Johan Rockstrom

'Earth Resilience in the Anthropocene'

Johan Rockström is a globally recognized scientist speacialising in Earth system resilience, global sustainability and sustainable development. He is the Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany, a Professor of Earth System Science at the University of Potsdam, and Chief Scientist at Conservation International. He is the former Founding Director of the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University, and the former Executive Director of the Stockholm Environment Institute.

He is deeply involved in numerous research activities covering a broad range of topics related to the Earth system and global sustainability in the Anthropocene. His overarching research question is: 'What is the safe operating space for humanity‘s future on Earth, and what are the sustainable transformations that can take us there?'.

Rockström has over 25 years’ experience in interdisciplinary research on sustainable development and Earth system research, ranging from global water resources, ecosystem services, agricultural development, and social-ecological resilience, with over 250 research publications. He serves as an advisor to international organisations, governments, the UN and the European Union, and is a frequent keynote speaker for international business, policy and academia. He led the transition team for Future Earth (the integration of the Global Environment Change programs under ICSU) and served on the Swedish Prime Minister’s Futures  ommission from 2012 to 2013.

He is member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. In 2023 he was listed as TIME’s 100 most influential people in the world, and received the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement in 2024.