Economic, social and technological advances have come at the expense of the Earth’s capacity to sustain current and future human well-being. Human prosperity rests on the wise use of the finite space and resources available to
all life on Earth, as well as on the restoration of its life-supporting processes and capacity to absorb human waste. Every person benefits from clean air and water, a protective stratospheric ozone layer, a hospitable climate and the many additional benefits that land and oceans provide, including food, medicines, energy, materials, inspiration and a sense of place. The rich web of life, of which humanity is a part, modulates and maintains Earth’s systems in ways critical to people, for example by reducing the severity of natural disasters and by providing soil, pollination and pest control that help people harness the planet’s fertility.