Latest news with #JohanRockström
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
No, David Suzuki hasn't given up on the climate fight — but his battle plan is changing
Canadian environmentalist David Suzuki made headlines last week when he said in an interview with iPolitics that humanity has lost its fight against climate change. "We're in deep trouble," Suzuki told the outlet. "I've never said this before to the media, but it's too late." Though he made it clear that he hasn't entirely given up, Suzuki says that rather than getting caught up in trying to force change through legal, political and economic systems, we now need to focus on community action. "I look at what the straight science says and that is that we've passed too many boundaries," said Suzuki in an interview with CBC News on Monday. "It's going to get hotter, there's going to be floods, and all kinds of other things that we can't predict at this point," he said. "As the temperature rises, even half a degree to a degree warmer, the repercussions ecologically are going to be immense." Suzuki says he goes by Johan Rockström's work with the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research to define nine planetary boundaries, or safe limits, for human pressure on certain critical processes. During an interview with CBC in June about deep-sea mining, Rockström discussed how humanity is approaching tipping points when it comes to climate change. "We have more and more scientific evidence that we are pushing these systems to the brink of potential collapse," he says that we passed the seventh boundary this year and are now in the extreme danger zone, noting that Rockström says we have five years to get out of it. According to Suzuki, it's not likely we'll be able to pull back on these boundaries within five years. "It's crystal clear: we're going to overshoot." For example, there have been 12 consecutive months where temperatures warmed 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels — the threshold set by scientists to avoid some of the worst impacts of climate change. "And that was the level we were supposed to reach by 2100," said Suzuki, noting that we haven't capped emissions and they continue to climb. "At some point, you have to say, we're not going to do it." Climate advocates have long said that one of the biggest things people can do to impact climate change is to vote, contact politicians and get involved. But now, Suzuki says he's changing his advice to environmental advocates. He says he hasn't given up on finding solutions, just on waiting for governments and institutions to take meaningful action. WATCH | Suzuki explains why he's given up on governments solving climate crisis: "It's an unpredictable world that we're heading to, and so much of our efforts in the environmental movement have been spent on assuming that politicians are going to take the right steps," he said. As an example, he recalls approaching an MP at a fundraiser gala for his non-profit environmental foundation. Suzuki says he believed the MP understood the severity of the climate crisis and urged him to reach out across party lines to take action because climate change couldn't remain political. But he says the MP responded by saying he was worried about the next election. "And I said, 'Are you saying that you're not going to do what should have been done years ago that must be done immediately because of the political possibility that you'll lose the next election?' " Suzuki recalled. "And he said, 'Yeah, that's politics — politics prevents you from doing the right thing.' " Having abandoned politics as a solution, Suzuki says he's turning to community. "Do we just give up? No," he said. "Get together with your local block or your series of blocks and start finding out who's going to need help in an emergency." Suzuki says the Kitsilano neighbourhood in Vancouver where he's lived for 50 years is having a block party next week that he hopes will help combat the isolation and loneliness he says will be major challenges for what lies ahead. There are other places in Canada that are also prioritizing community. The town of Lytton, B.C., is still rebuilding after a 2021 wildfire destroyed most of its homes and businesses. Part of their rebuilding plan includes a Community Hub project. "We're calling it a hub because we plan to have a number of services within that building … and an outdoor space like a covered festival, farmers market multi-purpose space as well," Lytton Mayor Denise O'Connor told CBC News. The community hub will be net zero and will also have climate resilience built in, with a swimming pool that can double as a water reservoir. Suzuki says this kind of community resilience will be key. LISTEN | How engaging with your community can help with climate anxiety: "Mother Nature is going to come down so hard that we're going to have to face up to the big changes, but I'm saying to environmental groups now, 'focus on the local community, get them to be as self-sufficient and self-reliant as you can possibly be,' " he said. "The science says that we're done for, but I'm saying at least the time that we've got left, let's fight like mad to be as resilient as we can in the face of what's coming."
CBC
11-07-2025
- Politics
- CBC
No, David Suzuki hasn't given up on the climate fight — but his battle plan is changing
Social Sharing Canadian environmentalist David Suzuki made headlines last week when he said in an interview with iPolitics that humanity has lost its fight against climate change. "We're in deep trouble," Suzuki told the outlet. "I've never said this before to the media, but it's too late." Though he made it clear that he hasn't entirely given up, Suzuki says that rather than getting caught up in trying to force change through legal, political and economic systems, we now need to focus on community action. 'We've passed too many boundaries' "I look at what the straight science says and that is that we've passed too many boundaries," said Suzuki in an interview with CBC News on Monday. "It's going to get hotter, there's going to be floods, and all kinds of other things that we can't predict at this point," he said. "As the temperature rises, even half a degree to a degree warmer, the repercussions ecologically are going to be immense." Suzuki says he goes by Johan Rockström's work with the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research to define nine planetary boundaries, or safe limits for human pressure on certain critical processes. During an interview with CBC in June about deep-sea mining, Rockström discussed how humanity is approaching tipping points when it comes to climate change. "We have more and more scientific evidence that we are pushing these systems to the brink of potential collapse," he said. WATCH | What we can do to continue climate fight even as warnings grow dire: Continuing the climate change fight amid dire warnings 13 hours ago Duration 8:20 Environmentalists like David Suzuki say not enough has been done to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. But Seth Klein with the Climate Emergency Unit says a lot can still be done if people get politics out of the way of action and develop solutions around renewable energy, high-speed rail and retrofits in public infrastructure. Suzuki says that we passed the seventh boundary this year and are now in the extreme danger zone, noting that Rockström says we have five years to get out of it. According to Suzuki, it's not likely we'll be able to pull back on these boundaries within five years. "It's crystal clear, we're going to overshoot." For example, the 1.5 C target in global warming set by the 2015 Paris Agreement has now been surpassed. "And that was the level we were supposed to reach by 2100," said Suzuki, noting that we haven't capped emissions and they continue to climb. "At some point, you have to say, we're not going to do it." Why Suzuki has given up on politics Climate advocates have long said that one of the biggest things people can do to impact climate change is to vote, contact politicians and get involved. But now, Suzuki says he's changing his advice to environmental advocates. He says he hasn't given up on finding solutions, just on waiting for governments and institutions to take meaningful action. WATCH | Suzuki explains why he's given up on governments solving climate crisis: David Suzuki says we've chosen politics and economics over the environment 2 days ago Duration 12:42 In an interview on CBC's The Early Edition, environmental activist David Suzuki explained comments he made during an iPolitics interview, where he declared "humanity has lost the fight against climate change." Suzuki said elevating economics and politics over science for decades has brought the world to a critical point. "It's an unpredictable world that we're heading to, and so much of our efforts in the environmental movement have been spent on assuming that politicians are going to take the right steps," he said. As an example, he recalls approaching an MP at a fundraiser gala for his non-profit environmental foundation. Suzuki says he believed the MP understood the severity of the climate crisis and urged him to reach out across party lines to take action because climate change couldn't remain political. But he says the MP responded by saying he was worried about the next election. "And I said, 'Are you saying that you're not going to do what should have been done years ago that must be done immediately because of the political possibility that you'll lose the next election?' " Suzuki recalled. "And he said, 'Yeah, that's politics — politics prevents you from doing the right thing.' " Focus on community and resilience Having abandoned politics as a solution, Suzuki says he's turning to community. "Do we just give up? No," he said. "Get together with your local block or your series of blocks and start finding out who's going to need help in an emergency." Suzuki says the Kitsilano neighbourhood in Vancouver where he's lived for 50 years is having a block party next week that he hopes will help combat the isolation and loneliness he says will be major challenges for what lies ahead. There are other places in Canada that are also prioritizing community. The town of Lytton, B.C., is still rebuilding after a 2021 wildfire destroyed most of its homes and businesses. Part of their rebuilding plan includes a Community Hub project. "We're calling it a hub because we plan to have a number of services within that building … and an outdoor space like a covered festival, farmers market multi-purpose space as well," Lytton Mayor Denise O'Connor told CBC News. The community hub will be net zero and will also have climate resilience built in, with a swimming pool that can double as a water reservoir. Suzuki says this kind of community resilience will be key. "Mother Nature is going to come down so hard that we're going to have to face up to the big changes, but I'm saying to environmental groups now, 'focus on the local community, get them to be as self-sufficient and self-reliant as you can possibly be,' " he said. "The science says that we're done for, but I'm saying at least the time that we've got left, let's fight like mad to be as resilient as we can in the face of what's coming."
Scoop
20-06-2025
- Science
- Scoop
World's Top Science Competition Awards $1M To Australia's Visionary Scientist Tackling Global Climate Crisis
June 17, 2025 The Frontiers Planet Prize has named its three 2024/25 International Champions, including Australia's Dr Arunima Malik. The winners are scientists offering innovative, scalable solutions to help keep humanity safely within planetary boundaries. Dr Arunima Malik will receive a prize of one million dollars (USD) to further her research and impact. The winning research focuses on the environmental and social impacts of international trade and its effect on meeting the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Following an independent scientific assessment involving 100 experts, chaired by Professor Johan Rockström, the developer of the Planetary Boundaries framework, the prize ensures faster global scientific consensus around the innovative ideas with greatest potential to drive change. On 17 June, the Frontiers Planet Prize announced Dr Arunima Malik, from The University of Sydney, as one of its 2025 International Champions, awarding her $1 million to advance her and her research team's pioneering work in sustainability science. Providing groundbreaking, scalable solutions to help keep humanity within planetary boundaries, Dr Malik received the award for the publication, Polarizing and equalizing trends in international trade and Sustainable Development Goals, featured in Nature Sustainability. This year's three International Champions were revealed at the Frontiers Planet Prize Award Ceremony, hosted by the Villars Institute as part of the 2025 Villars Symposium in Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland. The three International Champions were selected from a group of 19 National Champions chosen by the independent Jury of 100, a group of renowned sustainability and planetary health experts chaired by Professor Johan Rockström. The world's largest and most ambitious science competition for planetary health, the Frontiers Planet Prize is a global call to action - accelerating innovation, igniting impact, and rallying the academic world to confront the planetary crisis with urgency and bold solutions. The award-winning research by Dr Malik and her team highlights the environmental and social impacts of international trade and the complex role it plays in achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. The research is also highly relevant for shaping policies related to the Loss and Damage (L&D) fund, offering data-driven guidance on financial contributions from developed countries to support developing nations in addressing climate-related losses and damages. Commenting on the award, Dr Arunima Malik said: 'Commenting on the award, Dr Arunima Malik said: 'It's an honor and a privilege to receive this recognition and support from the Frontiers Planet Prize. This esteemed prize will provide impetus to drive sustainable solutions for planetary health. It is inspiring and vital as we search for innovation and action in the face of global environmental challenges. This $1 million award will significantly help accelerate our ability to expand our research and further highlight the nuances around the impact of trade and associated positive and negative impacts on both people and planet around the world. With these resources, we can advance research with policy-relevant insights, and develop tools to inform sustainable solutions, especially in contexts where climate vulnerability and economic inequality intersect. I would take this opportunity to thank the research team, Prof. Manfred Lenzen, Dr Mengyu Li, Camille Mora, Dr Sarah Carter, Dr Stefan Giljum, Dr Stephan Lutter and Prof. Jorge Gomez-Paredes for their valuable contributions.' Commenting on the Frontiers Planet Prize, Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research said: 'The Frontiers Planet Prize is more than a scientific award - it is a catalyst for the urgent transformation we need to stay within planetary boundaries. The three 2025 International Champions exemplify the power of science to deepen the understanding of the fundamentals of our earth systems while also delivering actionable, scalable solutions to the intertwined crises of climate, biodiversity, and inequality. Their work stands at the intersection of scientific novelty, innovation, and impact, showing us that a sustainable and just future is within reach—if we act boldly, and fast. It has been an honor to chair the Jury of 100 and witness firsthand the incredible depth of scientific excellence mobilized by this prize." Jean-Claude Burgelman, Director of the Frontiers Planet Prize, added: 'The 2025 International Champions embody the spirit of the Frontiers Planet Prize: bold science in service of humanity and the planet. This Prize is building a global community of researchers who are not only advancing knowledge but actively shaping the path to a sustainable future. These Champions inspire all of us – demonstrating that through collaboration, courage, and scientific integrity, transformative change is not only possible, but already underway.' About the Frontiers Research Foundation: The Frontiers Research Foundation is a not-for-profit organization based in Switzerland, which was founded by Kamila and Henry Markram, neuroscientists from the Swiss Federal Institute for Technology (EPFL). It raises funds to support programs that accelerate scientific solutions for healthy lives on a healthy planet. About the Frontiers Planet Prize: The Frontiers Planet Prize is a global competition for scientists and research institutions to propose solutions to help the planet remain within the safe operating space of any one or more of the nine planetary boundaries. It was created by the Frontiers Research Foundation on Earth Day 2022 to mobilize the global scientific community, make it complete at the highest level of excellence, and contribute to the acceleration of concrete solutions to the challenges defined by the planetary boundaries. To-date, it has drawn together hundreds of scientists, 23 national academies of science, over 600 leading universities and research institutions to compete for three prizes of 1M USD each as adjudicated by a Jury of 100 leading sustainability scientists.
Malaysian Reserve
14-06-2025
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
Green Fertilizer Made with Air and Plasma: NitroCapt (Sweden) wins $2M Food Planet Prize 2025 for developing low-emission fertilizers
STOCKHOLM, June 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Curt Bergfors Foundation is honored to announce that NitroCapt was awarded the Food Planet Prize, the world's biggest environmental award, on June 13 in Stockholm, Sweden. This recognition highlights their exceptional contributions and potential to disrupt the global nitrogen fertilizer industry. Nitrogen fertilizers are used for 50% of the world's food production and emit as much carbon dioxide as the aviation industry. Sweden-based NitroCapt has developed a novel, energy-efficient process that makes fertilizer through plasma-produced nitrate. NitroCapt's technology could improve access to green fertilizer across the world. In awarding the Prize to NitroCapt, the Food Planet Prize jury Co-Chair Johan Rockström commented: 'Through NitroCapt's innovation, nitrogen fertilizer can now be produced by splitting nitrogen from the air with plasma technology simply needing green electricity as input. This technology reduces the use of energy tenfold, can be produced locally, avoids fossil-fuels entirely, while producing a nitrate fertilizer that can improve soil health and may be used sustainably by farmers across the world.' Gustaf Forsberg, CEO and Founder of NitroCapt, added: 'NitroCapt's mission is to decarbonize the nitrogen fertilizer industry. The current fossil-based process has reached its end point. We can also contribute to increased food production in areas that today have difficulties producing sufficient amounts. We are just about to finalize our industrial-scale pilot, and we have fertilizer in the field, but we're still not at the scale where we want to be. This Prize will be very important for us to bring our technology to the stage where we can start making a difference.' About the Food Planet Prize The Curt Bergfors Food Planet Prize was established in Sweden in 2019, in acknowledgement of the perils that our current food systems pose to the health of people and the planet. The Prize supports initiatives that significantly reduce the environmental impact of the way we eat today. Unlike many awards, the Food Planet Prize recognizes initiatives for their potential future impact on the environment rather than past achievements. The Food Planet Prize's international jury consists of 10 leading specialists in complex Food Planet challenges. The jury is co-chaired by Johan Rockström and Magnus Nilsson. For more information: press@ NitroCapt Gustaf Forsberg, CEO and Founder Photo – View original content:
Korea Herald
13-06-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Green Fertilizer Made with Air and Plasma: NitroCapt (Sweden) wins $2M Food Planet Prize 2025 for developing low-emission fertilizers
STOCKHOLM, June 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Curt Bergfors Foundation is honored to announce that NitroCapt was awarded the Food Planet Prize, the world's biggest environmental award, on June 13 in Stockholm, Sweden. This recognition highlights their exceptional contributions and potential to disrupt the global nitrogen fertilizer industry. Nitrogen fertilizers are used for 50% of the world's food production and emit as much carbon dioxide as the aviation industry. Sweden-based NitroCapt has developed a novel, energy-efficient process that makes fertilizer through plasma-produced nitrate. NitroCapt's technology could improve access to green fertilizer across the world. In awarding the Prize to NitroCapt, the Food Planet Prize jury Co-Chair Johan Rockström commented: "Through NitroCapt's innovation, nitrogen fertilizer can now be produced by splitting nitrogen from the air with plasma technology simply needing green electricity as input. This technology reduces the use of energy tenfold, can be produced locally, avoids fossil-fuels entirely, while producing a nitrate fertilizer that can improve soil health and may be used sustainably by farmers across the world." Gustaf Forsberg, CEO and Founder of NitroCapt, added: "NitroCapt's mission is to decarbonize the nitrogen fertilizer industry. The current fossil-based process has reached its end point. We can also contribute to increased food production in areas that today have difficulties producing sufficient amounts. We are just about to finalize our industrial-scale pilot, and we have fertilizer in the field, but we're still not at the scale where we want to be. This Prize will be very important for us to bring our technology to the stage where we can start making a difference." About the Food Planet Prize The Curt Bergfors Food Planet Prize was established in Sweden in 2019, in acknowledgement of the perils that our current food systems pose to the health of people and the planet. The Prize supports initiatives that significantly reduce the environmental impact of the way we eat today. Unlike many awards, the Food Planet Prize recognizes initiatives for their potential future impact on the environment rather than past achievements. The Food Planet Prize's international jury consists of 10 leading specialists in complex Food Planet challenges. The jury is co-chaired by Johan Rockström and Magnus Nilsson.
