Why are we focusing so much on carbon emissions?
At DYCLE, we always refer to the latest scientific research to inform our work. In this article, zoom out from the carbon tunnel vision and take a broader look at the multiple, interconnected planetary boundaries we must address, because tackling climate change alone is no longer enough.
The Planetary Boundaries
When we talk about saving the planet, we usually hear about carbon emissions and climate change. But climate change is just one piece of a much bigger puzzle.
The Planetary Boundaries framework from Steffen et al. (2015) shows how nine Earth systems are being pushed beyond safe limits. These include climate change, biodiversity, and pollution from chemicals and plastics. It shows that human activities are putting growing pressure on nine key systems that keep our planet stable and healthy.
Right now, most companies focus on cutting carbon emissions to fight climate change. For example, the European Climate Law aims to cut greenhouse gases by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels..
Estimated reading time: 5min
Source:
Steffen et. al. (2023). Planetary boundaries:
Guiding human development on a changing planet.
Science, 347(6223).
Like comparing the Earth to a body that has multiple vital organs. Carbon emissions are like one symptom, but others are just as serious. There are two questions that come to mind now:
(1) Why are we tunnel-visioning towards solving climate change, and not creating guidelines or solutions for the other boundaries as well?
(2) Why are companies not questioning the guidelines set by organisations like the United Nations on this matter?
As of 2023, the latest version of the planetary boundaries chart shows that areas like biodiversity, chemical pollution, and nutrient overuse are in the danger zone. But despite the risks, these issues get much less attention from the public and businesses compared to climate change.
Source:
Azote for Stockholm Resilience Centre, based
on analysis in Richardson et al 2023
Apart from carbon emissions, we should be looking at the following three categories:
1) Biosphere integrity or biodiversity
2) Novel entities
3) Biogeochemical flows
Biosphere integrity / biodiversity
Biodiversity means the variety of life on Earth, including the different species and the roles they play in ecosystems. Scientists (Rockström et al., 2009) have marked biodiversity loss as one of the most dangerous threats to the planet. Many species are going extinct much faster than what is considered safe. This is mostly because of things like habitat destruction, pollution, overuse of natural resources, and climate change. Losing biodiversity weakens nature’s ability to recover and puts both the environment and human well-being at risk.
From a business perspective, the loss of biodiversity is extensive, and causes disruptions to supply chains, increasing regulatory compliance costs and potentially eroding social license (EY, 2022). Where are the numerous strategies from companies on this matter if biodiversity causes not just permanent effects on the environment and wildlife, but also the corporate structure itself? A study in 2022 (Bohnett et. al.) revealed a significant gap in corporate responsibility reporting for biodiversity impacts, environmental restoration, environmental project financing and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 14 ‘Life below Water’ and 15 ‘Life on Land’.
Nonetheless, little by little we are seeing companies address this pressing ‘extinction’ level boundary. Perhaps we are even catching glimpses of investors moving towards investing in biodiversity-focused companies. Is this the future aim for sustainability companies?
Novel entities
Novel entities are man-made substances that are new to the Earth’s environment and did not exist in nature before. These include synthetic chemicals and substances e.g. microplastics, chemicals that affect our hormones, organic pollutants etc. (Richardson et. al., 2023). For example, BPA (contained in plastic water bottles), PFAS (also known as ‘forever chemicals’) are found in water repellents, fire-proof objects, non-stick pans etc. They are incredibly difficult to quantify and persist in the environment. They can have harmful, unpredictable effects on both ecosystems and human health in ways we are still trying to understand.
Microplastics, which result from the breakdown of larger plastic items, are commonly found in diapers. A 2021 study (Zhang et al.) published in Environmental Science and Technology Letters found that infants had ten times the amount of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in their stool than in adult samples. PET is a type of plastic polymer used in many plastic products, from polyester clothing to plastic bottles. More shockingly, scientists have detected microplastics in newborns’ first feces (Zhang et. al., 2021), suggesting that infants already have plastics in their system!
Nutrient cycles of nitrogen and phosphorus (biogeochemical flows)
This boundary is about how we are disrupting the natural cycles of nitrogen and phosphorus: two nutrients that all life depends on. Through things like industrial farming and heavy use of chemical fertilisers, we are adding too much of these nutrients into the environment. This overload is causing big problems, like algae blooms, “dead zones” in oceans and lakes, and serious harm to wildlife. To protect ecosystems, we need better ways to manage how and where these nutrients are used.
How do we try to tackle all three boundaries at once?
DYCLE has begun to tackle all three boundaries of biodiversity, novel entities, and biogeochemical flows with our 100% plastic free system. Our mission is to transform waste into nutrient-rich soil, supporting the regeneration of the ecosystem, increasing biodiversity and restoring healthy habitats for all living beings. DYCLE recycles valuable nutrients, preventing water pollution and preserving vital resources for the generation to come. [explain more on claim of increasing biodiversity]
Edit: DYCLE has begun to tackle all three boundaries of biodiversity, novel entities, and biogeochemical flows with our 100% plastic free system. Inspired by nature, our motivation stems from observing how ecosystems solve problems—interconnected, adaptive, and efficient. By aligning our business model with natural principles—such as working with 5 kingdoms of nature, supporting symbiosis, systemic designing—we are able to address multiple challenges at once, rather than tackling them in isolation.
We recycle valuable nutrients, preventing water pollution and preserving vital resources for the generation to come. We help increase biodiversity by turning organic waste, like used diapers, into healthy, nutrient-rich soil. This soil supports the growth of a wide range of plants, which in turn attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, and provide food and shelter for many other animals. By creating healthy soil and avoiding the use of harmful plastics and chemicals, we help restore natural habitats where a variety of species can thrive. Our approach does not just reduce pollution, it actively supports the return of life to places that have been degraded by human activity.
With a multi-solving approach, we attempt to solve multiple boundaries at once. We have shown that it is possible, and can only hope that more companies will adopt a similar framework instead of the current ‘one problem, one solution’ pace. The world does not focus on one problem at a time, there are multiple factors involved in everything we do. Yes, we should still keep our current pace to reduce carbon emissions but we should not ignore everything else that is equally as harmful to our Earth.
References
Steffen, W., Richardson, K., Rockström, J., Cornell, S. E., Fetzer, I., Bennett, E. M., ... & Sörlin, S. (2015). Planetary boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet. Science, 347(6223), 1259855.
Richardson, K., Steffen, W., Lucht, W., Bendtsen, J., Cornell, S. E., Donges, J. F., ... & Rockström, J. (2023). Earth beyond six of nine planetary boundaries. Science advances, 9(37), eadh2458.
Zhang, J., Wang, L., Trasande, L., & Kannan, K. (2021). Occurrence of polyethylene terephthalate and polycarbonate microplastics in infant and adult feces. Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 8(11), 989-994.
The Daily Dug. (2022). Researchers find baby poop teeming with microplastics.
Available at: https://dug.com/researchers-find-baby-poop-teeming-with-microplastics/#:~:text=Loaded%20with%20microplastics.,microplastics%20can%20enter%20children's%20systems.
Stockholm Resiliance Centre. (2025). Planetary Boundaries. Available at: https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html
Gazzo, A. (2022). Why biodiversity may be more important to your business than you realize. EY. Available at: https://www.ey.com/en_gl/insights/assurance/why-biodiversity-may-be-more-important-to-your-business-than-you-realize
Bohnett, E., Coulibaly, A., Hulse, D., Hoctor, T., Ahmad, B., An, L., & Lewison, R. (2022). Corporate responsibility and biodiversity conservation: challenges and opportunities for companies participating in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Environmental Conservation, 49(1), 42-52.
Rockström, J., Steffen, W., Noone, K. et al. A safe operating space for humanity. Nature 461, 472–475 (2009).