Humanity has entered the Anthropocene, marked by significant influence on Earth, transitioning from the stable Holocene, which could sustain life. The document discusses the urgent need for better management of global commons using Elinor Ostrom’s principles and highlights the planetary emergency due to destabilizing conditions. Key risks involve climate change impacts, including carbon budget constraints and the potential collapse of vital ecosystems.

1. Characterised by the extent of humanity’s influence on Earth,
we’ve entered a new geological era: the Anthropocene. We’re
leaving behind the stable Holocene, the only planetary state we
know for certain can sustain life as we know it.
The Earth Dashboard
Visualising the State of the Planet for the Finance Sector
Owen Gaffney
Global Commons Alliance
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
Stockholm Resilience Centre
@owengaffney
Image: Globaia

2. Defined
boundaries
Accurate
information
+ share similar
view
Ability
to
modify
rules
to see benefits
outweigh cost
Monitoring and
graduated
sanctions
Conflict
resolution
system
Trust
Higher
legitimacy
Managing the global commons
Users need:
Elinor Ostrom’s 8 principles for managing common pool resources (Governing the Commons 1990).
Gaffney 2020

5. Lenton, Rockström, Gaffney et al. Nature (2019)

6. 1. Earth is destabilising
2. We are taking astounding risks with
3. This is a planetary emergency

7. Rockström et al. Nature (2009) and Steffen et al. Science (2015)

8. Carbon budget for 2°C
You are here
2020 2030 2040 2050
Amazon switch to carbon source
Zero summer Arctic sea ice
Carbon budget for 1.5°C
Coral reef loss (70-90%)
1.5 billion living in inhospitable climate
Average
temperature
1.5°C
Gaffney 2020

10. Defined
boundaries
Accurate
information
+ share similar
view
Ability
to
modify
rules
to see benefits
outweigh cost
Monitoring and
graduated
sanctions
Conflict
resolution
system
Trust
Higher
legitimacy
Managing the global commons
Users need:
Elinor Ostrom’s 8 principles for managing common pool resources (Governing the Commons 1990).
Gaffney 2020

11. Buckminster Fuller’s “Minna Earth Location Proposal” (1956) on the East River in full view of staff at the United Nations

14. Characterised by the extent of humanity’s influence on Earth,
we’ve entered a new geological era: the Anthropocene. We’re
leaving behind the stable Holocene, the only planetary state we
know for certain can sustain life as we know it.
The Earth Dashboard
Visualising the State of the Planet for the Finance Sector
Owen Gaffney
Global Commons Alliance
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
Stockholm Resilience Centre
@owengaffney
Image: Globaia