Identifying the safe operating space for food systems

Summary

This Nature Food analysis applies the planetary boundaries framework to food systems, calculating safe operating space budgets across nine environmental boundaries. The research demonstrates that global food systems dominate or significantly contribute to at least six of nine planetary boundary transgressions, with all nine currently exceeded. The authors propose concrete interventions—including substantial greenhouse gas emission reductions, cessation of agricultural land conversion, fertiliser redistribution, and restrictions on pesticide and antibiotic use—as necessary to achieve sustainability without compromising yields.

UK applicability

The findings directly inform UK food policy and agricultural regulation under the Environment Act and Food Security Report frameworks. The prescribed interventions (particularly halting land conversion, fertiliser redistribution, and pesticide/antibiotic restrictions) align with UK environmental ambitions but require assessment of how to maintain domestic food production and supply chain resilience.

Key measures

Food system boundaries quantified as shares of planetary boundaries across nine domains: biosphere integrity, land system change, freshwater change, biogeochemical flows, climate change, novel entities, and three additional boundaries (implied by the nine-boundary framework)

Outcomes reported

The study calculated food system boundaries as quantified shares of nine planetary boundaries and identified that global food systems currently transgress all nine boundaries. The research proposes specific budgets and interventions required to bring food systems within a safe operating space, including reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, halting agricultural conversion of intact nature, redistribution of fertiliser inputs, and limitations on pesticide and antibiotic use.

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