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The Challenges of Applying Planetary Boundaries as a Basis for Strategic Decision-Making in Companies with Global Supply Chains

Author

Listed:
  • Roland Clift

    (Centre for Environment and Sustainability, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK)

  • Sarah Sim

    (Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Unilever R&D, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook MK44 1LQ, UK)

  • Henry King

    (Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Unilever R&D, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook MK44 1LQ, UK)

  • Jonathan L. Chenoweth

    (Centre for Environment and Sustainability, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK)

  • Ian Christie

    (Centre for Environment and Sustainability, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK)

  • Julie Clavreul

    (Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Unilever R&D, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook MK44 1LQ, UK)

  • Carina Mueller

    (Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Unilever R&D, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook MK44 1LQ, UK)

  • Leo Posthuma

    (Department of Environmental Science, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
    Centre for Sustainability, Environment and Health (DMG), National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), P.O. Box 1, NL-3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands)

  • Anne-Marie Boulay

    (CIRAIG, Polytechnique Montreal, Department of Chemical Engineering, P.O. Box 6079, Montreal, QC H3C 3A7, Canada)

  • Rebecca Chaplin-Kramer

    (Natural Capital Project, Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA)

  • Julia Chatterton

    (Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Unilever R&D, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook MK44 1LQ, UK)

  • Fabrice DeClerck

    (The Earth Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
    Agrobiodiversity and Ecosystem Services Programme, Bioversity International, Parc Scientifique Agropolis, 34397 Montpellier, France)

  • Angela Druckman

    (Centre for Environment and Sustainability, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK)

  • Chris France

    (Centre for Environment and Sustainability, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK)

  • Antonio Franco

    (Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Unilever R&D, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook MK44 1LQ, UK)

  • Dieter Gerten

    (Research Domain of Earth System Analysis, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
    Geography Department, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany)

  • Mark Goedkoop

    (PRé Consultants bv, Stationsplein 121, 3818 LE Amersfoort, The Netherlands)

  • Michael Z. Hauschild

    (Department of Management Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark)

  • Mark A. J. Huijbregts

    (Department of Environmental Science, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
    PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, Bezuidenhoutseweg 30, 2594 AV The Hague, The Netherlands)

  • Thomas Koellner

    (Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Geosciences, BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany)

  • Eric F. Lambin

    (Georges Lemaître Earth and Climate Research Centre, Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, 3 place Pasteur, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
    School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences and Woods Institute for the Environment, 473 via Ortega, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA)

  • Jacquetta Lee

    (Centre for Environment and Sustainability, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK)

  • Simon Mair

    (Centre for Environment and Sustainability, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK)

  • Stuart Marshall

    (Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Unilever R&D, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook MK44 1LQ, UK)

  • Michael S. McLachlan

    (Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Llorenç Milà i Canals

    (Division of Technology, Industry and Economics, UNEP, 1 Rue de Miollis, 75015 Paris, France)

  • Cynthia Mitchell

    (Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology of Sydney, P.O. Box 123, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia)

  • Edward Price

    (Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Unilever R&D, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook MK44 1LQ, UK)

  • Johan Rockström

    (Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Kräftriket 2b, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • James Suckling

    (Centre for Environment and Sustainability, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK)

  • Richard Murphy

    (Centre for Environment and Sustainability, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK)

Abstract

The Planetary Boundaries (PB) framework represents a significant advance in specifying the ecological constraints on human development. However, to enable decision-makers in business and public policy to respect these constraints in strategic planning, the PB framework needs to be developed to generate practical tools. With this objective in mind, we analyse the recent literature and highlight three major scientific and technical challenges in operationalizing the PB approach in decision-making: first, identification of thresholds or boundaries with associated metrics for different geographical scales; second, the need to frame approaches to allocate fair shares in the ‘safe operating space’ bounded by the PBs across the value chain and; third, the need for international bodies to co-ordinate the implementation of the measures needed to respect the Planetary Boundaries. For the first two of these challenges, we consider how they might be addressed for four PBs: climate change, freshwater use, biosphere integrity and chemical pollution and other novel entities. Four key opportunities are identified: (1) development of a common system of metrics that can be applied consistently at and across different scales; (2) setting ‘distance from boundary’ measures that can be applied at different scales; (3) development of global, preferably open-source, databases and models; and (4) advancing understanding of the interactions between the different PBs. Addressing the scientific and technical challenges in operationalizing the planetary boundaries needs be complemented with progress in addressing the equity and ethical issues in allocating the safe operating space between companies and sectors.

Suggested Citation

  • Roland Clift & Sarah Sim & Henry King & Jonathan L. Chenoweth & Ian Christie & Julie Clavreul & Carina Mueller & Leo Posthuma & Anne-Marie Boulay & Rebecca Chaplin-Kramer & Julia Chatterton & Fabrice , 2017. "The Challenges of Applying Planetary Boundaries as a Basis for Strategic Decision-Making in Companies with Global Supply Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-23, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:2:p:279-:d:90420
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Erica Russell & Jacquetta Lee & Roland Clift, 2018. "Can the SDGs Provide a Basis for Supply Chain Decisions in the Construction Sector?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-19, February.
    2. Sharareh Pourebrahim & Mehrdad Hadipour & Zahra Emlaei & Hamidreza Heidari & Choo Ta Goh & Khai Ern Lee, 2023. "Analysis of Environmental Carrying Capacity Based on the Ecological Footprint for the Sustainable Development of Alborz, Iran," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-19, May.
    3. Lukas Mahlich & Christopher Jung & Rüdiger Schaldach, 2022. "The Biodiversity Footprint of German Soy-Imports in Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-14, December.
    4. Carolina Villamil & Jesko Schulte & Sophie Hallstedt, 2022. "Sustainability risk and portfolio management—A strategic scenario method for sustainable product development," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 1042-1057, March.
    5. Meghan Beck-O’Brien & Stefan Bringezu, 2021. "Biodiversity Monitoring in Long-Distance Food Supply Chains: Tools, Gaps and Needs to Meet Business Requirements and Sustainability Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-23, July.
    6. John Quinn, 2019. "The Sustainable Corporate Objective: Rethinking Directors’ Duties," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-12, November.
    7. Jeroen B. Guinée & Arjan de Koning & Reinout Heijungs, 2022. "Life cycle assessment‐based Absolute Environmental Sustainability Assessment is also relative," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(3), pages 673-682, June.
    8. Mobolaji B. Shemfe & Siddharth Gadkari & Jhuma Sadhukhan, 2018. "Social Hotspot Analysis and Trade Policy Implications of the Use of Bioelectrochemical Systems for Resource Recovery from Wastewater," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-12, September.
    9. Claire Lajaunie & Serge Morand, 2021. "Biodiversity Targets, SDGs and Health: A New Turn after the Coronavirus Pandemic?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-10, April.
    10. Claudia Parra Paitan & Peter H. Verburg, 2019. "Methods to Assess the Impacts and Indirect Land Use Change Caused by Telecoupled Agricultural Supply Chains: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-24, February.
    11. Hannouf, Marwa & Assefa, Getachew & Gates, Ian, 2021. "Carbon intensity threshold for Canadian oil sands industry using planetary boundaries: Is a sustainable carbon-negative industry possible?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
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    14. Aneta Parsonsova & Ivo Machar, 2021. "National Limits of Sustainability: The Czech Republic’s CO 2 Emissions in the Perspective of Planetary Boundaries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-16, February.

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