental elements of nature: Water, soil, air, energy, and space, to ensure a sustainable and circular economy. While Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has traditionally been used as a metric for economic progress, it fails to account for the environmental costs of economic activities, such as pollution.

To complement GDP, the author suggests measuring these five elements as planetary biomarkers, akin to human biomarkers for health assessment. These biomarkers are essential for guiding strategies to achieve sustainability and addressing climate action goals.

  • Measuring Water: The health of water bodies is crucial for carbon sequestration and marine life. Monitoring fish diversity, water quality, and other factors can help gauge water health.
  • Measuring Soil: Soil health, measured by soil organic carbon content, plays a significant role in carbon sequestration. Sustainable and organic farming practices are vital for maintaining soil health.
  • Measuring Air: Monitoring CO2 and methane levels is essential for assessing air quality. Aggressive reforestation and transitioning away from fossil fuels are proposed solutions.
  • Measuring Energy: Evaluating the percentage of carbon-free energy and per capita energy consumption can guide energy production strategies.
  • Measuring Space: Tracking space debris to prevent threats to spacecraft is essential. Initiatives like Clearspace-1 aim to clear space debris.

The author emphasizes that addressing each element independently can lead to a systems approach to managing the environment. Developing a simple Environmental Health Index (EHI) that combines these elements can help countries benchmark their contributions to planetary health, alongside GDP, which measures wealth.

Viewed Articles
Planetary Health: Measuring and Managing Planetary Biomarkers
June 27, 2023 | Earth.Org | Source The article highlights the importance of measuring and managing the five fundamental elements of nature: Water, soil, air, energy, and space, to ensure a sustainable
Read More
Japanese restaurants quantify carbon emissions to promote healthier, greener dining
January 28, 2024 | the japan times | Restaurants in Japan, like Masaka in Tokyo, are displaying carbon emission data on menus, indicating environmental impact alongside nutritional information. This i
EU Parliament agrees to ban unverified green product claims
March 12, 2024 | ESGtoday | The European Parliament overwhelmingly voted (467-65) to approve regulations targeting greenwashing, aiming to safeguard consumers from misleading environmental claims made
Learning from Australia's nature-based carbon markets
July 12, 2024 | SustainableViews | Australia's regulated carbon market offers a model for addressing the challenges facing voluntary carbon markets worldwide. While North America and Europe grappl
Verra initiates revision of agricultural land management methodology
May 17, 2024 | Verra | Verra is launching a significant revision to the VM0042 Methodology for Improved Agricultural Land Management, leading to version 3.0. This update, critical for scaling regenera
EU Parliament adopts law to establish carbon removal certification system
April 11, 2024 | ESGtoday | Source | The European Parliament has approved a groundbreaking law to combat greenwashing and boost carbon removal efforts. The law establishes a certification system to qu
TOP