Climate Change

Housing’s Foundational Role in the Doughnut’s Sweet Spot The housing crisis facing communities worldwide reflects a fundamental breakdown in how societies organize and distribute this essential human need. Within the Doughnut Economics framework, housing represents a critical component of the social foundation—the minimum standards required for all people to live in dignity and security.1 This analysis examines the housing crisis through the lens of “safe and just space for humanity,” exploring how current housing systems transgress both social boundaries (by failing to meet basic human needs) and planetary boundaries (through unsustainable development practices). This approach emphasizes housing as a critical social foundation, a concept intrinsically linked to the Doughnut’s broader ambition of achieving collective prosperity within ecological limits.12 Indeed, housing security directly impacts health, education, economic opportunity, and community resilience—all essential elements of the social foundation that supports human flourishing. ...

Understanding Stratospheric Ozone and Its Vulnerability The stratospheric ozone layer, situated approximately 12 to 30 miles above Earth’s surface, plays a crucial protective role by absorbing harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun12. This atmospheric shield prevents dangerous levels of UV radiation from reaching Earth’s surface, where it would otherwise cause significant harm to humans, wildlife, and ecosystems34. Under natural conditions, ozone ($O_3$) undergoes a continuous cycle of formation and breakdown, maintaining a dynamic equilibrium. In this cycle, ozone absorbs UV radiation and breaks down ($O_3$ + UV light $\rightarrow$ O + $O_2$), but the resulting oxygen atoms can recombine to reform ozone, thus preserving the protective layer while absorbing harmful radiation56. This delicate balance, dependent on complex atmospheric chemistry, evolved over billions of years, creating conditions conducive to life on Earth’s surface42. ...

Air pollution represents one of the most significant environmental health risks globally, with wide-ranging impacts across the human lifespan. Evidence from numerous scientific studies confirms that exposure to air pollutants—particularly fine particulate matter ($PM_{2.5}$), nitrogen dioxide ($NO_2$), and ozone ($O_3$)—is associated with increased morbidity and mortality from respiratory diseases, cardiovascular conditions, adverse birth outcomes, and cognitive impairments1. Even short-term exposure to pollutant levels below many regulatory standards can cause measurable health effects. Current research indicates that air pollution is responsible for approximately 8.1 million deaths annually worldwide, making it one of the leading causes of preventable deaths1. Within the Doughnut Economics framework, air pollution represents a critical planetary boundary that, when exceeded, directly undermines the social foundation of human health. The ecological ceiling breach creates a complex challenge requiring integrated policy approaches addressing both environmental protection and health equity to create a safe and just space for humanity. ...

A (Grim) History of Hollowing Out Our Home The understanding of biodiversity as a planetary boundary has developed considerably over recent decades. Scientists have progressively recognized that biological diversity represents not merely an environmental concern but a fundamental limit to human activities. This recognition began with the Stockholm Resilience Centre’s introduction of the planetary boundaries framework, which identified biodiversity (or biosphere integrity) as one of nine critical Earth system processes that maintain planetary stability1. ...

From Absence of War to Foundations of Wellbeing The concept of peace within global frameworks has evolved significantly over decades. Initially narrowly defined as the “absence of war” in traditional UN approaches, peace has progressively expanded to encompass positive attributes of social harmony, justice, and human security12. The Brundtland Report in 1987 marked a pivotal expansion, integrating conflict prevention as a key sustainability consideration. ...