Science that counts

Science-based targets are transforming how organizations act on climate, nature, and sustainability. By translating scientific understanding of planetary limits into measurable goals for businesses, municipalities, landscapes, and supply chains, they bridge the gap between global environmental science and real-world decision-making.

The 2026 Lovejoy Symposium will explore the scientific foundations of that transition, from the latest insights of the IPCC, IPBES, and Global Land Outlook 3 to advances in defining and downscaling safe and just Earth system boundaries. Sessions will examine the emerging measurement science behind target verification, including soil carbon, forest conditions, freshwater resources, and ocean health.

Moving from knowledge to action, the program will consider how science-based targets influence land management, investment, insurance, and supply chains, and what makes a target credible enough to guide financing and procurement decisions. The symposium concludes by exploring the growing role of science-based targets in international policy, regulation, and disclosure frameworks, highlighting both the remarkable scientific advances they have catalyzed and the critical knowledge gaps that remain.