New CONCITO-project: From planetary boundaries to planetary politics

The latest update of the planetary boundaries highlights that we are now moving dangerously close to the collapse of the planet's biophysical systems. For that reason, CONCITO's Climate Future Lab is launching the project “From Planetary Boundaries to Planetary Politics”.

“Humanity has now impacted the planet's natural systems to a degree where there is an increased risk of catastrophic changes in core Earth system processes with consequences for human life and wellbeing. Despite years of scientific evidence pointing to the severity of transgressions, there has been no political action. It is crucial that we get started now,” says Professor Katherine Richardson from the University of Copenhagen, who chairs the project’s scientific advisory board. 

The project will translate the planetary boundaries from a scientific framework into data and knowledge that will make it easier for civil servants, politicians, and other actors in society to make decisions that are aligned with the planetary boundaries. The project is funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation and runs from 2024 to 2026.

“The Novo Nordisk Foundation wishes to advance knowledge and solutions that support the green transition, both nationally and on a global level. We find that planetary boundaries constitute an important scientific perspective when looking in general at the sustainability challenges the world is facing and believe that their application can pave the way for knowledge-based collaboration between relevant actors in society. Therefore, we are pleased to support a project that aims to translate research into action in this field,” says Berith Bjørnholm, Senior Vice President at the Novo Nordisk Foundation. 

The project will develop a model that makes it possible to evaluate the full impact of different policy instruments on the planetary boundaries in a national context. The project will use Denmark as a case study but aims to provide general and scalable knowledge that is also relevant to policymakers in other countries. 

“The planetary boundaries tell us that it is not enough just to solve the climate crisis. We face a triple crisis on a global scale: climate, biodiversity, and the environment. We need to solve all three crises. This requires a different way of conducting policy that looks much more at the interdependence between policy areas, based on the premise that policy must be conducted within the limits of a sustainable impact on climate, biodiversity, and environmental conditions. In Denmark, our marine environment is a good example of what happens if you don't understand this interdependence,” says Peter Andreas Norn, Program Director at CONCITO. 

The project is carried out by CONCITO with support from a scientific advisory board consisting of representatives from leading international research institutions. The scientific advisory board consists of Professor Katherine Richardson (University of Copenhagen), Professor Carsten Rahbek (University of Copenhagen), Professor Michelle Merrill Betsill (University of Copenhagen), researcher Tiina Häyhä (Stockholm Resilience Center) and Professor Wolfgang Lucht (Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research).  

Contact

Senior consultant, Andreas Lind, al@concito.dk

Senior consultant, Cecilie Friis, cfr@concito.dk