Day 3 of the Planetary Science Pavilion focused on how to deliver mitigation that is fast, fair, and systemic enough to stabilize the planet. From safe and just boundaries to mineral pressures, tipping points, emerging technologies, and South–South scientific cooperation, the day highlighted the need for evidence-based policymaking grounded in planetary limits. Across all sessions, speakers emphasized that justice, governance, and scientific integrity are essential to steer COP30 decisions toward a safe and livable future. The Pavilion became a space where science met ethics, where innovation was weighed against planetary safety, and where cooperation across continents and knowledge systems emerged as a decisive lever for global stability.
The day opened with a high-level dialogue in Safe, Just, and Systemic: Science-Based Pathways for Climate Policy, featuring Johan Rockström, Tim Lenton, Laura Pereira, Fatima Denton, Ilona Szabó, Sandrine Dixson-Declève, and Carlos Nobre. Speakers stressed that environmental and social thresholds are inseparable, and that inequality, poverty, and planetary instability reinforce each other. Rockström reminded delegates that “the stability of the planet is essential for equality and justice — and we are at risk of losing it.” The panel urged negotiators to align COP30 decisions with scientific guardrails and justice-driven economic reforms, emphasizing that only transformative, nonlinear shifts — positive tipping points in economics, energy, land use, and social systems — can steer humanity back from overshoot.
In Reconciling Climate and Nature: Material Demands and Planetary Security, Olivia Lazard, joined by Marina Hirota, Danielle de Jonge, and Robert Muggah, examined one of the most overlooked pressures of the clean-energy transition: mineral extraction in biodiversity hotspots and Indigenous territories. Lazard warned that “climate targets cannot come at the expense of nature — this is a planetary security issue.” The discussion highlighted how the surge in demand for lithium, copper, rare earths, and other minerals risks creating new geopolitical and ecological tensions, especially in fragile contexts. Panelists called for global governance frameworks, clear no-go zones, and decision-making that incorporates hydrology, ecosystems, human security, and Indigenous rights.
The session on Limiting Overshoot by Accelerating Positive Tipping Points, linked to the Global Tipping Points Report 2025, brought together Tim Lenton, Tom Rivett-Carnac, Peter Dale, Frances Way, and Suresh Yadav to explore how exponential change can be activated across systems. Lenton emphasized the transformative potential of reinforcing feedbacks: “When reinforcing feedbacks align, systems can shift far faster than anyone expects.” Speakers showed how electric mobility, solar power, battery manufacturing, and heat pumps already demonstrate the mechanics of positive tipping points — and how targeted policy, phase-out mandates, and coordinated public–private action can replicate this acceleration across food systems, industry, and global energy.
In Emerging Technology Solutions for Planetary Health, moderated by Johan Rockström with Kirsten Dunlop, Gilbert de Gregorio, Helen Burdett, and Tonika Sealy Thompson, speakers presented the first World Economic Forum report dedicated to emerging technologies for planetary health. The group explored innovations in clean energy, materials, methane mitigation, and Earth systems intelligence, outlining how they can support recovery of planetary stability. Yet the message was consistent: technology must complement — not replace — good governance and justice. “Innovation is critical, but it must operate within safe planetary boundaries,” Rockström stressed. Panelists emphasized the need for strong institutions capable of integrating emerging tools into equitable, real-world transitions.
A roundtable on Pathways to Low-Carbon Economies, led by David Tsai with Tasso Azevedo, Eric Larson, Ajay Mathur, and Ershun D, showcased Net Zero studies from Brazil, the United States, India, and China. Larson explained the value of geographically explicit modeling: “People need to see what the transition looks like on the territory — where things will be built, where jobs will shift, and what it means for communities.” Panelists demonstrated how shared methodologies and open platforms can support a just, evidence-based energy transition, offering concrete guidance for policymakers navigating complex trade-offs between land use, employment, infrastructure, public health, and decarbonization timelines.
The day concluded with Tropical Forest Scientific Cooperation: Amazon, Congo Basin, and Borneo, moderated by Emma Torres and featuring scientists and leaders including Marielos Peña-Claros, Andre Aquino, Bonaventure Sonké, Mazlan Mohktar, Raphael Tshimanga, Jatna Supriatna, Marina Hirota, and Yadvinder Malhi. Speakers connected findings across the three great tropical forest basins, emphasizing shared challenges and opportunities for scientific collaboration. Carlos Nobre reiterated the urgency: “The tropical forests are the heart of the Earth — without them, the planet cannot sustain climate stability.” Tshimanga underscored the Africa-wide implications: “The hydrology of the Congo Basin sustains millions of lives across the continent — protecting the forest protects the entire region.” Mazlan Mohktar added a reminder of the human dimension: “Science must go upwards to policy, but also downwards to communities — that is how real transformation happens.”
Day 3 underscored the Pavilion’s mission: to connect science, policy, and justice, ensuring that mitigation efforts match the scale of planetary risk. As conversations continued informally into the evening, the message was clear — achieving a safe and just future requires integrated solutions, sustained cooperation, and unwavering commitment to evidence. The knowledge, tools, pathways, and alliances needed for recovery already exist; the task now is to accelerate them with urgency, solidarity, and integrity.