A new Planetary Health Check from the Potsdam Institute finds that Earth has crossed seven of nine planetary boundaries that keep the planet livable. The land carbon sink, which absorbs about a quarter of human CO2 emissions, has stopped growing since 2000, even as emissions hit record levels in 2025. Ocean acidification crossed its safe limit in 2025, threatening shell-forming marine life and coastal economies. The report stresses that the pressures behind these boundaries, mainly fossil fuel use and industrial agriculture, have not reversed. Nitrogen and phosphorus flows from fertilizer are two to three times safe levels, and land use changes continue to degrade ecosystems. Scientists say the energy and food systems are the biggest levers for improving multiple boundaries at once, but current trends show no sustained reversal. While the report does not provide exact predictions, it underscores that climate models often assume carbon sinks keep working. That assumption may be too generous, especially as forests face drought, fire, and pests. The authors urge action without perfect knowledge, noting that annual checks will continue to track these nine processes.
