Science & Policy Overview

One Earth develops and supports cutting-edge, actionable science that can inform and influence decision makers to achieve Paris-aligned roadmaps and policies in the public, private, and NGO sectors. We work closely with leading experts to develop scientific products that can directly support the collective goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C across three pillars of action -- renewable energy transition, nature conservation/restoration, and regenerative agriculture. One Earth’s scientific advisory group brings forward proposals to fill critical research gaps that could be instrumental to solving the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss within a time horizon of 1-4 years.

Working with scientists and engineers at German Aerospace Center, the University Technology Sydney, and the University of Melbourne, One Earth funded and launched a groundbreaking climate and energy transition model, published by Springer Nature in the 500-page book Achieving the Paris Climate Agreement Goals (2019). With over 400,000 downloads it is an influential reference for global research efforts to decarbonize the building, transportation, and industry sectors. Supported by Rockefeller Foundation, European Climate Foundation, and the Net Zero Asset Owners Alliance, a second edition of the One Earth Climate model is out in Summer 2022, providing sectoral targets to support decision-making by financial institutions.

One Earth also led the development of The Global Safety Net, the first comprehensive global-scale analysis of terrestrial areas essential for biodiversity and climate resilience, totaling 50.4% of the Earth’s land. The report was published in Science Advances and is also available through an interactive web application (GlobalSafetyNet.app) that allows users to click on a country, state, or ecoregion to see configurations of biologically important land for each region. The GSN is quickly gaining momentum, influencing conservation and climate policy at the international and regional levels, and our work was also recently honored by Fast Company as a “World Changing Idea” in the Data & AI category.

These groundbreaking scientific efforts provide a global blueprint and regional roadmaps to help drive swift climate action from the top down and the bottom up, influencing climate policy and empowering the climate movement to make demands that are backed by science. Explore our portfolio of Science & Policy projects – from advanced mapping of forests for natural carbon removal potential to geospatial models for food security in a warming world, and many more. Projects marked with the red “Active” label have identified an ongoing funding need in the 2022-2023 time frame.