Qualified Hope and the Ethics of Planetary Boundaries

The present essay explores the way theologies can contribute to the discussion of the ethics of the “planetary boundaries” framework and its rhetorical proposal for a ‘safe operating space’. I first give a brief description of the ‘planetary boundaries’ framework proposed by Johan Rockström and others. The idea of a ‘safe operating space’ is not simply a neutral scientific assessment, but more importantly, a narrative framework that weaves stability, risk, and uncertainty together. This narrative needs both the humanities and the sciences to be understood. Second, I propose how theological reflection can contribute to the discussion through its interpretation of the rhetorical and ethical facets of the ‘planetary boundaries’ proposal. Specifically, a Christian theological lens is able to develop a model of a qualified sense of hope, which can be leveraged as a bridge between the dire warnings and uncertainty of the science of ‘planetary boundaries’, on one hand, and the call for transformation and action that researchers make on the other. Finally, I provide some recent examples of this theologically-inspired ‘qualified hope’ in the face of environmental change.