Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
anthropocentric manner, as
the level at which the environment is unable
to accommodate a particular activity or rate of activities without sustain-
ing unacceptable or irreversible change
'
.
34
The main focus in considering how limits-based concepts can be
given effect in decision-making has been on developing an enhanced
understanding of how ecosystems work and their resilience and vulner-
abilities with a view to establishing, with as much precision as possible,
where ecological limits lie. For example, Ross contends that ecological
sustainability is highly dependent on science to establish what the
carrying capacity of an ecosystem is, and, therefore, that our ability to
strike a balance between maintaining
'
'
baseline natural capital
'
and social
and economic concerns will depend on
rst determining the ecological
limits and then establishing what development is feasible
'
within them.
35
The constraints on the cumulative effects of human activities under the
'
'
'
planetary boundaries
approach proposed by Rockström and his col-
leagues should be
, but should be set by reference to
knowledge of thresholds at continental and global scales.
36
They call for
Earth System thresholds to be identi
'
human-determined
'
ed as a matter of urgency as the
circumstances in which risks of crossing them would arise are not
known with con
dence (or at all in some cases).
37
In addition, the UK
Government
s sustainable development strategy places much emphasis
on identifying
'
'
'
where environmental limits exist
so that action can be
.
38
One of its initial objectives is to
taken
'
to avoid breaching them
'
'
collate existing research and identify shortfalls in understanding
about where environmental
limits exist, and where they are being
exceeded
'
so that
'
future research needs in all policy areas
'
can be
established.
39
Theoreticalliteratureonhowthedisciplineofmarinespatialplan-
ning should be conducted also focuses on identifying what components
of ecosystems it would be important to preserve, and to what extent, as
the principal means of striking a balance between maintaining
(HM Government,
2011
)) advises that it builds
on (and thereby implicitly endorses) the earlier strategy.
34
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,
vision and what this means in practice
'
'
Securing the Future
'
,p.100.
35
Ross,
'
Modern Interpretations
'
,47.
36
Rockström et al.,
'
Planetary Boundaries
'
,under
'
Introducing the Concept of Planetary
Boundaries
'
.
37
Ibid
.
38
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,
'
Securing the Future
'
,p.99.
39
Ibid
., p. 100.
