The past 10.000 years, during the geological epoch known as the Holocene, natural conditions on Earth were more stable than ever before in the geological history of the Earth, with average temperatures fluctuating for just over one degree Celsius. These stable conditions were maintained through numerous Earth systems and their interactions through feedback loops. We are currently living in a new geological epoch, called the Anthropocene. Human activities are the main driver of changes that have caused the shift towards these new conditions on Earth. Since the 1950s, there has been an exponential increase in the exploitation of natural resources, a period known as the Great Acceleration. Due to the increasing pressures on Earth's systems, there is a risk of crossing critical tipping points and planetary boundaries. Planetary boundaries are the first scientifically defined thresholds within which the risk of crossing critical tipping points remains low. Currently, six out of nine planetary boundaries have already been exceeded. Agriculture is the primary driver of the transgression of five out of nine planetary boundaries (freshwater use, land-use change, biogeochemical flows of phosphorus and nitrogen, biosphere integrity and climate change). To stabilize the climate, a transition to a more sustainable food production system is necessary. At global, European and national levels, multiple politically binding targets have already been established to halt the negative impacts of agriculture. These targets can be achieved through systemic changes in farming practices as well as through shifts in dietary habits and more sustainable food management.
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