The Planetary Guardians welcome new Guardians and honour Indigenous Scientists in Brazil
The Planetary Guardians launched in 2023 as a diverse and global collective, committed to listening to the science, the wisdom of Indigenous Peoples, and to the planet itself. They focus upon always elevating the Planetary Boundaries as a measurement and operating framework for the world.
“The need for action has never been more pressing. Our planet, the only home we have, is in bad shape. Despite this, there is hope. The genius of the Planetary Boundaries science lies in its ability to sound the alarm and to offer a roadmap to stay within our planet’s limits. By working together, we can leave the planet in a better place for our children and grandchildren,” said Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, Virgin Unite and Advisory Council member for Planetary Guardians.
New Guardians, Dr. Carlos Nobre and Christiana Figueres, were announced during The Planetary Guardians’ event ‘Celebrating Brazilian Scientists’. The event honoured the critical work of Indigenous Scientists; Braulina Baniwa, Francisco Apurinã, Sineia Bezerra do Vale and Cristiane Gomes Julião. The event took place at AYA Hub, AYA Earth Partners’ headquarters in Sao Paolo. AYA is the first and largest ecosystem dedicated to accelerating a regenerative and low-carbon economy in Brazil.
Speaking for the first time as a Planetary Guardian, Dr. Carlos Nobre highlighted the importance of protecting the Indigenous communities and safeguarding the Amazon. He said: “The Amazon Rainforest is the biological heart of the planet, with at least 13% of the world’s biodiversity. Approximately 28 million people live in the Brazilian Amazon, including many Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendants and Riverine communities who have been preserving the rainforest for hundreds of years. Investing in them and ensuring they can protect the Amazon rainforest is one of the best investments we can make towards preserving our shared life support system.”
The Planetary Guardians are spreading the message that the science is clear, and that deforestation and climate change could be pushing the Amazon towards a tipping point. The Amazon Forest plays a vital role in providing essential global ecosystem services and climate regulation, and according to Carlos Nobre’s work, global warming of 2°C to 2.5°C, together with 20%-25% deforestation in the Amazon, could represent a tipping point that would have dangerous implications for the world.
Christiana Figueres went on to add: “Without the Amazon it will be impossible to return our planet to safety. Investing in Brazil is one of humanity’s best bets for holding the 1.5-degree limit,even if it is temporarily exceeded. It's not too late, if we collaborate like never before.”
The Brazilian G20, taking place in Rio de Janeiro in November 2024, is being viewed as a crucial time to lay the groundwork for a great transformation for the global financial system, including debt reform, the delivery of the Loss and Damage Fund of at least $100b a year, as well as additional lending for other planetary boundaries, like biodiversity and the ocean, to facilitate adaptation.
According to Dr. Johan Rockström, co-founder of the Stockholm Resilience Centre, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research: “Our only chance of a safe climate landing is a unified approach where we simultaneously return back to the safe space for all Planetary Boundaries, in particular the biosphere boundaries of biodiversity, land and water.”
To learn more about the Planetary Guardians and their whole-planet approach to restoring the stability of the Earth, visit their website.