--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [A] group of leading academics argue that…" description: "\"“[A] group of leading academics argue that humanity must stay within defined boundaries for a range of essential Earth-system processes to avoid catast..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9aa/jonathan-a-moo-78364_climate-change_a-group-of-leading-academics-argue-that_1049065.jpg" --- # \[A\] group of leading academics argue that humanity must… ![“[A] group of leading academics argue that humanity must stay within defined boundaries for a range of essential Earth-system processes to avoid catastrophic environmental change. . . . They propose that for three of these—the nitrogen cycle, the rate of loss of species and anthropogenic climate…” quote by Jonathan A. Moo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9aa/jonathan-a-moo-78364_climate-change_a-group-of-leading-academics-argue-that_1049065.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9aa/jonathan-a-moo-78364_climate-change_a-group-of-leading-academics-argue-that_1049065.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9aa/jonathan-a-moo-78364_climate-change_a-group-of-leading-academics-argue-that_1049065.jpg) > ““\[A\] group of leading academics argue that humanity must stay within defined boundaries for a range of essential Earth-system processes to avoid catastrophic environmental change. . . . They propose that for three of these—the nitrogen cycle, the rate of loss of species and anthropogenic climate change—the maximum acceptable limit has already been transgressed. In addition, they say that humanity is fast approaching the boundaries for freshwater use, for converting forests and other natural ecosystems to cropland and urban areas, and for acidification of the oceans. Crossing even one of these planetary boundaries would risk triggering abrupt or irreversible environmental changes that would be very damaging or even catastrophic for society.”” [Jonathan A. Moo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-a-moo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humanity has already exceeded several critical Earth system limits, risking abrupt, irreversible damage. **In simple terms:** We’ve crossed key environmental limits. Key Takeaway Act to stay within safe boundaries. Themes environment risk sustainability Mood urgent concerned Type scientific policy When to use this quote - policy making - urban planning - resource management Key Concepts planetary boundaries ecosystem services Questions to Reflect On - Which boundaries need urgent action? - How can societies prioritize planetary health? A Different Perspective Economic growth often conflicts with ecological limits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anthropogenic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anthropogenic-1374286/) [Anthropogenic Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anthropogenic-climate-926039/) [Catastrophic Environmental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catastrophic-environmental-2496827/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Environmental change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental-change/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Planetary Boundaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planetary-boundaries-2496826/) [Species Anthropogenic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/species-anthropogenic-2496828/) ## Related quotes > [We can no longer completely avoid anthropogenic climate change. At best, limiting the temperature rise to two degrees is just about possible, according to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-von-storch/we-can-no-longer-completely-avoid-anthropogenic-climate-change-at/) [Hans von Storch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-von-storch/) > [It is an astonishing fact about the current era that in the most powerful country in world history, with a high level of education…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-is-an-astonishing-fact-about-the-current-era-that-in-the-most/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It could be the case that all the studies supporting a warming planet are wrong; science always leaves that door open, but anthropogenic climate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-hill/it-could-be-the-case-that-all-the-studies-supporting-a-warming-planet/) [Kyle Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-hill/) > [We have a policy at Greenpeace that we no longer debate people who don't accept the scientific reality of anthropogenic climate change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stewart/we-have-a-policy-at-greenpeace-that-we-no-longer-debate-people-who/) [Ben Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stewart/) > [I am not at all convinced that human emissions of CO2 are adding to global warming… I remain to be convinced about the theory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-minchin/i-am-not-at-all-convinced-that-human-emissions-of-co2-are-adding-to/) [Nick Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-minchin/) > [Evidence of warming is not evidence that the cause is anthropogenic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-singer/evidence-of-warming-is-not-evidence-that-the-cause-is-anthropogenic/) [Fred Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-singer/) > [“As in the United States, this makes cats the most significant source of direct anthropogenic bird mortality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-p-marra/as-in-the-united-states-this-makes-cats-the-most-significant-source/) [Peter P. Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-p-marra/) > [“So small changes in the ambient temperature over relatively short periods of time that are not sufficiently long for adaptive processes to develop can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-west/so-small-changes-in-the-ambient-temperature-over-relatively-short/) [Geoffrey West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-west/) > [It presents a really compelling case against the whole theory of anthropogenic global warming. From my point of view, it is a theory that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-minchin/it-presents-a-really-compelling-case-against-the-whole-theory-of/) [Nick Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-minchin/) > [The best scientific evidence suggests temperatures are rising, and the best scientific evidence suggests man-made anthropogenic carbon emissions have some substantial thing to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/the-best-scientific-evidence-suggests-temperatures-are-rising-and-the/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [It is a blatant lie put forth in the media that makes it seem there is only a fringe of scientists who don't buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-b-goldenberg/it-is-a-blatant-lie-put-forth-in-the-media-that-makes-it-seem-there/) [Stanley B. Goldenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-b-goldenberg/) > [“Crutzen wrote up his idea in a short essay, “Geology of Mankind,” that ran in Nature. “It seems appropriate to assign the term ‘Anthropocene’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-kolbert/crutzen-wrote-up-his-idea-in-a-short-essay-geology-of-mankind-that/) [Elizabeth Kolbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-kolbert/) > [“By the early 2000s, dangerous anthropogenic interference in the climate system was under way. Fires, floods, hurricanes, and heat waves began to intensify. Still,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-oreskes/by-the-early-2000s-dangerous-anthropogenic-interference-in-the/) [Naomi Oreskes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-oreskes/) > [As a broadly left-wing, environmentally aware urban believer in anthropogenic global warming, I am all for a total ban on motor vehicles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-coren/as-a-broadly-left-wing-environmentally-aware-urban-believer-in/) [Giles Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-coren/) > [“Once, on a walk by a river- Eskdale in low reddish sunlight, with a dusting of snow- his daughter quoted to him an opening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/once-on-a-walk-by-a-river-eskdale-in-low-reddish-sunlight-with-a/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) ## More by Jonathan A. Moo > [“Yet what is inescapably different about today is that never in the history of human life have so many people been so threatened by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-a-moo/yet-what-is-inescapably-different-about-today-is-that-never-in-the/) [Jonathan A. Moo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-a-moo/) > [“What is certain is that there will be increasing numbers of refugees if rapid climate change continues. People have to live somewhere. High-income countries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-a-moo/what-is-certain-is-that-there-will-be-increasing-numbers-of-refugees/) [Jonathan A. Moo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-a-moo/) [Explore all 3 Jonathan A. Moo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-a-moo/) ## More Climate change quotes > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [My friends, this body - perhaps more than any other gathering in human history - now faces that difficult task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/my-friends-this-body-perhaps-more-than-any-other-gathering-in-human/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [There are many more traits that the climate deniers share with the creationists and Holocaust deniers and others who distort the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-r-prothero/there-are-many-more-traits-that-the-climate-deniers-share-with-the/) [Donald R. Prothero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-r-prothero/) > [I talk to fashion designers and say I want some money to save the rainforest, and they say, 'Oh, I agree with you completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/i-talk-to-fashion-designers-and-say-i-want-some-money-to-save-the/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [Climate change poses clear, catastrophic threats. We may not agree on the extent, but we certainly can't afford the risk of inaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/climate-change-poses-clear-catastrophic-threats-we-may-not-agree-on/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [I am sympathetic to developing countries’ concerns: because of our emissions it’s their crops that will disappear; because of our inaction, it’s their fields…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-am-sympathetic-to-developing-countries-concerns-because-of-our/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [I do not underestimate the difficulty of the challenge that global climate change presents to us. It will take a significant effort and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-pena/i-do-not-underestimate-the-difficulty-of-the-challenge-that-global/) [Federico Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-pena/) > [First, climate change is the greatest long-term threat faced by humanity. It could cause more human and financial suffering than the two world wars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-miliband/first-climate-change-is-the-greatest-long-term-threat-faced-by/) [David Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-miliband/) > [As a politician - particularly as a politician in a coalition - you quickly realise that compromise is a part of the game. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-davey/as-a-politician-particularly-as-a-politician-in-a-coalition-you/) [Edward Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-davey/) > [George H.W. Bush said we will lead on climate change, and we'll lead from the top. That was 30 years ago. And now Republicans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-bullock/george-h-w-bush-said-we-will-lead-on-climate-change-and-we-ll-lead/) [Steve Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-bullock/) > [Climate change is not an excuse to give the federal government ever more power over private property and state resources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-strange/climate-change-is-not-an-excuse-to-give-the-federal-government-ever/) [Luther Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-strange/) > [Most Americans believe in fairness; we believe that people should work hard but there should be a safety net. We believe in saving the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/most-americans-believe-in-fairness-we-believe-that-people-should-work/) [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) > [21st-century foreign policy is going to be built on countries that can tackle transnational challenges together. Climate change and public health are the top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/21st-century-foreign-policy-is-going-to-be-built-on-countries-that/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [You'd be forgiven for thinking that climate change means we'll have to sacrifice our creature comforts. But it doesn't have to be that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lynas/you-d-be-forgiven-for-thinking-that-climate-change-means-we-ll-have/) [Mark Lynas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lynas/) > [Wind and solar power, energy efficient buildings, cars that go farther on a tank of gas, and other solutions can fight climate change. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-beinecke/wind-and-solar-power-energy-efficient-buildings-cars-that-go-farther/) [Frances Beinecke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-beinecke/) [Browse all 2,684 Climate change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“[A] group of leading academics argue that humanity must stay within defined boundaries for a range of essential Earth-system processes to avoid catastrophic environmental change. . . . They propose that for three of these—the nitrogen cycle, the rate of loss of species and anthropogenic climate change—the maximum acceptable limit has already been transgressed. In addition, they say that humanity is fast approaching the boundaries for freshwater use, for converting forests and other natural ecosystems to cropland and urban areas, and for acidification of the oceans. Crossing even one of these planetary boundaries would risk triggering abrupt or irreversible environmental changes that would be very damaging or even catastrophic for society.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jonathan A. Moo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-a-moo/a-group-of-leading-academics-argue-that-humanity-must-stay-within/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Climate change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-a-moo/a-group-of-leading-academics-argue-that-humanity-must-stay-within/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9aa/jonathan-a-moo-78364_climate-change_a-group-of-leading-academics-argue-that_1049065.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9aa/jonathan-a-moo-78364_climate-change_a-group-of-leading-academics-argue-that_1049065.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9aa/jonathan-a-moo-78364_climate-change_a-group-of-leading-academics-argue-that_1049065.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“[A] group of leading academics argue that humanity must stay within defined boundaries for a range of…” — Jonathan A. Moo", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jonathan A. Moo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-a-moo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“[A] group of leading academics argue...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-a-moo/a-group-of-leading-academics-argue-that-humanity-must-stay-within/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-a-moo/a-group-of-leading-academics-argue-that-humanity-must-stay-within/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```