Scientists: Earth 4 of 9 Limitation Already Violated Human

Within the relatively near, the Earth may not be longer be a safe place for humans. Scientists predict, at the earliest, it could happen in 2050.

In a paper published in the journal Science, 18 international researchers attempted to measure the danger faced by nature as a direct result of human activities that affect the environment.

The researchers focused on the concept of planetary boundaries 9, limits the theoretical limit where the Earth can survive as we live.

The scientists concluded, 4 of 9 that limit was exceeded. Namely, climate change (carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere), the integrity of the biosphere or the biosphere integrity, land-use change (deforestation triggered), and changes in the biogeochemical cycle system - a stream of nitrogen or phosphorus, one of which is in the fertilizer into the sea.

Lead author and Executive Director of the Australian National University's Climate Change Institute, Will Steffen said, climate change and the integrity of the biosphere is the most urgent problem.

"There is no doubt in my mind: that humans push the Earth out of a period of stability that has survived for 12,000 years," he said, as quoted Liputan6.com from News.com.au, Monday (19/01/2015).

"Violations of these boundaries increases the risk of the Earth system will switch to a condition which is very damaging to humans."

Steffen added, the rapid industrialization of humans since the 1950s has accelerated the limit violation.

"Earth is a complex system. And although it is impossible to predict what will happen in the future, but it is clear that our current way of life can cause permanent damage," he said. "People are now living in the Earth's temperature, the hottest ever recorded. I can assure the conditions in the future will be worse."

Steffen added, economic growth and human consumption inherent in contemporary society, people should refrain, creating limitations with certain parameters to maintain the stability of the Earth.

Indeed, humans have the tools and technology to direct the social structure so that we can reduce these risks. For example, "by changing the technology that we use, reducing emissions and using renewable energy, we will be able to minimize the risk."

The team will present its findings in the 7-day seminar at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 21 to 24 next.

Nine planetary boundaries or limits the theoretical Earth scientists first identified in a paper in 2009. Namely, ozone depletion, loss of integrity of the biosphere that lead to the extinction of living things, chemical pollution, climate change, ocean acidification, fresh water consumption and the global hydrological cycle, changes in land use, the flow of nitrogen and phosphorus into the biosphere or the ocean, and pollution aerosols in the atmosphere.

"Limitation it was likened to the edge of a cliff bsia," said Ray Pierrehumbert, experts from the University of Chicago, as quoted by the Washington Post. "It looks like a warning of danger, such as high temperature gauge on your car."

Scientists are not yet able to ascertain, whether the violation of the limit will result in catastrophe.

However, this warning from them: "We know that human civilization began to flourish during the geological time scale runs from approximately 10,000 years radiokarbon-- a Holocene epoch (Holocene) - under relatively stable environmental conditions. Not the case today.

No one knows for sure, what happens to the human civilization if the Earth is constantly changing conditions. However, the authors in the journal Science said, "At least, the Earth will be increasingly inhospitable for human development."