18. Turning the Anthropocene into the Symbioscene

Question 1

What are the 9 PBs?

Answer 1

1. Climate Change
2. Biosphere Integrity
3. Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
4. Ocean Acidification
5. Biogeochemical flows
6. Land-system change
7. Freshwater use
8. Atmospheric Aerosol loading
9. Introduction of novel entities

Question 2

Which 2 PBs are we currently past the planetary limits on?

Answer 2

Currently past the safe limits on climate change and biogeochemical flows

Question 3

Why is the PBF important?

Answer 3

1. Understanding changes throughout different biomes and systems, and how these changes are dynamic and in a constant state of flux
2. Helps us to conceptualise the range and extent of human damage on the environment
3. Provision of comprehensible metrics to present to global governments
4. Helped to create the 17 SDGs of the UN

Question 4

Define the symbioscene

Answer 4

A future, theoretical era in which human actions are integrated into the symboiotic processes of life, and human systems are designed to support, rather than disrupt, natural systems

Question 5

What are the main ways that we can transition from the anthropocene to the symbioscene?

Answer 5

1. Changing global thinking
2. Public awareness and activism (i.e., youth led movements, mainstreamed environmental awareness, environmental protests)
3. Renewable energy (i.e., changes in harvesting, energy storage and carbon storage. A push for community based renewable projects)
4. Corporate and financial sector shifts (i.e., divestment from fossil fuels, nature capital accounting, and sustainable business practices)
5. Nature restoration (i.e., via NbS, FLR, biodiversity mitigation)
6. Policy and international cooperation (i.e., Paris Agreement, KM-BFG, Legal Rights for Nature)
7. Indigenous Leadership, and the incorporation of traditional knowledge systems
8. Legality (i.e., strengthed environmental regulation, strengthened environmental law and advocacy)