Can Humanity Stay on the Safe Side of Potentially Catastrophic Tipping Points? On 15 October 2009, the Tällberg Foundation in cooperation with SEI and IVA, held a seminar on the Planetary Boundaries article published in Nature on the 24 of September.
Date: Thursday, October 15th
Time: 14.30 – 18.00
Location: IVA Conference Center
Grev Turegatan 16, Bankettsalen
Can Humanity Stay on the Safe Side of Potentially Catastrophic Tipping Points?
Presenting The Planetary Boundaries Framework &
Exploring Its Implications For Policy & Practice
During the 2008 Tällberg Forum, three internationally prominent Sweden-based organizations, the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University, the Stockholm Environment Institute and the Tällberg Foundation, gathered a group of eminent natural and social scientists to evaluate the latest research on Earth system dynamics and to determine if they could quantify the safe biophysical boundaries outside of which, they believe, the Earth System cannot function in a stable, Holocenelike state - the state in which human civilizations have thrived.
The scientific team’s work has now resulted in a groundbreaking article, Planetary Boundaries: A Safe Operating Space for Humanity, which was presented in the prestigious scientific journal Nature on September 24th.
In the article the scientists propose that global biophysical boundaries, identified on the basis of the scientific understanding of the Earth System, can define a ‘safe planetary operating space’ that will allow humanity to continue to develop and thrive for generations to come. The scientists, who have made a first attempt to identify and quantify a set of nine planetary boundaries, hope this new approach to sustainable development will help humanity deal with climate change and other global environmental threats that lie ahead in the 21st century.
On Thursday October 15th The Tällberg Foundation staged a seminar engaging with the scientists who developed this novel new framework and involved an experienced panel who helped explore its implications for policy and practice.
Read more about the Planetary Boundaries article published in Nature on the 24 of September.
PROGRAM
14.30 · Coffee
15.00 · The Devil is in the System!
Bo Ekman,
Chairman, Tällberg Foundation
15.10 · To Tip or Not to Tip: Presenting the Planetary Boundaries ScienceJohan Rockström,
Director, Stockholm Resilience Center
Katherine Richardson,
Professor, University of Copenhagen
16.00 · Does this Change the Game? Bridging Science & Policy
Anders Wijkman,
Vice Chairman, Tällberg Foundation
16.20 · Staying on the Safe Side: What is Required to Avoid Catastrophic Tipping Points?
Lars-Erik Liljelund,
Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister
Björn O. Nilsson,
Director, Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA)
Johan Rockström,
Director, Stockholm Resilience Center
Elaine Weidman,
VP, Sustainability & Corporate Responsibility
Maria Wetterstrand,
Spokesperson, Green Party
Anders Wijkman,
Vice Chairman, Tällberg Foundation
17.15 · Reworking the World...?
Bo Ekman,
Chairman, Tällberg Foundation
Johan Rockström,
Director, Stockholm Resilience Centre
17.30 · Mingle