For the first time at a Climate Conference, science took center stage in the negotiations. Held at COP30 in Belém, the Planetary Sciences Pavilion brought together experts, indigenous leaders, youth, and policymakers in an unprecedented space for dialogue between scientific evidence, ancestral knowledge, and decision-making.
The final report on the initiative, available on the website of Arapyaú—a co-organizer of the Pavilion—points out that the planet has already entered an “era of consequences.” “We are out of the safe space; we are in the danger zone,” warns scientist Johan Rockström, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, highlighting critical signs such as the risk of coral reef collapse and shifts in the Amazon’s role in climate balance.
At the same time, there are possible paths forward. “There is a high probability that we will exceed the 1.5°C limit, but I prefer to say that this may be temporary, and that gives us hope,” emphasizes Thelma Krug, vice-chair of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, advocating for the acceleration of the energy transition.
The document also reinforces the centrality of indigenous peoples and traditional communities to global climate stability. “Traditional sciences and Western science are complementary; it is necessary to consider sciences shaped in other territories and ecosystems,” highlights indigenous leader Cristiane Julião Pankararu.
As its main legacy, the Planetary Sciences Pavilion leaves a call to action: align science and policy, accelerate the transition to regenerative economies, and strengthen nature-based solutions. “We have a planetary crisis, we need to act quickly and with urgency, but the window is still open—we can still change this course,” says Rockström.