Staying within planetary boundaries requires a new economic system
Earth has exceeded its planetary boundaries. Therefore, it is no longer enough to prevent environmental damage now and in the future, say scientists at the Wuppertal Institute in the recently published InBrief 15. Instead, we need an economic system in which economic success is firmly linked to the restoration of ecological and social systems.
On 15 March 2026, IN Brief 15 was published: The Regenerative Economy and Planetary Boundaries: Research and Impact Agenda. In their publication, Clara Baues, Dr Holger Berg and Prof Stephan Ramesohl demonstrate why existing strategies such as net-zero, efficiency improvements and recycling are insufficient to tackle the ecological crises. They advocate for an understanding of the economy that not only avoids damage but actively contributes to the restoration of ecosystems and integrates the regeneration of natural systems.
Regeneration as a benchmark for economic activity
This economic approach means that regeneration is established as the overarching objective for sustainable economic activity. Furthermore, the academic community should not merely analyse developments, but actively help to drive change in the economy and society.
“Even if we were to stop all emissions today, that wouldn’t put things right. That is why damage control – which is undoubtedly important, but simply not enough – is not sufficient: we must shape the economy in such a way that natural systems can regenerate themselves,” says Clara Baues, a researcher in the Circular Ecosystems and Governance research group at the Wuppertal Institute and lead author of the In Brief.
Technology alone is not enough
Current sustainability strategies include technologies designed to improve efficiency, facilitate recycling, and reduce or even completely prevent CO₂ emissions. Where the latter is not possible, companies and governments are making use of schemes to offset greenhouse gas emissions.
Whilst all these measures will achieve a great deal, at best they can only stabilize the already critical state of the ecological systems and prevent further deterioration.
The authors of the InBrief instead advocate for an integrated research and impact agenda. This is because regenerative economics is not yet a fully developed scientific concept.
Restoration and regeneration go together
According to the concept presented, the new economic model centres on combining restoration and regeneration in the same location. The authors refer to definitions of these two terms provided by Dr Piero Morseletto, who teaches ‘Circular Economy, Strategies and Business Models’ at Erasmus University Rotterdam:
„Restoration occurs externally, as an attempt to restore something, thus bringing a system artificially into a healthy state again, e.g. by reforesting fallow land.
Regeneration occurs through mechanisms inherent in the system as “functional self- renewal”.
Ideally, therefore, restoration creates the conditions necessary for regeneration to take place at the point of impact – not just anywhere in the world, but within the ecosystems affected by the relevant business activities.
Again the link to InBrief 15.
Featured image: Pixabay