Attending the Frontiers Planet Prize 2025 in the mountain town of Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland, felt a bit like being on top of the world—literally and figuratively.

With sweeping alpine views as a backdrop, scientists, educators, students, and thought leaders gathered from across the globe to spotlight something equally breathtaking: breakthrough research with the power to shift the course of our planet’s future.

As a strategic partners for the prize, Future Earth joined this year’s event, held from 16-18 June, for the third edition of the international award. Its goal is to foster research on planetary boundaries that explores scalable, sustainable solutions to address our environmental crisis. Messages permeating the event included the urgency of upscaled action to accelerate the transition, the need for more effective engagement with societal stakeholders, and the appeal to people’s hearts: “protect what you love”.

Many pointed to the co-hosting of the Villars Symposium as a crucial component, which allowed the national champions, prize alumni, and academy representatives to mingle and interact with over 130 Villars fellows attending an overlapping and complementary educational program. The fellows are gifted young people selected by partner schools and colleges across 40 countries, representing the future hope of sustainability leadership.

The international winners were announced at a ceremony on 17 June, but not before spotlighting the research efforts of all the National Champions and their collaborators, crediting more than 380 researchers worldwide. The international winners are selected by a jury of 100 independent experts in sustainability, drawn from the  19 National Champions announced in April. Each international winner receives a prize of $1 million to develop their research efforts. In 2025, they came from Sweden, the US, and Australia and were invited to the stage to present their work’s relevance. Many in the audience said they were eager for a deeper dive into the award-winning insights.

All of the international winners emphasized the importance of research collaborations across disciplines and sectors, underscoring the collaborative spirit of sustainability science. “Of course, we know that science isn’t about individuals, it’s about teams,” said Jean-Claude Burgelman, Director of the Frontiers Planet Prize. “So we rely on institutions to nominate the lead person, and it’s up to them to divide the prize amongst their teams.”

Routes to Transformation

Over the three-day gathering, the National Champions shared their research in workshops and took part in wide-ranging conversations about how science can lead to real-world action and societal change. Not every project was ready to be scaled up just yet; some are still focused on deepening our understanding of how Earth’s systems work. That kind of foundational research is just as valuable and needs to be celebrated, too.

For research findings more aligned with action, participants highlighted that upscaling should be treated with care and forethought. What works well in one place might not work the same way elsewhere, especially given different policies, resources, and contexts. Researchers were encouraged to consider not just if a solution works, but how quickly and widely it can realistically be adopted.

When implementing nature-based solutions, industrial partnerships are often assumed to be a pathway to upscaling, but in many cases, this is not sustainable. A proven approach for improving scalability is cross-sector partnerships that co-design solutions, with scientists playing a facilitating role by providing the mechanistic understanding of the proposed solutions. A lengthy discussion was held on how the Frontiers Planet Prize could support the Champions more actively, by providing a series of interactions that could include mentorship, workshops, conference travel, and the establishment of Communities of Practice.

A common thread in discussions was the need for effective communication—from appealing to what the general public cares about, such as health risks, safety, and security, to telling personal stories, to helping people reimagine a more positive future. Scientists should emphasize the co-benefits of their solutions, for example, the positive effects of coastal restoration efforts on people’s livelihoods.

Practical measures include collaborating with policy-oriented brokering organisations, youth movements, and Indigenous Peoples, producing clear summaries and press releases, and investing in more training for scientists in science communication (which also has the much-needed benefit of supporting science journalism).

One of the national champions, Vincent Woon Kok Sin of Malaysia, said he hoped to ease the communication challenge using AI, by developing a large language model for decision-makers in different countries to provide tailored policy recommendations for managing emissions from solid waste.

To close the gap between science and action on the environmental crisis, participants highlighted the lack of systems that bring science into decision-making at local and national levels. While some countries have advisory committees to inform policy, many do not. Scientists were encouraged to join advisory groups, engage in science diplomacy, and build trusted relationships with decision-makers. Brokering or “boundary” organizations can help bridge that divide. Participants also urged science academies to take a stronger role in mentoring researchers and supporting these vital connections.

International awardees

Zahra Kalantari, Sweden’s national champion, was awarded for a study that quantifies the different ways that nature-based solutions in cities can help cut urban carbon emissions. She painted a vivid picture of a greener urban future, illustrating it with real-world examples such as New York’s regreening of a disused railway line now used for walking and cycling, and Copenhagen’s green roofs that reduce the need for air conditioning during summer heatwaves. The carbon mitigation effects come through often overlooked pathways, such as through behavioural change, microclimate regulation and resource savings. 

“This work came out of work with city planners in Stockholm 10 years ago, when we realized they just don’t consider the mitigation potential of nature-based solutions,” explained Kalantari, who is based at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. “There were no guidelines for them at city level, so we created this tool.” The study found that maximizing nature-based solutions could reduce urban carbon emissions by 17.4%, and up to 57.3% when combined with other mitigation strategies in EU cities by 2030. She had a simple message for climate negotiators at COP: consider the potential of these nature-based solutions for mitigation at the city level.

Zia Mehrabi, the US national champion, was recognized for a global analysis in the journal Science, showing that diversified agriculture can improve outcomes for humans and nature without impacting yields. Five simple strategies were investigated across 11 countries, including the use of multiple species, incorporating areas of non-crop vegetation such as hedgerows, and efforts to conserve soil or water. “What we eat and how we produce our food is probably the most important factor driving the planetary boundaries of biodiversity loss, freshwater change, climate change, and biogeochemical flows,” said Mehrabi, who is based at the University of Colorado Boulder.

The analysis, led by researchers from the Global Land Programme of Future Earth, Laura Van Rasmussen and Ingo Grass, provides evidence of win-win outcomes for farmers, particularly when multiple strategies are employed. Rasmussen added that improvements for soil were a particularly strong outcome. To deepen the impact of the research, the team will use the award to extend the analysis to include other beneficial diversification practices, build their coalition and reach inspirational leaders, build capacity in existing farming networks, and train the next generation of scholars and leaders.

The third international winner, Arunima Malik, who is the national champion for Australia based at the University of Sydney, was recognized for an analysis of international supply chains and their social, environmental and economic impacts. The work offers a multifaceted picture of how international trade can promote or hinder progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Asked what the award would support, she hopes to develop frameworks that can allow businesses to assess the impact of their supply chains. Bluntly, this will allow people “to choose to act to address the impacts of non-sustainable and unjust supply chains,” said Malik.

Next steps for planetary boundary science

Participants made several broad recommendations for the scientific research agenda for planetary boundary science. The concept of planetary boundaries continues to be useful, but more so for countries in the Global North than the Global South. Research exploring how applicable and tangible this framework could be to Global South contexts would be helpful.

For nature-based solutions, two research paths emerged: one local and transdisciplinary, the other global and data-driven. Exploring how these approaches could be better integrated may yield stronger outcomes. In agriculture and trade, there’s a need to assess the combined impacts of practices and supply chains on planetary boundaries—especially their effects on human health. AI is expected to support these complex assessments.

From a health and justice perspective, participants called for studies that quantify the economic costs of climate-related health impacts, do more attribution work, and strengthen monitoring systems. In water and ecosystems research, they suggested focusing on high-impact issues like drought or fire, or on sensitive regions such as the Arctic, to foster cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Amid a global rise in nationalism and populism, open scientific collaboration is more important than ever. Participants emphasized breaking down the social-natural science divide by:

• Reforming funding to support social science;
• Rethinking how universities and research institutions are structured, considering co-location of research groups to foster more interaction;
• Building shared understanding of concepts and terms;
• Changing authorship norms to promote greater diversity of gender, geography, and discipline.

We couldn’t stay on top of the world forever, but the Champions’ journey didn’t end at the summit. As they return home, they carry new recognition and influence. Their voices will be amplified on conference stages, in media, and through institutional support. As 2024 international winner Pedro Jaureguiberry of Argentina said, “winning this prize has been a game changer for my career.” Now, with three years of alumni, the Frontiers Research Foundation is building a network of sustainability leaders poised to shape the research agenda—and inspire lasting change.

The first Risk-KAN Symposium, held on April 28, 2025, at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Laxenburg, marked a major milestone in advancing transdisciplinary risk research. Bringing together researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders, the event launched Risk-KAN’s new leadership structure and working groups, while setting a forward-looking agenda for addressing systemic and compound risks in a changing climate.

A central theme was the urgent need for risk science to engage directly with decision-makers in policy, industry, humanitarian response, and communities. Participants reaffirmed Risk-KAN’s mission to co-design research with those affected by risk and to serve as a hub for inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration across multiple hazards.

From Open Science to Strategic Structures

While Risk-KAN has supported open science through webinars and participation in forums like EGU and AGU, the symposium highlighted the need for more durable structures. Proposals included co-supervised PhDs and postdoc fellowships to foster cross-group collaboration, potential building blocks for new funding initiatives.

Emerging Themes from New Working Groups

Several working groups presented fresh research directions:

• Climate, Disasters, Health, and Well-being (led by Martha Vogel) aims to link health outcomes to climate drivers through improved data and projections.

• Climate Risk Modelling for the Financial Sector (led by Jana Sillmann) seeks to bridge gaps between climate science and financial risk analysis by aligning terminology, methods, and policy priorities.

• Nature-based and Community-led Adaptation (led by Nicole van Maanen) focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of Nature-based Solutions and community-led approaches, particularly in regional contexts.

Each group plans ongoing engagement through seminars, publications, and contributions to major conferences like EGU.

Multi-Hazard Risk: Rethinking Science-Policy-Practice Interfaces

A high-level panel, led by Robert Šakić Trogrlić, addressed the complexity of multi-hazard risks. Panelists, including experts from the Zurich Foundation, Red Cross 510, WCRP, and VU Amsterdam, emphasized the need to move beyond siloed hazard models toward integrated, dynamic, and locally grounded approaches.

Challenges highlighted included limited data integration, static vulnerability assessments, and over-reliance on complex or opaque modeling. Tools like the Climate Resilience Measurement for Communities were cited as promising for combining quantitative and qualitative insights.

Panelists called for greater humility in scientific claims, stronger partnerships with Global South actors, and the use of storytelling to translate complex risks into actionable strategies.

Looking Ahead

Risk-KAN’s expanded working group structure will enable it to respond more effectively to emerging risks. Future plans include cross-cutting initiatives, such as summer schools, joint research, and thematic workshops, to strengthen collaboration across the network. IIASA expressed commitment to hosting the Risk-KAN Symposium as an annual event, anchoring long-term progress.

大規模に養殖すれば、海草藻場から世界のコメ生産量の7％に相当する量の穀物を生産できることが、新しい研究で明らかになりました。

文：Emma Bryce
2025年5月23日

未来の農場は、海面上昇、肥沃な土地の浸水、塩分を含んだ土壌の増加という課題に直面しています。しかし、もし農家がこのような変化に対応できるとしたらどうでしょうか？

『Ambio』誌に掲載された新しい研究は、今後ますます海産物が増加する中で、一部の土地で生産者が海草に切り替える可能性を模索しています。この研究は、海草が大規模に養殖されれば、世界のコメ生産の7％に相当する量の穀物を生産することができるだけでなく、二酸化炭素の排出量もゼロになる可能性がある、と述べています。

アマモなど、この大きな海洋植物科の植物は、水中の新芽の中にふっくらとした種子を実らせます。俗に「海米」と呼ばれるこの海洋性穀物は、先住民族の文化において長い間食料源となってきました。その名前とは裏腹に、この穀物は実際には小麦に似ており、何世紀にもわたってメキシコのセリ族がパンを作るのに使ってきました。オランダのラドバウド大学で海草の再生と生態学を研究する、本研究の筆頭著者Marieke M. van Katwijk氏は、「この論文の目新しさは、海面上昇と私たちの景観を適応させるために必要な解決策を組み合わせたことだ」と指摘しています。

彼女の論文によれば、最も野心的な気候変動対策を行っても、2100年までに少なくとも1.5～2℃の温暖化が進み、62万平方キロメートルの土地が洪水の影響を受けやすくなります。現在と比較すると、海水の影響を受ける土地の面積は80,000平方キロメートル増加することになり、このことで海草の養殖が可能になると考えられます。

アマモは品種改良されていませんが、品種改良された米が1ヘクタール当たり平均4.7トンの生産量であるのに比べて、野生種でも現在1ヘクタールあたり3～6.5トンの食用穀物を生産できます。一方、育種家はその幅広い遺伝的多様性を利用して、より収量の高い品種を開発することができます。アマモは北アフリカからヨーロッパ、アジア、北米まで広く分布しているため、さまざまな塩分濃度や温度差にも耐性があり、変化する世界で海米を提供できます。

また、海草の栄養循環能力により、高い穀物収量を得るために化学肥料は必要にはなりません。また、農家はこの海草の自然な強みを、重要な炭素貯蔵庫として活用することができると言っています。種や場所にもよるが、藻場は毎年1ヘクタールあたり50～1900キログラムの炭素を隔離することができ、その速度は熱帯林の数十倍にもなります。

海米の播種、収穫、輸送の過程で、他の農業と同様に温室効果ガスが排出される可能性はあるものの、van Katwijk氏は、将来的にこれらのプロセスが脱炭素化されれば、海草の下に埋蔵されている炭素がこれらの排出量を完全に相殺する可能性が高いと述べています。

生物多様性の宝庫として、また商業漁業を支えるなど、海草がもたらす広範な生態系への恩恵は言うまでもありません。全体として、もしアマモが将来の海面上昇によって形成される新しい沿岸海域の80,000平方キロメートルの全域で養殖されれば、農家は年間5,200万トンの穀物を生産することができます。これは世界の米生産の3〜7％に相当する量です。これは「食糧生産と生態系サービスのバランスが取れた、とても洗練された解決策だ」とvan Katwijk氏は言います。

海草の養殖はまだ初期段階にあり、商業的に展開するための適切な品種がまだありません。しかし同時に、この初期段階であることは、従来の農業の過ちを修正するチャンスでもある、とvan Katwijk氏は考えています。

一方で、海草の養殖が、世界的に減少している野生の草原を保護する必要性に取って代わることなく、その回復が優先されるべきだとvan Katwijk氏は指摘しています。海草が野生の草原を侵食したり、野生の草原を海米の商業的収穫に利用すべきではありません。一方、自然を念頭に置いて農場を設計することで、これらの景観は野生生物や海洋生物多様性を支えることができます。また、慎重に管理された寄付金制度を取り入れて、自然の草原を復元し、その種の祖先を支援することもできます。そして同時に、海米は変化する世界に適応することで、食料安全保障を向上させることもできます。

海を利用した農業は遠い未来のことのように思えるかもしれないが、私たちは今からその準備を始めることができる、また「二酸化炭素の排出量がゼロの持続可能な食料生産には、海面がもっと上昇する遠い将来に応用できるよう、今日投資すべき魅力的なウィン・ウィンの機会がある」とvan Katwijk氏は指摘しています。

出典：Van Katwiik, M. “Grain fields in sea-landscapes.” Ambio. 2025.
画像：Daniel Von Staats/NERRS Science Collaborative

炭素排出量に関する現状を変えられない人々の心理的障壁を克服するために、この新しい研究は何が有効で何が有効でないかを体系的に調べました。

文：Sarah DeWeerdt
2025年5月27日

将来について、特に自分自身と自分の大切な人々の将来についてもっと考えてもらうことが、気候変動に対する行動意欲を高める最も効果的な方法だと新しい研究が示しています。この研究では、二酸化炭素排出量に関する情報の閲覧から、環境に配慮した行動が各個人にどのような利点をもたらすかを考えるブレインストーミングに至るまで、気候変動への対策に人々の意欲を高めるための17の異なる戦略について試しました。

これまでは、このような戦略に関する研究のほとんどは、一度にひとつの介入方法を試して、それが有効かどうかを確かめていました。しかし、これにより異なる研究間の結果を比較することが難しくなっていました。しかし、研究者たちは現在、何が効果的かだけでなく、人々が炭素排出の現状を変えられない心理的障壁を克服するために何が最も効果的か、体系的に調べ始めています。

この新しい研究は、「戦略トーナメント」の一例であり、気候変動に関する複数の介入方法を同じ方法論を用いて同時に試す新しい研究デザインを使っています。研究者たちは、米国在住の成人7,624人をオンライン調査で募集しました。参加者は17の介入グループと対照グループのいずれかに無作為に割り付けられました。各介入グループは、気候行動を動機付けるための異なる心理的戦略を試しました。

介入策の効果を測定するため、研究者たちは参加者に、気候変動に関連するさまざまな行動に参加する頻度、今後多く参加する予定があるのか、またあまり参加する予定がないのか、さらに多くの人がその行動に参加したらどの程度有益だと思うかを尋ねました。

さらに参加者は、気候変動に関する5つのニュースの見出しと3つの嘆願書を閲覧し、その情報をソーシャルメディアで広く共有する可能性と、知人に直接共有する可能性の両方について質問を受けました。

研究チームのメンバーで、フィラデルフィアにあるペンシルバニア大学のコミュニケーション神経科学研究室（Communication Neuroscience Lab）と科学・持続可能性・メディアセンター（Penn Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media）の博士研究員、Alyssa Sinclair氏は、「この研究により、人々に気候変動の未来を想像させること、特に自分自身や親しい他人を巻き込んだシナリオを想像させることが、行動意欲を高める最も効果的な方法であることを発見した」と言います。このような未来志向の介入には、将来、気候変動による悪影響を自分が経験することを想像することや、人々が住める地球を確保するために実施した取り組みについて、大人になってから読めるように子どもに手紙を書くことなどが含まれます。

「気候変動に関するニュースや嘆願書を共有する意欲を高めるには、気候変動を自分自身や自分の大切な人に関連づけるよう促すのが最も効果的だった」とSinclair氏は指摘しています。これは例えば、子どもへの手紙や、気候変動に関するニュースの見出しがなぜ自分や知人に関係があるのかを参加者に説明してもらうことなどでできます。

この研究結果は、米国科学アカデミー紀要に掲載されました。

気候変動対策の有効性に対する人々の認識を高めることを目的とした介入は、この目標を達成したものの、実際には行動そのものを促すものではありませんでした。「以前の調査では、知覚されたインパクトは、環境に良い行動をとる意思と関連していることがわかった。しかし、これらの結果は、知覚されたインパクトを高めることは役に立つかもしれないが、行動の動機付けには必ずしも必要でも十分でもないことを示唆している」とSinclair氏は説明します。

研究者たちはまた、個人の二酸化炭素排出量に関する情報を提供することは気候変動コミュニケーションの戦略として頻繁に実施されているにもかかわらず、行動や情報共有を促すのに効果のない介入策であることを特定しました。

子どもに手紙を書くことは、63カ国で11の異なる気候変動に関する介入策を試した、最近の別の研究でも効果的な戦略として浮上しました。その研究では、気候変動や気候変動対策に懐疑的な傾向のある米国の政治的右派の人々にとっても、手紙を書くことは効果的であったと指摘しています。

この新しい研究では、参加者は全員気候変動の存在と人為的な原因を肯定する、つまり米国の政治的左派の立場を取る人々でした。「現在進行中の研究では、リベラル派にも保守派の人々にとっても有効な介入策を模索している」とSinclair氏は言っています。研究者たちはまた、人々の意図だけでなく、日常的な行動に対する介入の効果を測定する方法も模索しています。

出典：Sinclair A.H. et al. “Behavioral interventions motivate action to address climate change.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2025.
画像：©Anthropocene Magazine, AI-generated

Zia Mehrabi, a member of Future Earth’s global research network the Global Land Programme, was named one of three international winners of the 2025 Frontiers Planet Prize. 

Mehrabi was recognized for a study published last year in the journal Science that found widespread diversification in agriculture could improve both human and environmental health. Representing the United States, he received the honor during a June 17 ceremony at the Villars Symposium in Switzerland as well as a prize of $1 million to be used to further his research.

Location: ESA ECSAT, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire, UK
Application Deadline: 1 July 2025
Consultancy Period: July 2025 – December 2027
Fee: 60 – 70 kEUR per year (depending on skills and experience)

Are you passionate about climate science, Earth observations, and international collaboration? The European Space Agency (ESA) and Future Earth are seeking a dynamic Research Coordinator to help bridge the gap between cutting-edge satellite data and global sustainability science.

About the Role
As Research Coordinator, you will act as a key liaison between the ESA Climate team and the Future Earth Global Secretariat. You will foster stronger links between ESA’s Earth observation initiatives and Future Earth’s global research networks — driving forward the use of satellite data and working at the science-policy interface for sustainability and climate
action.

You’ll be based at ESA’s ECSAT facility in Oxfordshire, with regular travel to Stockholm and international meetings. This role offers the opportunity to identify and coordinate new scientific activities, work at the intersection of science, policy, and innovation, engage with world-leading researchers and support impactful communication.

Key Responsibilities
• Connect ESA programs with Future Earth’s Global Research Networks.
• Collaborate with scientific steering committees, support workshops, and facilitate cross-network communication.
• Develop joint activities that expand the use of ESA Earth Observation (EO) data.
• Manage budgets and reporting for joint initiatives.
• Represent ESA and Future Earth at international events.
• Act as an interface between the ESA Climate Change Initiative (CCI) and the research community to enhance scientific uptake of EO data.
• Promote project outcomes via conferences, websites newsletters, and scientific literature.
• Support ESA and Future Earth involvement in key international events (e.g. UNFCCC COPs and research dialogues).
• Provide strategic insight to align research outputs with global environmental and climate policy needs.

Essential Skills & Experience:
• PhD in Earth Sciences, or 3–5 years of equivalent research experience.
• Strong understanding of Earth observation and global environmental change research.
• Research experience with use of ESA EO data and application.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills.
• Fluent in English (written and verbal); other languages are a plus.

Desirable Qualifications:
• Familiarity with Future Earth’s mission and its Global Research Networks.
• Insight into international climate policy processes.
• Experience managing grants, budgets, and working in interdisciplinary teams.

Conditions
• You must be eligible to live and work in the UK
• The successful candidate will not be an employee of ESA or Future Earth but will engage via a consultancy or own company through a general service agreement.
• You must be willing to undertake regular international travel and participate in international online meetings which at times will be outside of regular working hours.

About the Partnership
This role is at the heart of a strategic partnership between ESA and Future Earth, aimed at transforming how Earth observation data supports sustainability science. Since 2016, this collaboration has linked data users with providers, helped set the research agenda to pioneer progress, and supported connections across research disciplines in support of transformations to global sustainability.
More information about past activities is available on the Future Earth website.

How to Apply
Send your CV and cover letter (in English), detailing your motivation and fit for the role, along with contact details for two referees, to: sweden@futureearth.org before the deadline of 12:00 noon (Europe) on 1 July.

Please mark your application “Research Coordinator”. Successful candidates will be notified of invitation to interview on 9 July, and interviews will be conducted on 23 July.

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Climate change pressure on the biosphere is increasing. Soils are losing their fertility, biodiversity is declining dramatically, microplastics and toxins are spreading to the most remote ecosystems and climate change is increasing the pressure. These developments are already having an impact on food security, bioeconomy, and ultimately prosperity. A diverse team of international researchers has now synthesized solutions for eight problem areas and published them in the journal Biogeosciences.

An international and interdisciplinary team has now launched the first of a new publication series in the journal Biogeoscience, which summarizes the latest findings from biosphere research annually. Their aim is to provide well-founded and solution-oriented impulses between the major global reports IPCC and IPBES, which are published every 8-10 years. “Because the various crises in the Earth system all affect the biosphere and therefore food security, material cycles and cultural and economic values, an annual update is important,” says Friedrich Bohn who initiated the project and is corresponding author. The experts selected eight key areas, from endangered habitats on the seashore to forests and carbon capture in natural ecosystems. For each issue, the scientists described the scientific background and challenges and then outlined specific solutions.

“If, for example, forests in the Amazon are cleared for livestock farming, rainfall decreases, which can lead to crop failures in agriculture,” Anja Rammig, co-author and scientist at the Technical University of Munich. Intact forests could prevent this. However, reforestation measures are not equally useful everywhere. “In dry areas, new afforestation could cause the groundwater level to fall because the trees evaporate a lot of water, causing other plant species to die out locally,” she says.

In order to avoid such mistakes, the local population must be involved, especially indigenous knowledge. “A lot can be predicted using scientific models, but locally sensible and adapted solutions are best found when science, economics and local people work together to develop solutions,” says Bohn.

The importance of education and involvement at the local level

The team of authors advocates creating awareness of existing problems through education and actively involving the local population in political decision-making processes in all the subject areas covered. More sustainable practices should be promoted in a targeted manner and innovative, possibly unconventional approaches should also be given a chance. Openness to new ideas and the courage to experiment are needed. At the same time, it is important to recognize regional characteristics, make them visible and incorporate them into measures. “Business as usual no longer pays off for the majority of people,” warns Romina Martin, from the Stockholm Resilience Centre and a co-author. “The biosphere which used to support human lives on Earth is increasingly out of balance. Although the challenges are complex, better life conditions for all are feasible where policy makers, academics, entrepreneurs, lawyers, and citizens act together.”

Collaborating to create change through science

“Future Earth, as one of the partners in this initiative, is proud of this exceptional group of authors who have translated cutting-edge science into clear, actionable insights,” said Dr. Giles Sioen, Co-Lead for Research and Innovation at Future Earth and Project Lecturer at the Sustainable Society Design Center, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences at The University of Tokyo and part of the founding team of this initiative. “This peer-reviewed synthesis not only highlights the urgency of the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change but also equips decision-makers with science-based solutions developed over the past decade. Bridging disciplines and making knowledge accessible across sectors is critical to driving real-world impact.”

This edition comes from a survey and synthesis conducted in 2024, and the work for a second manuscript is ongoing.

Future Earth members that contributed to the first synthesis manuscript:

• Alexandros Gasparatos, Health Knowledge-Action Network
• Cornelia B. Krug, BioDISCOVERY
• Markus Reichstein, Risk Knowledge-Action Network
• David Obura, Earth Commision
• Fabrice DeClerck, Earth Commision
• Peter H. Verburg, Global Land Program & Earth Commission
• Amy Luers, Former Executive Director, Future Earth
• Damon Matthews, Future Earth & Sustainability in the Digital Age
• Giles B. Sioen, Co-lead Research and Innovation, Future Earth

Future Earth is looking for an Finance & HR Manager for its global secretariat hub at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm.

This broad key role requires that you have a strong interest in leadership and both strategic and operational work within accounting and project financing. Furthermore, we see that you have a good ability to act as a sounding board for the Director. In addition to the Swedish language, you should also be comfortable communicating in English.

Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis.

Learn more and apply.

この新たな研究は、医薬品汚染が野生生物の行動や生息環境に悪影響を及ぼしているということを示すこれまでで最も説得力のある証拠を示しています。

文：Warren Cornwall
2025年4月16日

サケの稚魚の一生を見れば、誰もが抗不安薬に手を伸ばすでしょう。

淡水から海へと泳ぐ小さな魚たちは、猛獣の捕食や水力発電のタービンの回転をかわしながら、ダムの陰に隠れて停滞した貯水池を通り抜けていくという、命がけの試練を強いられています。実際、スウェーデンのある川では、10匹に1匹のみがこの旅を終えることができ、生き残っています。

パニック発作を抑えるために薬を使用する人がいるように、新しい研究は、薬によってサケの行動も変化し、こうした危険を回避する能力が高まる可能性があると指摘しています。

先週『Science』誌に掲載された抗不安薬クロバザムに関する発見は、医薬品汚染が生態系に重大な変化をもたらす可能性があることを示唆する最も説得力のある証拠を示しました。またこれは、下水道から外洋に流出する何百種類もの薬物のひとつに過ぎません。

スウェーデン農業科学大学の研究者であるJack Brand氏は、「今回の発見は、医薬品汚染が自然界における回遊行動や生存率にどのような影響を与えるのかということについて重要な問題を提起している」と言います。

何年もの間、科学者たちは医薬品汚染に対する動物の行動の変化を記録してきました。これらの医薬品の多くは一般的な廃水処理では除去されず、人の尿や糞便に混じって水路に流れ込みます。しかし、医薬品が動物に与える影響を調べる研究の多くは、現実の世界を再現できないかもしれない実験室で行われてきました。

そこで、Brand氏は他の研究者と共に、実験室で飼育したアトランティックサーモンの稚魚279匹に小さな無線追跡装置を埋め込み、そのうちの何匹かに徐放性薬物カプセルを入れて、この問題に取り組みました。薬物を投与された魚には、他の研究でも魚に見られるレベルでクロバザム、オピオイド系鎮痛剤トラマドール、あるいはその両方が投与されました。

その後、スウェーデン中部のダール川に小魚を投入し、水中無線受信機を使って28キロの川を下ってバルト海までの動きをモニターしました。

抗不安薬だけを投与された魚は、明らかに異なるパターンを示しました。あるダムは他の魚の2.5倍から3倍速く通過し、別のダムは8倍も速く通過しました。クロバザムを投与された魚のうち、海までたどり着いた魚の数は、薬を投与されなかった魚の2倍以上であったと報告しています。

この異なる結果は、抗不安薬が危険に直面した際の魚の行動をどう変化させるのかということに関係しているのかもしれません。捕食者であるカマスのような脅威に直面したサケの稚魚は、集団で行動し、数で安全を求めます。同じ科学者グループが実験室で行ったテストでは、抗不安薬を投与されたサケの子どもは、カマスに遭遇してもそれほど群れないことがわかっています。このような危険を冒す行動が、ダール川をより速く、よりうまく下ることにつながっているのかもしれません。

だからといって、サーモンが旅に出る前に薬を飲み始める必要はありません。

「クロバザムに暴露されたサケの回遊成功率が上昇したことは、有益な効果のように思えるかもしれないが、ある種の自然行動や生態系に変化が生じれば、その種にとっても、周囲の野生生物環境にとっても、より広範な悪影響が予想されることを認識することが重要である」と、この研究に携わったオーストラリアのグリフィス大学の科学者、Marcus Michelangeli氏は指摘しています。

このような医薬品の潜在的なマイナス面は、『International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health』に掲載された新しい調査によって示されています。スイスの科学者たちは、同国で販売されている最も一般的な処方薬35種類のうち9種類が、スイスの河川で環境基準値を超えていることを発見しています。最も多かったのはジクロフェナクなどの鎮痛剤とシプロフロキサシンなどの抗生物質だったと報告しています。

この研究の研究者たちは、もし患者に同じような利益をもたらすのであれば、医師が環境に安全な薬を処方するよう導くために、この結果を役立てることができると示唆しています。ローザンヌ大学の科学者であるNicolas Senn氏は、このような 「環境に配慮した医療 」は、「過剰な薬物療法を避けるという直接的なメリットだけでなく、我々の幸福や健康に不可欠なより健康的な環境を促進するという間接的なメリットもある」と述べています。

どうなるかは誰にも分かりませんが、環境に配慮することで人々が服用して川に流すクロバザムの量を減らせるかもしれません。

出典：Brand, et. al. “Pharmaceutical pollution influences river-to-sea migration in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).” Science. April 10, 2025.
Charmillot, et. al. “Developing an Ecotoxicological Classification for Frequently Used Drugs in Primary Care.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Feb. 16, 2025.
画像：©Anthropocene Magazine