Identifying the safe operating space for food systems

Reducing environmental pressure from food systems is critical to limiting environmental degradation and the risk of irreversibly destabilizing the Earth system, but an integrated framework that sets out the safe operating space for food systems is lacking. We assess the current state of food systems across all Planetary Boundaries and propose Food System Boundaries, which are specific shares of the Planetary Boundaries delineating environmental limits for food systems. Our findings reaffirm that food systems are the single largest driver of Planetary Boundary transgressions, and are dominating at least four Planetary Boundary transgressions (i.e. biosphere integrity, land system change, freshwater change, biogeochemical flows). Food systems are beyond all proposed food system boundaries. Returning to the safe operating space for food requires rapidly eliminating CO₂ emissions associated with food systems, halting intact land conversion from agriculture, redistribution of fertilizer input, and (regionally) limiting water, pesticide and antibiotic use.