🌍 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬’ 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦: 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭
Hosted by Temasek Trust at Temasek Shophouse, the forum convened eminent leaders from across the public, private, and philanthropic sectors for a dialogue with Professor Dr. Johan Rockström, Director of the PIK - Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and Professor in Earth System Science at the University of Potsdam.
Professor Dr. Rockström shared the latest scientific insights on Earth’s resilience and the transformations needed to secure a liveable future.
Key insights included:
🔹 Seven of nine planetary boundaries have now been breached, including for the first time ocean acidification, weakening the resilience of Earth's systems.
🔹 Nature continues to absorb roughly half of human emissions, but this capacity is diminishing; research shows parts of the Amazon and other tropical forests are shifting from net carbon absorbers to emitters.
🔹 Global temperatures have exceeded 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels – a milestone that underscores the urgency of rapid emissions cuts.
🔹 The planet risks entering a “hothouse” trajectory, where self-reinforcing warming and ecological decline undermine human prosperity.
🔹 Asia stands at the crossroads of vulnerability and opportunity: exposed to escalating climate risks yet leading in renewable energy, electric vehicle, and nature-based innovation.
🔹 We need to phase out fossil fuels, transform food systems, shift toward largely plant-based diets that also improve health outcomes, protect nature, invest in carbon removal technologies, and adopt scientific data and metrics that guide decision-making toward a planetary turning point.
While the challenges are profound, the path forward is clear – through collective action, we can build healthier societies, a safer planet, and more resilient economies for future generations.
Thank you to Professor Dr. Johan Rockström for his insights, Jennifer Lewis from Temasek Trust for guiding the discussion, and to all our event attendees for their engaged participation.
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