A science-based path in Davos
22/01/2026
At the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, the Earth Commission joined partners to present a science-backed vision for prosperity within planetary boundaries.
Commission co-Chair Johan Rockström and others outlined in a public speech how human activity is pushing climate, ecosystems, freshwater, and oceans toward dangerous tipping points.
Ignoring these risks, he said, would bring staggering economic and social costs, from lost coastal cities to destabilized sectors and vulnerable communities exposed to disasters.
Yet the opportunity to act remains. Rapid transformation of energy, food, transport, and industrial systems, starting with a full phase-out of fossil fuels, can bring humanity back within a safe and just operating space.
“The chance is here, if we act now, to bring human activity back within a safe and just operating space,” Johan Rockström said. “Expanding fossil fuels is a dead end. It’s not a path to prosperity. It is a path towards planetary collapse.”
‘This alternative vision was presented just hours before a keynote speech by US President Donald Trump to the forum. Organized by the Commission, the Global Commons Alliance, Earth4All, and Planetary Guardians, the address served as a counterweight to the president’s own worldview. It set out the case for planetary stewardship as the foundation for economic security, equity and long-term resilience.
Fellow speaker Sandrine Dixson-Decleve, Executive Chair of Earth4All, highlighted the economic case: investing just 1 to 2% of global GDP in climate and nature restoration could yield ten times that value in returns, while securing livelihoods and fairness for billions.
Former Unilever CEO and Planetary Guardian Paul Polman added how protecting nature is not a constraint but a foundation for economic stability and growth.
Carlos Nobre, an Earth system scientist and co-Chair of the Science Panel for the Amazon, closed the address by linking planetary stability to justice. Concentrated wealth, environmental degradation and rising vulnerability, he argued, stem from a flawed economic model and a narrow definition of prosperity.
“That is why we call on leaders here in Davos to champion prosperity rooted in human dignity, equity and ecological resilience,” he said, “anchored in a new model of international cooperation.”
As the world faces divergent paths, the message was clear: a stable planet is not optional. It is the only pathway to lasting prosperity, justice, and resilience.
