#rp 25 Speaker Johan Rockström: Decisive Decade

Johan Rockström spoke at re:publica 19 for the first time. Back then, we were optimistic and hopeful. The turning point towards sustainable development seemed to have been reached: the climate movement was gaining a lot of attention and momentum thanks to the Fridays for Future protests. From politics to business to society, everyone seemed to be pulling in the same direction, setting goals and developing measures to drive socio-ecological development and reconcile it with the digital transformation.

Six years later, and around 10 years since the Paris Climate Agreement, enthusiasm, optimism and commitment seem to have faded. Instead, the climate crisis has entered a decisive phase and the delay in climate action has increased the likelihood of tipping points being crossed. Political upheaval is weakening international cooperation and common goals for sustainable development, despite the importance of unity. 

In his keynote at re:publica 25, Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, will discuss how we can renew international commitment, scientific cooperation, and political courage and how we can still counteract climate change now. Without bold transformation, both the SDGs and the Paris targets will be missed. Yet a path remains open - through science-based change that secures prosperity on a resilient and stable planet.

Johan Rockström is an internationally recognized scientist on global sustainability and Earth resilience. He led the development of the Planetary Boundaries framework for human development in the current era of rapid global change. He is deeply involved in research on the future trajectory of the Anthropocene and tipping points in the Earth system. With more than 25 years experience in applied water research in tropical regions, he is also a leading scientist on global water resources. Professor Rockström is a driving force behind myriad international scientific initiatives, including the Earth Commission and the Planetary Boundaries Science Initiative, as well as actively consulting on global sustainability issues for national and multilateral government organisations and business networks.