We're nearly halfway through the 2020s, dubbed the most decisive decade for action on climate change. Where exactly do things stand? Climate impact scholar Johan Rockström offers the most up-to-date scientific assessment of the state of the planet and explains what must be done to preserve Earth's resilience to human pressure.

Human growth has strained the earth's resources, but as Johan Rockström reminds us, our advances also give us the science to recognize this and change behavior. His research has found nine "planetary boundaries" that can guide us in protecting our planet's many overlapping ecosystems.

"For the first time, we are forced to consider the real risk of destabilizing the entire planet," says climate impact scholar Johan Rockström. In a talk backed by vivid animations of the climate crisis, he shows how nine out of the 15 big biophysical systems that regulate the climate -- from the permafrost of Siberia to the great forests of the ...

In a talk about how we can build a robust future without wrecking the planet, sustainability expert Johan Rockström debuts the Earth3 model -- a new methodology that combines the UN Sustainable Development Goals with the nine planetary boundaries, beyond which earth's vital systems could become unstable. Learn more about five transformational po...

In a panel discussion about fossil fuels and accelerating the trajectory of decarbonization, Christiana Figueres (architect of the Paris Climate Agreement) talks with Chris James (cofounder of the activist fund Engine No. 1), Lauren MacDonald (climate justice activist) and Ben van Beurden (CEO of Royal Dutch Shell). This challenging, enlightenin...

Launching Countdown means asking big questions: What's the state of the climate today? What does climate science know? How are we going to achieve a net-zero future? How do we center climate justice in our work? This opening session of the Countdown Global Launch, hosted by Mark Ruffalo and Don Cheadle, features Johan Rockström, Angel Hsu, Antón...

Witness the unveiling of Countdown, a major global campaign to cut greenhouse gas emissions. TED has partnered with scientists, policy makers, organizations, activists and more to create an initiative that everyone in the world can be part of. Check out http://countdown.ted.com to learn how you can get involved — and help turn the tide on climat...