The inaugural Climate Week Zurich in May opened with a stark assessment of the health of the planet: Internationally recognized scientist Johan Rockström told the audience that the Earth has transgressed seven of nine Planetary Boundaries, pushing the planet toward the possibility of large scale and irreversible changes.

Johan is Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and helped develop the Planetary Boundaries, a framework that assesses nine critical global processes that regulate the stability and resilience of the Earth. In today's episode of the All Things Sustainable podcast, Johan talks about the planet's health, the impacts of a warming world, and what this means for the business community.

"Beyond 1.5 [degrees C], science shows we may cause irreversible damage to the Earth's system," Johan says. "It's not a sustainability issue — it's about security, it's about health, it's about stability." 

Johan also highlights the opportunity to take action and reverse course. "The window is still open to turn this around," he says. He points to encouraging conversations happening between business, finance and science communities at events like Climate Week Zurich and London Climate Action Week, which wraps up June 28.

"This is a signal to the world that in the midst of what many portray as assaults on science and backtracking on action, cities around the world are showing that we've turned a corner already," Johan says.

Read research from S&P Global Sustainable1 about the projected costs of climate change for businesses: For the world's largest companies, climate physical risks have a $1.2 trillion annual price tag by the 2050s | S&P Global

Read research from S&P Global about the role of climate adaptation in 2026: Why climate adaptation is key to US energy expansion | S&P Global

Learn about the S&P Global Climate Center of Excellence: Climate Center of Excellence | S&P Global]

Copyright ©2026 by S&P Global

DISCLAIMER

By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.

Any unauthorized use, facilitation or encouragement of a third party's unauthorized use (including without limitation copy, distribution, transmission or modification, use as part of generative artificial intelligence or for training any artificial intelligence models) of this Podcast or any related information is not permitted without S&P Global's prior consent subject to appropriate licensing and shall be deemed an infringement, violation, breach or contravention of the rights of S&P Global or any applicable third-party (including any copyright, trademark, patent, rights of privacy or publicity or any other proprietary rights).

This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.

S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.

What planetary health means for the private sector

All Things Sustainable

What planetary health means for the private sector