Solutions
If you cannot measure it, how do you know if the solution is working?
To return to the Safe Operating Space – within which the planet’s resilience, stability, and life-support systems are safeguarded – we need working solutions. There is no single solution to "fix" all Planetary Boundaries but multiple groups are working on a variety of evidence-based solutions. We have collected some of them in this section.
Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
“We know that solving the planet crisis is not utopia. It's not fantasy. We have the solutions for a secure, stable future for humanity."
Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
Note
While not every solution is applicable to every situation, consider these as a menu that works in many different contexts.
Civil Society
While the large changes that could bring us back inside the Safe Operating Space are thought to come from policy and business, it is still individuals in society that drive them. There are many ways for someone to move to a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle, and everyone can choose their own way of doing so. Here are some solutions that may work for you and your lifestyle:
The range of choices for solutions is wide, from swapping to renewable energy to reducing food waste or checking out the Planetary Health Diet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIc42oIU0Ik there are hundreds of ways we can make a difference.
Some often overlooked solutions are which politicians you support, where your money is invested, supporting community group organisations that work on solutions and if what you buy is truly sustainable or even necessary.
The Climate solutions for real life guide was created by climate scientist Dr. Kimberly Nicholas and the team at Project Drawdown https://jointheshift.earth/
While the Project Drawdown solutions explorer allows you to select the best sustainability solutions that matches your way of life https://drawdown.org/explorer
Policy Makers
Are you a policy-maker looking for the best solutions or success stories you can replicate?
Governments have a decisive role in steering economies back within Earth’s safe limits by setting clear, science‑aligned policies.
Here are just a few of the policies, treaties and frameworks that are on offer:
Project Drawdown’s Drawdown Explorer:
identifies and characterizes the most effective climate solutions that can address climate change on a meaningful scale today.
https://drawdown.org/explorer
Conservation Agriculture
This review finds that using: no soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, and diversified crop rotations can help bring us back within the planetary boundaries
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/global-sustainability/article/conservation-agriculture-helping-to-return-to-within-planetary-boundaries/3641F08ABCEF6438590242B968C8FAD1
Climate policy explorer:
A policy dashboard to easily find the most effective policy from a menu of evidence based solutions
https://climate-policy-explorer.shinyapps.io/climate-policies-dashboard/home/
Scientific (PIK Potsdam) led review of climate policies with significant impacts:
1500 climate policies that have been implemented over the past 25 years and identified the 63 most successful ones
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl6547
The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. (IPBES):
is an independent intergovernmental body established by multiple countries to strengthen the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, long-term human well-being and sustainable development. https://www.ipbes.net/
UNEP: Global Environment Outlook
“Transformation to a Sustainable Environment” shows that achieving environmental goals simultaneously while also improving human well-being requires unprecedented action, combining a range of transformative solutions across the systems
https://wedocs.unep.org/rest/api/core/bitstreams/651283eb-02f3-4b6c-ac85-3f4a8485d0aa/content
What Works Climate Solutions Network (WWCS-Network)
connects researchers, policymakers, research funders, and other users of evidence committed to tackling the climate crisis using high-quality evidence. https://whatworksclimate.solutions/
Nature Climate Change solutions
Regularly published reports, written by journalists, to highlight initiatives, policies and efforts on climate change that are working on different scales around the world
https://www.nature.com/nclimate/articles?type=solutions-in-practice
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ae3dfa/meta
Climate policies that achieved major emission reductions:
Global evidence from two decades
An evaluation of 1500 climate policies that have been implemented over the past 25 years and identified the 63 most successful ones:
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl6547
OECD report: The effects of climate policies on emissions
Evidence from a comprehensive and systematic review of the ex-post empirical literature
https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/the-effects-of-climate-policies-on-emissions_ec1f7f0d-en.html
Successful treaties and frameworks:
Project Drawdown’s Drawdown Explorer
Conservation Agriculture
Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
Businesses
Businesses play a pivotal role in operating within planetary boundaries, where economic success must match up with the boundaries of Earth’s natural systems. By integrating science‑based targets and regenerative practices, companies can reduce risk, innovate, and build long‑term resilience. Here are some possible solutions and activities that may match your business:
Project Drawdown’s Drawdown Explorer
The explorer Identifies and characterizes the most effective climate solutions that can address climate change on a meaningful scale today. https://drawdown.org/explorer
Hurd App.
The HURD App is designed to help employers and employees educate and motivate positive change for a sustainable, climate friendly business, bringing success stories, ideas and plans to help make your business more planet friendly. https://app.hurd.world/learn/
10 Emerging Technology Solutions for Planetary Health from the WEF https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_10_Emerging_Technology_Solutions_for_Planetary_Health_2025.pdf
The Planetary Boundaries Science lab will be developing planetary boundary wide solutions in the near future with an aim to have localised impact assessment so that stakeholders can truly get a measure of which action is having positive impacts.
Learn More
A Rough Guide to Planetary Boundaries
Stay tuned for more updates!
Sea level rise, is it worse than you think?
Stay tuned for more updates!
Images tell a thousand words: Real Planet Earth meets the Planetary Boundaries.
Stay tuned for more updates!
Planetary Science Pavilion at COP30
Highlighting the Planetary Health Check 2025 as part of the Planetary Science Pavilion at COP30.
New Planetary Health Check Website launched!
New updates coming soon!
Tipping Points
Fragile regional systems with global consequences.
New EAT-Lancet report emphasizes challenges, but also pathways forward
Our current food systems breach the planetary boundaries, but transformation can deliver healthier lives and food for all.
A Safe Operating Space for Humanity
Respecting Planetary Boundaries to maintain our Planet's vital functions.
Get in Touch
Amid the planetary crisis, the Planetary Boundaries Initiative (PBI) brings together diverse perspectives from scientists, policymakers, and civil society to develop collaborative solutions for environmental risks. The PBI's Planetary Boundaries Analyzer (PBAnalyzer) integrates multi-stakeholder insights with AI to deliver tailored decision-support solutions for different communities. This multi-perspective approach ensures solutions are both scientifically rigorous and practically relevant across institutions and disciplines. The PBI is open for collaborations.
Read MoreAre you interested in collaborating, or do you have questions or inquiries? We would love to hear from you.