Climate & Environment
Stabilized Earth
Definition
Stabilized Earth is the scenario proposed by Steffen and colleagues (2018) in which deliberate human stewardship — deep decarbonisation, ecosystem restoration and active management of Earth system feedbacks — stabilises the planet in an interglacial-like state near current temperatures. It is posed against "Hothouse Earth", in which crossing a cascade of tipping points drives self-reinforcing warming to a state several degrees hotter with tens of metres of eventual sea level rise, regardless of later emission cuts.
References
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This reference provides supporting context for how “Stabilized Earth” is defined and used.
Overview
How it is used
The framework structures Earth system governance debates, tipping point research agendas, and long-horizon scenario thinking in climate policy.
Why it matters
Stabilized Earth names what success would actually look like: not solved, but stewarded — forever.