HydroClimX - Planetary Boundary Workshop

PIK × IIT Roorkee Planetary Boundaries Workshop

India Within Planetary Boundaries

Venue: Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee), India

Dates: February 16-19, 2027

Are we sure? We know the "Planetary Boundaries (PB) Framework"

Introduced in 2009, the PB framework identifies nine interconnected Earth-system processes that regulate the stability and resilience of our planet. Each boundary defines a safe operating space for humanity. Crossing a boundary does not mean immediate collapse, but indicates increasing risk of large-scale or irreversible change.

According to the Planetary Health Check 2026 , seven of the nine boundaries have been exceeded, highlighting the need for closer monitoring and action at national and regional scales.

The workshop centres on Climate Change, Freshwater Change, Biogeochemical Flows, and Novel Entities, while taking a broader perspective on their interactions with the wider Planetary Boundaries framework. These are linked through water, with climate influencing the hydrological cycle and water flows transporting nutrients and contaminants. All four have also been assessed as beyond their safe operating space, making them particularly relevant for India’s scientific research and policy priorities.

Know more on Planetary Health Check: https://www.planetaryhealthcheck.org/

The Idea Behind the Workshop; Why India?

Scientists at PIK are actively advancing the Planetary Boundaries (PB) framework, prompting discussions with IIT Roorkee & Centre for Science and Environment on how this global concept could be meaningfully explored at the national scale in India.

India presents a critical opportunity for PB research. It has a large population, high pressure on freshwater and nutrient resources, and rapidly expanding industrial activity, while still facing significant development needs. This raises a key question: How can global Planetary Boundaries be meaningfully assessed at the India and South Asia scale ?

While the framework establishes global limits, applying it regionally requires decisions on indicators, control variables, spatial scales, and appropriate regional thresholds. India has some methodological precedents to build on, but a systematic, multi-boundary assessment supported by independent observations remains an important research gap. The timing is particularly promising. The Planetary Health Check provides an updated global baseline, while datasets from IMD, CWC, CGWB, ISRO/Bhuvan, CPCB, and ISIMIP may offer opportunities to examine and validate planetary-boundary indicators across India. This workshop intend to bring together researchers to explore how PBs can be translated from a global framework into meaningful, evidence-based assessments for India and South Asia. At the same time, it will strengthen long-term scientific collaboration and regional leadership in PB research.

Broad Objectives

What do the Planetary Boundaries mean in the Indian context, how do the boundaries interact, what evidence is available, where are the critical knowledge gaps, and what research and monitoring framework is needed for India?

Tentative plan

Day 1: Framing + Climate Change

09:30–11:00 — Opening and Scientific Framing

Minute-to-Minute to be added

11:30–13:00 — Institute Lecture

A broader lecture (open for entire institute students and Faculty ~200 participants)-

Planetary Boundaries in a rapidly changing world: from global limits to regional action.

14:30–16:00 — Boundary 1: Climate Change

Global state → Indian state of knowledge → observations/model evidence → regional hotspots → thresholds/risks → gaps.

16:00–17:30 — Climate interactions

Climate × Biosphere Integrity × Freshwater × Land-System Change, including extremes, monsoon, cryosphere, ecosystems and feedback.

Day 2: Freshwater + Biogeochemical Flows

09:30–11:00 — Boundary 2: Freshwater Change

Blue water, green water, streamflow, soil moisture, groundwater, storage, environmental flows, hydrological alteration, extremes and water availability.

11:30–13:00 — Freshwater interactions

Freshwater × Land-System Change × Biosphere Integrity, with Indian river basins, groundwater systems, agricultural landscapes, Himalaya and urban systems as possible evidence domains.

14:30–16:00 — Boundary 3: Biogeochemical Flows

Nitrogen and phosphorus cycles, fertilizers, nutrient surplus, riverine transport, eutrophication and agricultural systems.

16:00–17:30 — Biogeochemical interactions

N/P × Freshwater × Biosphere × Ocean/Coastal systems, including agricultural runoff, river–coast transfer, wastewater and industrial/agricultural hotspots.

Day 3: Novel Entities + Integration

09:30–11:00 — Boundary 4: Novel Entities

Chemicals, plastics/microplastics, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals and other anthropogenic substances; monitoring and regulatory evidence.

11:30–13:00 — Novel-entity interactions

Novel Entities × Freshwater × Biosphere × Atmospheric Aerosols, with industrial corridors, urban centres, river systems and coastal hotspots.

14:30–16:00 — Cross-Boundary Synthesis for India

Here the discussion will move away from individual presentations. For example,

1. Where are the strongest interactions?

2. What evidence is robust?

3. What is contested?

4. What can/cannot presently be quantified at Indian scale?

16:00–17:30 — Evidence-to-Action Working Groups

Based on Google Form responses, participants will be clubbed into 5–6 groups. Each group completes the same template:

State of knowledge → datasets → indicators/control variables → thresholds → spatial hotspots → interactions → uncertainties → governance relevance → research gaps → priority actions.

Day 4: Outputs and Way Forward

09:30–11:00 — Working Group Reports + India PB Research Landscape

Each group presents findings. The objective is not another scientific seminar but convergence.

11:30–13:00 — Roadmap and commitments

Finalization/discussion of the white-paper structure; lead/co-lead authors; datasets and evidence synthesis; Indian PB researcher/network map; possible India/South Asia PB working group; future collaborative proposals; timelines and responsibilities.

Target Audience
The workshop is designed as an intensive scientific exchange bringing together approximately 60 participants, including:

International experts in Planetary Boundaries science, including scientists from PIK and collaborating institutions;
Invited experts from India and South Asia from our ongoing PB survey representing different Planetary Boundaries and related disciplines; and
25 selected Early or mid- Career Researchers (ECMRs) from an open call, representing diverse boundaries, regions, methods and scientific perspectives.

The combination of established experts and emerging researchers is intended to foster discussion, identify synergies, and develop a collaborative community around Planetary Boundaries research in India and South Asia.

Who Should Apply?

Applications are invited from PhD scholars, postdoctoral researchers, early-career faculty/scientists and young professionals working on topics relevant to one or more Planetary Boundaries. Applicants may come from universities, research institutions, government organisations, industry, NGOs and other relevant organisations in India and South Asia.

Research may relate to Climate Change, Freshwater Change, Biogeochemical Flows, Novel Entities, Biosphere Integrity, Land-System Change, Atmospheric Aerosol Loading, Ocean Acidification, Stratospheric Ozone Depletion, or importantly, interactions among multiple boundaries.

Selection & Participation Guidelines

Approximately 25 ECRs will be selected based on the relevance and quality of their work, while also seeking a balanced representation across Planetary Boundaries, research themes, geographical regions, methods and career stages.

Selected ECRs will be expected to:

participate actively in scientific and working-group discussions;
present their research through a poster during the workshop; and
attend at least 90% of the scientific programme to receive a participation certificate.

Selected participants may additionally be invited to give a short Evidence Flash presentation based on the scientific programme.

Registration & Logistics

The registration fee for selected national participants is very minimal ₹2,000. This includes:

Accommodation: 15 February 2027 (check-in after 2:00 PM) to 20 February 2027 (check-out before 10:00 AM)
Workshop kit and materials
High tea/refreshments during the scientific programme

Participants from Roorkee

For participants affiliated with institutions located in Roorkee, accommodation will not be provided and the registration fee will be ₹1,000.

Please note:

Registration fees, once paid, are non-refundable. Payment will be requested only after selection is confirmed.
Accommodation will normally be provided on a shared basis in IIT Roorkee student hostels, subject to availability. If on-campus accommodation is unavailable, an alternative nearby facility will be arranged. Accommodation cannot be provided for accompanying persons or family members.
Participants are responsible for arranging and funding their own travel to/from Roorkee. No travel allowance will be provided.

Experts List

Johan Rockström, PIK Director (TBC)
Levke Caesar, PBScience Lab Co-Lead
Boris Sakschewski, PBScience Lab Co-Lead
Clara Nicolai, , PBScience Lab Coordinator
Luisa Teixeira, Planetary Boundaries Initiative Coordinator
Bruce Phillips, PBScience Lab Science Communications Expert
Niklas Kitzmann, Planetary Health Check Coordinator
Svetlana Botsyun, Aerosols Expert
Simon Fahrländer, Freshwater Expert (currently PhD student)

How to Apply? Fill the Registration form

Ishan Mondal, Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorkee

Email: ishan_m@hy.iir.ac.in

Sachidanand Sharma , Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorkee

Email: sachidanand_s@hy.iitr.ac.in

Deepali Rawat, Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorkee

Email: deepali_r@hy.iitr.ac.in

Pankaj Patidar, Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorkee

Email: pankaj_p@hy.iitr.ac.in

Do participate in the PB survey !

Do participate in the survey at: https://lnkd.in/gctBtQTK