A mega-tradeoff: Feeding the world within Planetary Boundaries

This keynote addressed the question how much food could be supplied globally while respecting multiple Planetary Boundaries – global environmental limits defined as a precaution to possible destabilisation of planet Earth. Biophysical simulations suggest that half of current food production depends on transgression of one or more boundaries, i.e. world agriculture is highly unsustainable. However, through ambitious transformative actions toward more sustainable food production and consumption (e.g. diet change, improved water/nutrient management), enough food for 10 billion people could be supplied even within these environmental boundaries. On the other hand, ongoing climate change – as well as methods to sequester additional carbon from the atmosphere through biomass plantations – challenge this outlook, as they increase the pressure on Planetary Boundaries on their own.