The Champions of the fourth edition

Meet the 4th edition National Champions

Argentina
Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biologia Vegetal
Dr Andrea E. Izquierdo

Integrating local and Indigenous knowledge with Sustainable Development Goals in Lithium mining impact assessment for a fair energy transition

Biography
Dr Andrea E. Izquierdo is a researcher in landscape and regional ecology at the Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (CONICET–National University of Córdoba), Argentina. She leads a multidisciplinary program on the conservation and socio-ecological dynamics of High Andean wetlands in the Argentine Puna, integrating spatial modelling, biodiversity analysis, and field research. Her current research examines the environmental and social dimensions of lithium mining in the Altiplano region of Latin America, with particular emphasis on integrating local and Indigenous knowledge into environmental governance and promoting equitable pathways for energy transition.

Planetary Boundaries addressed
Climate change, Land system change

Published in
Environmental Science & Policy

Key contributors:
Florencia Nieva, Laura Forni, Lucrecia Estigarribia, Marina Mautner & Romina Díaz

Australia
Australian National University
Dr Ana Sequeira

Global tracking of marine megafauna space use reveals how to achieve conservation targets

Biography
Dr Ana Sequeira is an Associate Professor at the Australian National University (ANU), leading pioneering research in the field of marine megafauna movement and conservation. She is the Research Director of MegaMove and a Fenner Medallist of the Australian Academy of Science. She develops models to better understand the marine environment, with a focus on marine spatial planning and conservation specializing in the movement ecology of marine megafauna (such as sharks, whales, seals, and polar bears). Ana has secured multiple prestigious fellowships and grants, including from the Australian Research Council and from the Pew Charitable Trusts. Her passion is the conservation of marine megafauna, and she works with hundreds of researchers from around the world to achieve this goal.
Planetary Boundaries addressed
Biosphere integrity, Novel entities, Climate change

Published in
Science
Key contributors
Daniel P. Costa, David W. Sims, Graeme C. Hays, Jorge P. Rodríguez, Rob Harcourt, Sarah A. Marley, Víctor M. Eguíluz, Hannah J. Calich & Mark G. Meekan

Austria
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna
Dr Nicolas Roux

Integrating sufficiency in the trade and biodiversity agenda of the European Union

Biography:
Dr Nicolas Roux is a postdoctoral researcher at BOKU University’s Institute of Social Ecology in Vienna, specializing in land use, international trade, ecosystems, and climate change mitigation, linking economics, social and natural sciences. He and his colleagues have been exploring approaches to measure and reduce pressures on ecosystems linked to global supply chains in agriculture and forestry products. Roux has also been actively engaged in science-policy interfaces such as the Austrian Panel for Climate Change and Scientists 4 Future Austria, blending science advocacy with scholar activism to scientifically support socio-ecological transformations.
Planetary Boundaries addressed:
Biosphere integrity, Land system change, Biogeochemical flows
Published in:
One Earth, OA
Key contributors:
Andreas Mayer, Benedetta Cotta, Helmut Haberl, Johanna Coenen, Lisa Kaufmann, Benjamin Fleischmann, Christian Dorninger, Jens Newig & Karl-Heinz Erb

Belgium
Vrije University Brussels
Prof Dr Ann van Griensven

Combined impacts of climate and land-use change on future water resources in Africa

Biography
Prof Ann van Griensven, bio-engineer, obtained her PhD in 2002 at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) in Belgium and continued conducting research on water quantity and quality problems under global change from local to global scales. She combines modelling, innovative sensing techniques and citizen science to improve water governance. Ann van Griensven is currently full professor and head of the department of Water and Climate at VUB and an associate professor at IHE-Delft, Netherlands. In 2022, she became the UNESCO Chair-holder on Open Water Science and Education at VUB and, in 2023, she obtained an AXA CHAIR on Water Quality and Global Change.

Planetary Boundaries addressed
Biosphere integrity, Climate change, Freshwater change, Land system change, Biogeochemical flows

Published in
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, OA
Key contributors:
Celray J. Chawanda, Albert Nkwasa, Wim Thiery

Canada
Carleton University
Prof Ahmed Abdulla

Integrating climate and physical constraints into assessments of net capture from direct air capture facilities

Biography
Dr Ahmed Abdulla is Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, where he co-leads the Alternative Pathways for the Energy Transition (APEX) research group. As an interdisciplinary energy systems engineer, his work improves the fidelity of physical, economic, and social constructs in energy system models. These improved representations help develop implementable and practical decarbonization pathways—mitigating risks and unintended effects. Dr Abdulla holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University and a PhD in Engineering & Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon. He is also a licensed professional engineer (P.Eng.) in Ontario.

Planetary Boundaries addressed
Climate change, Freshwater change

Published in
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Key contributor: Patrick Shorey

China
Southern University of Science and Technology
Ms Hong Wang

Anthropogenic climate change has influenced global river flow seasonality

Biography
Ms Hong Wang, a PhD student at the Southern University of Science and Technology in China, between 2021 and 2025, has shown that human-induced climate change is a primary driver of the weakening river flow seasonality observed across northern high latitudes. Her research reveals significant consequences for both aquatic ecosystems and human societies. Ms Wang also examines how uneven warming along river networks can create thermal barriers that restrict fish movement and disrupt thermal connectivity. These findings provide critical scientific support for risk assessment and climate adaptation planning.
Planetary Boundaries addressed
Climate change, Freshwater change
Published in
Science
Contributing authors
Joseph Holden, Junguo Liu, Lukas Gudmundsson, Aifang Chen & Megan Klaar

Brazil
Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul
Dr Leticia Garcia

Mapping Resilient Landscapes to Climate Change in a Megadiverse Country

Biography:
Dr Letícia Couto Garcia is a professor at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, and a Biologist representing the Intervention Ecology Lab (LEI/UFMS). Her career focuses on integrating biological, socio-cultural, economic, and legal dimensions to support natural resource conservation and to value knowledge associated with Indigenous peoples through socio-ecological restoration and integrated fire management. These interventions aim to improve ecosystem services, including water and soil quality, the recovery of food plants and endangered species, and enhanced ecosystem resilience. She has been honored with the Women in Science Award from the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, L’Oréal, and UN.

Planetary Boundaries Addressed:
Biosphere integrity, Climate change, Freshwater change, Atmospheric aerosol loading

Published in
Global Change Biology, OA
Key contributors:
Ana L. M. Albernaz, Luciano C. A. Querido, Alisson A. Ribeiro, Andrea Sánchez-Tapia, Eduardo Venticinque, Leandro Reverberi Tambosi, Levi Carina Terribile, Lucas Z. Jardim, Marina Antongiovanni Fonseca, Milena Fermina Rosenfield & Priscila Cabral Silveira Gurgel

Colombia
AGROSAVIA, Tibaitatá Research Center
Dr Olga Mayorga

The contribution of local shrubs to the carbon footprint reduction of traditional dairy systems in Cundinamarca, Colombia

Biography
Dr Olga Lucía Mayorga-Mogollón is an Associate Researcher at AGROSAVIA’s Tibaitatá Research Center (Mosquera). With 20+ years of research experience in livestock sustainability, rumen microbiology and ruminant nutrition, she develops ruminal modulation strategies using functional feed additives to improve productivity and sustainability of cattle systems in Colombia. She applies life-cycle assessment, IPCC Tier 2 methods and NIRS/AlimenTro® to quantify and cut GHG emissions and nitrogen surpluses in high-Andean dairy. Dr Mayorga co-authored a 2024 Agroforestry Systems study showing that local shrubs in diets raise yields and reduce milk carbon footprint.

Planetary Boundaries addressed
Climate change, Land system change, Biogeochemical flows
Published in
Agroforestry Systems
Key contributors:
Andrea Milena Sierra-Alarcón, Ricardo González-Quintero & Juan Carlos Benavides-Cruz

Finland
Tampere University
Dr Daniel Fernández Galeote

Play, games, and gamification to support sustainability transitions: a scoping review and research agenda

Biography
Dr Daniel Fernández Galeote, from Spain, is based at Tampere University in Finland. He is a member of the Research Centre of Gameful Realities, which focuses on investigating how play and games can shape everyday life and our future. Within this broad aim, his work explores how play and games shape engagement with sustainability and environmental crises, from small-scale practices to larger transitions and transformations. To navigate and develop this complex area of research, his research draws from a variety of disciplines, perspectives, and methodological approaches.
Planetary Boundaries addressed
Biosphere integrity, Climate change, Land system change
Published in
Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, OA
Key contributors:
Georgina Guillén, Linas Gabrielaitis & Juho Hamari

Germany
University of Göttingen
Dr Gustavo Brant Paterno

Diverse and larger tree islands promote native tree diversity in oil palm landscapes

Biography
Dr Gustavo Brant Paterno is an ecologist in the Biodiversity, Macroecology & Biogeography Department at the University of Göttingen, Germany. He integrates functional and phylogenetic ecology with large-scale field experiments to develop restoration strategies for tropical agricultural landscapes. His work advances science-based solutions to recover native biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and resilience in human-dominated systems. By linking ecological theory with scalable, field-validated interventions, he demonstrates how tropical agriculture can be reconciled with the protection and regeneration of the biosphere.

Planetary Boundaries addressed
Biosphere integrity, Climate change, Land system change, Biogeochemical flows
Published in
Science
Key contributors:
Andrea Polle, Bambang Irawan, Clara Zemp, Dirk Hölscher, Holger Kreft, Michael Schlund, Nicolò Camarretta, Aiza F. Cantillo, Carina C. M. Moura, Fabian Brambach, Johannes Ballauff, Leti Sundawati, Najeeb A. Iddris, Nathaly Guerrero-Ramírez, Oliver Gailing, Stefan Erasmi &Watit Khokthong

Hungary
University of Szeged
Dr Csaba Tölgyesi

Limited carbon sequestration potential from global ecosystem restoration

Biography:
Dr. Csaba Tölgyesi is based at the University of Szeged, Hungary. Within the Applied Ecology Research Group, he and his team study diverse aspects of ecosystem restoration, from modelling to practical, field-based applications. He developed an enhanced global model to predict the carbon sequestration potential of ecosystem restoration. He also works at the interface of industry and restoration ecology, and introduced the concept of “ecovoltaics”, integrating solar energy generation with grassland restoration. His research further explores the ecology of mosaic habitats, such as forest-steppes and wood-pastures, to design complex, evidence-based restoration strategies.
Planetary Boundaries addressed
Biosphere integrity, Climate change

Published in
Nature Geoscience, OA
Key contributors:
Akos Bede-Fazekas, Caroline E. R. Lehmann, Fernando A. O. Silveira, Nándor Csikós, Vicky M. Temperton, Zoltán Bátori, Elise Buisson & Péter Török

Israel
Tel Aviv University
Dr Alon Shepon

The environmental and social opportunities of reducing sugar intake

Biography:
Professor Alon Shepon is a food systems expert and environmental scientist at Tel Aviv University, specializing in food systems and sustainability. His research examines the interplay between diet, environment, and nutrition to inform effective policy tools and advance sustainable food systems. His work addresses global sugar, animal-based foods, community gardens, agroecology, and the water–energy-food nexus. He is co-founder and chair of the Israeli Forum for Sustainable Nutrition, promoting evidence-based approaches to sustainable food systems in Israel.
Planetary Boundaries addressed
Biosphere integrity, Climate change, Freshwater change, Land system change, Biogeochemical flows

Published in
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, OA
Key contributors:
Tamar Makov & Zhongxiao Sun

Japan
Tokyo College, The University of Tokyo
Prof Takuzo Aida

Mechanically strong yet metabolizable supramolecular plastics by desalting upon phase separation

Biography
Professor Takuzo Aida is one of five UTokyo Distinguished Professors and serves as a Riken Group Director. He earned his PhD in Polymer Chemistry at UTokyo in 1984, began his research career there immediately, and was appointed a full professor in 1996. His research is pioneering in the field of supramolecular polymers, and he reported a prototype in 1988. Prof Aida has since developed innovative supramolecular materials, with publications in primarily high-impact journals. More than 90 alumni from his research group now hold academic positions. His recent interests feature sustainable materials such as self-healing polymer glass, nanotubes for ultrafast desalination, and mechanically robust yet readily dissociable supramolecular plastics.
Planetary Boundaries addressed
Novel entities, Climate change

Published in
Science
Key contributors:
E. W Meijer, Eiji Hirano, Hao Wang, Hiroyuki Inuzuka, Hubiao Huang, Kiichi Mizukami, Motonobu Kuwayama, Sei Obuse, Xingmei Ouyang, Yang Hong, Yiren Cheng, Zhenghong Chen

The Netherlands
Leiden University
Dr Rutger Hoekstra

Beyond GDP: a review and conceptual framework for measuring sustainable and inclusive wellbeing

Biography
Dr Rutger Hoekstra is based at Leiden University in the Netherlands. At the Institute of Environmental Sciences, he and his team are committed to providing the tools needed to overcome our 'societal obsession' with economic growth. His research stems from the assertion that it is this growth-focus which has made us blind to the transgressions of planetary boundaries and growing inequities.

Planetary Boundaries addressed
Stratospheric ozone depletion, Biosphere integrity, Novel entities, Climate change, Ocean acidification, Freshwater change, Land system change, Biogeochemical flows, Atmospheric aerosol loading

Published in
The Lancet Planetary Health, OA
Key contributors:
Annegeke Jansen & Ranran Wang

New Zealand
University of Canterbury
Mr Daniel Hernández-Carrasco

Ecological and evolutionary consequences of changing seasonality

Biography
Daniel Hernández Carrasco, born in Barcelona, Spain, is an early-career researcher at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. His research operates on two primary fronts: advancing methodological frameworks for the study of ecological communities and applying these tools to tackle real-world environmental challenges. He recently completed his PhD thesis under the supervision of Dr Jonathan Tonkin, where he studied different aspects of temporal ecological dynamics in fluctuating environments. His work bridges ecological theory and practical application, exploring species sensitivity and recovery from environmental changes.

Planetary Boundaries addressed
Biosphere integrity, Climate change, Freshwater change, Land system change, Biogeochemical flows
Published in
Science
Contributing authors
David A Lytle, Jonathon D Tonkin & Jason M Tylianakis

Norway
CICERO Centre for International Climate Research
Dr Gunnar Myhre

Observed trend in Earth energy imbalance may provide a constraint for low climate sensitivity models

Biography:
Dr Gunnar Myhre is Research Group Leader in Atmospheric Sciences at CICERO, Norway. He earned his PhD in meteorology from the University of Oslo in 1998. His early work focused mainly on atmospheric composition and the radiative forcing of greenhouse gases and aerosols. Over the past decade, his research has expanded to climate sensitivity, the global energy budget, and precipitation, including extremes. He has authored more than 250 scientific publications and served as a Lead Author in three Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment reports.
Planetary Boundaries addressed
Climate change
Published in
Science
Contributing authors
Oivind Hodnebrog, Norman Loeb & Piers M Forster

Peru
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú
Dr Joan Sanchez-Matos

AWARE characterization factors in Peru encompassing El Niño and climate change events: does increased water availability guarantee less water scarcity?

Biography
Dr Joan Sanchez Matos is a postdoctoral researcher at the Peruvian Life Cycle Assessment and Industrial Ecology Network (PELCAN) research group and a part-time assistant professor at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP). His research projects address a spectrum of industrial ecology methods, including material flow analysis and life cycle assessment (LCA). He has also worked with several agri-food systems and on the environmental profile of Peruvian dietary habits. Most of Dr Sanchez Matos' research has focused on updating existing environmental impact methods in LCA, improving their regionalisation to the Peruvian context.
Planetary Boundaries Addressed:
Climate change, Freshwater change

Published in
The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment
Key contributors:
Ian Vazquez-Rowe & Ramzy Kahhat

Poland
Adam Mickiewicz University
Prof Michał Bogdziewicz

Growth decline in European beech associated with temperature-driven increase in reproductive allocation

Biography
Prof Michał Bogdziewicz, from Poland, is based at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. He leads the Forest Biology Center and, with his team, studies the ecology of forest reproduction. Bogdziewicz works on the mechanisms and consequences of mast seeding, including how climate shapes seed production, how wildlife responds to pulsed resources, and how these processes affect forest regeneration under climate change. He has led international collaborations across Europe and North America and contributes to research linking climate variability with forest ecosystem dynamics and future resilience.
Planetary Boundaries addressed
Land system change
Published in
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, OA
Key contributors:
Jakub Szymkowiak, Andrew Hacket-Pain, Dave Kelly, Jonathan Lageard, Maciej Barczyk, Peter A. Thomas & Valentin Journe

Senegal
Centre de Suivi Écologique
Dr Adama Lo

Remote sensing-based assessment of dry-season forage quality for improved rangeland management in Sahelian ecosystems

Biography:
Dr Adama Lo, a researcher and project manager at the Centre de Suivi Écologique (CSE) in Dakar, Senegal, is an expert in remote sensing and GIS for pastoral ecosystems. An agronomist with a PhD in natural resource management, she and her team develop innovative methods using multispectral satellites, very high-resolution data, and machine learning / deep learning to monitor and map pastoral resources in quantity and quality. Her work strengthens food security, resilience of agro-sylvo-pastoral systems, and sustainable land management in the Sahel, providing actionable tools for pastoral policies under climate change.

Planetary Boundaries addressed
Climate change, Land system change
Published in
Rangeland Ecology & Management, OA

Key contributors:
Abdoul Aziz Diouf, Torbern Tagesson, Anne Mottet, Ibrahima Diédhiou, Laurent Bonnal, Louise Leroux & Rasmus Fensholt

Singapore
Nanyang Technological University
Dr Xunchang Fei

Methane emissions from landfills differentially underestimated worldwide

Biography:
Prof Xunchang Fei earned his PhD from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and is currently an Associate Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. An environmental engineer by training, he and his team explore scientific mechanisms and develop technical solutions for solid waste management and resource recovery amidst changing climatic and socioeconomic conditions. He contributes to regulating waste treatment criteria and subsequent reuse at national level, while pioneers research in management of waste landfills, food loss and waste, and plastic waste globally.

Planetary Boundaries addressed
Climate change, Biogeochemical flows
Published in
Nature Sustainability

Key contributors:
Xiaoqing PI, Yao WANG, Yijie WANG, Yuliang GUO, Hongping HE, Ke YIN, Mingliang FANG & Ziyang LOU

Spain
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
Prof Manuel Soler Arnedo

Climate-optimized flight planning can effectively reduce the environmental footprint of aviation in Europe at low operational costs

Biography
Prof Manuel Soler, from Spain, is based at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, where he leads the Aircraft Operations Laboratory. He pioneers the integration of remote observation systems and optimal control to mitigate aviation’s climate footprint. Soler’s research focuses on the "smart adoption" of climate-optimal trajectories, proving that non-CO2 impacts can be reduced with minimal operational costs. As coordinator of major EU-funded projects on aviation and climate change, e.g., E-CONTRAIL and E-CONTRAIL 2, he bridges the gap between atmospheric science and actionable industry solutions. Beyond academia, he co-founded the spin-off AI-METHODS, where he aims to transfer climate science to aviation stakeholders, and uses creative media to make complex climate science accessible to society, e.g., via policy briefs, outreach comics, theatre pieces, and visits to schools.
Planetary Boundaries Addressed:
Climate change

Published in
Communications Earth & Environment, OA
Key contributor:
Abolfazl Simorgh

Switzerland
Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL
Dr Liangzhi Chen

Global increase in the occurrence and impact of multiyear droughts

Biography
Dr Liangzhi Chen is based at the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL in Switzerland. At the Forest and Soil Ecology research unit, he explores the impacts of climate and global change on ecosystem dynamics, with a focus on forests. Much of his research is conducted on hydrological and nutrient cycles at different spatiotemporal scales and their relationships with forest ecosystem functioning.
Planetary Boundaries addressed
Biosphere integrity, Climate change, Biogeochemical flows
Published in
Science
Key contributors:
Arthur Gessler, Benjamin Stocker, Dirk Nikolaus Karge, Philipp Brun, Francesca Pellicciotti, Michael James McCarthy, Pascal Buri & Simone Fatich

United Arab Emirates
American University of Sharjah
Dr Steve Griffiths

Chemistry advances driving industrial carbon capture technologies

Biography:
Dr Steve Griffiths is based at the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, where he serves as Professor and Vice Chancellor for Research. Trained as a chemical engineer at MIT, where he also earned his MBA, he and his collaborators explore how industries responsible for a major share of global greenhouse gas emissions can practically decarbonize by connecting technology advances to real-world deployment through sociotechnical systems analysis. His widely cited research program has systematically mapped pathways to net zero across more than ten industrial sectors and extends to clean energy transitions, electric vehicle adoption and energy equity.

Planetary Boundaries addressed
Novel entities, Climate change
Published in
Nature Reviews Chemistry

Key contributors:
Joao Marcus Uratani, John Martin Andresen, Mercedes Maroto-Valer & Jeannie Ziang Yie Tan

United Kingdom
Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Prof Helen Findlay

Ocean Acidification: Another Planetary Boundary Crossed

Biography:
Prof Helen Findlay is based at Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UK. Her research focuses on understanding the effects of climate change and ocean acidification on marine ecosystems and applying that knowledge to maintain a healthy, sustainable ocean. She is a member of the Executive Council for the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network. Findlay enjoys public engagement, particularly with schools, featuring in resources such as the Royal Society Brian Cox Science Experiments, and connecting research with policy solutions through engagement with national governments, the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification, and the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative.

Planetary Boundaries addressed
Biosphere integrity, Climate change, Ocean acidification
Published in
Global Change Biology, OA

Key contributors:
Li-Qing Jiang, Nina Bednaršek, Greg Pelletier & Richard Feely

United States
University of California, Irvine
Prof Amir AghaKouchak

Global assessment and hotspots of lake drought

Biography
Prof Amir AghaKouchak is a Chancellor’s Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth System Science at the University of California, Irvine in the United States. He is also the Director of the Center for Hydrometeorology and Remote Sensing. Prof AghaKouchak's research spans hydrology, climatology, and remote sensing, with a focus on climate extremes, natural hazards, and compound and cascading events. He develops widely used tools for monitoring and modelling hydrologic extremes and has published over 300 peer-reviewed papers. His honors include the AGU Fellow and Macelwane Medal, the EGU Plinius Medal, the ASCE Norman Medal, the Robert E. Horton Lectureship, and the ASCE Huber Research Prize.
Planetary Boundaries Addressed:
Climate change, Freshwater change, Land system change

Published in
Communications Earth & Environment, OA
Key contributors:
Shuo Wang, Xing Cheng & Jianli Chen