Stockholm Resilience Centre (SRC) is an international research centre on resilience and sustainability science. SRC works on everything from healthy and sustainable food to the greening of cities and financial markets and has spurred new thinking on sustainability within science, policy and business.

The Planetary Boundaries concept has, since its inception in 2009, become one of the most important frameworks for global sustainability thinking. Led by centre director, Johan Rockström, 28 internationally renowned scientists identified and quantified a set of nine planetary boundaries within which humanity can continue to develop and thrive for generations to come. Transgressing them substantially increases risks of crossing tipping points in the Earth’s climate and ecosystems leading to abrupt or irreversible changes.

The SRC has collaborated with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), a CEO-led, global association of some 200 international companies. The collaboration specifically helped WBCSD to align their Vision 2050 Framework with the planetary boundaries concept. In 2017, SRC also became the scientific partner of a new project with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the Swedish clothing retailer H&M Group.

At the 2015 Paris Climate Summit (COP 21), centre director Johan Rockström opened the major “Action Day” climate event in front of 1200 delegates. Leading up to COP 21, Rockström also led the work writing the Earth Statement putting forward eight essential elements the international climate agreement should include. Over 100 political, faith and business leaders such as Paul Polman, Richard Branson, Winnie Byanyima, Mary Robinson and Desmond Tutu signed the statement. The final agreement from Paris was considered a turning point for global emissions targets.

The mission of the centre is to advance research for governance and management of social-ecological systems to secure ecosystem services for human well-being and resilience for long-term sustainability. The centre applies and further develops the scientific achievements of this research within practice, policy and academic training.

We believe in the importance of reconnecting to the biosphere. We must stop considering nature as something separate from society because people and nature are truly intertwined in what we refer to as social-ecological systems. Development can no longer be done without an increased understanding of nature’s role for our own survival and well-being.

Funding is provided by governments and foundations including Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, European Research Council, Nordforsk, Futura Foundations, Walton Family Foundation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

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