Prof Ann van Griensven from Vrije University Brussels, National Champion for Belgium, provides an actionable pathway for climate adaptation by integrating land-use management directly into water resource policy across Africa.

Ms Hong Wang from the Southern University of Science and Technology, National Champion for China, provides the first global-scale detection and attribution of how anthropogenic climate change is reshaping the seasonal rhythm of the world’s rivers.

Dr Olga Mayorga from AGROSAVIA Tibaitatá Research Center, National Champion for Colombia, provides quantitative, reproducible evidence for smallholders in the tropical highlands that shrub intervention increases productivity and reduces GHG emissions intensity.

Prof Helen Findlay from Plymouth Marine Laboratory, National Champion for the United Kingdom, established that the ocean acidification (OA) planetary boundary has now been breached, delivering a comprehensive reanalysis, proposing that the boundary was surpassed in the early 2020s.

Dr Joan Sanchez-Matos from Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, National Champion for Peru, presents an update of the characterization factors (CFs) used for water scarcity in the Available Water Remaining (AWARE) model for the entire Peruvian territory based on official national databases.

Prof Michal Bogdziewicz from Adam Mickiewicz University , National Champion for Poland, identifies reproductive overinvestment as an early-warning signal of forest decline and provides a way to monitor and mitigate it.

Dr Xunchang Fei from Nanyang Technological University, National Champion for Singapore, issues a wake-up call to the landfill CH4 emission problem to ensure that solid waste management plays a pivotal role in a sustainable and equitable future.

Dr Andrea E. Izquierdo from the Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biologia Vegetal (IMBV-CONICET), National Champion for Argentina, proposes a participatory methodology to translate local and Indigenous perceptions of lithium mining impacts into measurable indicators aligned with the SDGs.

Prof Ahmed Abdulla from Carleton University, National Champion for Canada, lays out actionable insights for policymakers and investors to best support carbon removal technologies.

Dr Gustavo Brant Paterno from University of Göttingen, National Champion for Germany, addresses a primary driver of planetary boundary transgression - the rapid expansion of tropical agriculture - offering a science-based, experimentally validated solution.

Prof Manuel Soler Arnedo from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, National Champion for Spain, quantifies the disproportionate climate impact of aviation's non-CO2 emissions, which account for two-thirds of the sector's net radiative forcing.

Prof Takuzo Aida from Tokyo College, The University of Tokyo, National Champion for Japan, has developed a supramolecular plastic which never generates microplastics and enables closed-loop recycling.

Mr Daniel Hernández Carrasco from University of Canterbury, National Champion for New Zealand, shows that altered seasonality will have wide-ranging impacts on biodiversity across the web of life.

At Frontiers Science House 2026, Johan Rockstrom explores how cutting-edge, transformative research can accelerate solutions to planetary challenges, with case studies from our 3rd Edition International Champions. Speakers presented examples of science moving from diagnosis to practical transformation.

Cities are a major driver of planetary pressures. At Frontiers Science House 2026, key actors in the scientific, financial, industrial and governance sectors highlight the regeneration of urban systems as a central part of the solution. Panellists lay out the role of equitable technology deployment, scientific solutions, and resilient governance frameworks in reinventing cities for both people and the planet.

This year, The Frontiers Science House established a new home for science dialogue at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. The Frontiers Planet Prize convened a dedicated afternoon programme focused on planetary health. The sessions brought together the Prize community and placed them with global thought leaders to celebrate scientific leadership and galvanize stakeholders of all disciplines into action.

This overview from the Geneva Environment Network brings together leading global flagship awards, thematic environmental prizes, and Swiss-based initiatives that recognise those working towards a healthier, more resilient, and more just planet. The Frontiers Planet Prize is featured within the Global Flagship Environmental Awards section, reflecting its role in elevating science-driven solutions for planetary health.

Science Forum South Africa 2025 is a landmark event dedicated to reinvigorating global discourse on science, technology and innovation. Held from 24–28 November 2025 at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria, the Forum brought together thousands of scientists, innovators, policymakers and civil society leaders from across the continent and beyond.

The Frontiers Planet Prize has entered its fourth edition with great momentum, a sign not only of the growing global urgency around planetary stability, but of the scientific community’s readiness to deliver actionable solutions at scale. What began as a bold initiative for planetary science has expanded into the world’s largest prize in scientific solutions for planetary health.

This session explored how the Frontiers Planet Prize, the world’s largest science competition in planetary health and Earth system science, is identifying and accelerating breakthrough research with tangible solutions for humanity to live safely within planetary boundaries.