Levke Ceasar, Potsdam Climate Institute: “We don’t just live on this planet—we’re part of it.”

As a climate physicist and co-lead of the Planetary Boundary Science Lab at PIK (Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research), Levke Ceasar spends her days studying how Earth’s systems—climate, oceans, soil, and the biosphere—interact. Her work is rooted in science, but her motivation is deeply personal.

Levke’s journey into climate science began long before her academic career. Growing up in a modest household with three siblings and a brother with a severe disability, she learned early on the importance of responsibility—toward others and toward the environment.

“We didn’t have a lot of money, so we were always careful—separating waste, not using too much water, not overheating the house in winter,” she recalls. “That sense of care grew in me over time. I realised I don’t just live on this planet—I’m part of it.”

Her love for physics and science eventually led her to study Earth System Sciences, where she could combine her values with her curiosity.

Small wins, big impact

For Levke, one of the most meaningful moments in her career wasn’t a scientific breakthrough—it was personal.

“My dad, who loves fast cars and vacations, now drives an electric vehicle and installed a sustainable heating system,” she says with a smile. “Convincing him to live more sustainably was one of the hardest things I’ve done. But he changed—and that showed me I’m having an impact.”

It’s these everyday shifts, she says, that prove science can influence real change.

The breakthrough is realizing what we already know

When asked about recent climate breakthroughs, Levke offers a different perspective.

“Climate science isn’t new—we’ve known the problems and many of the solutions for decades,” she explains. “The real breakthrough is realising that the simplest solutions—using fewer resources, producing less waste—are the ones that work best.”

It’s not about waiting for the next big innovation, she says. It’s about acting on what we already know.

Staying Hopeful in the Face of Scale

Working in climate science can be overwhelming. The problems are global, complex, and urgent. But Levke finds hope in the people around her.

“Sometimes you wonder—can one tiny human really make a difference?” she says. “But I’ve met so many people with great ideas and motivation. Every one of us has an impact, even if it’s just on those around us.”

That belief—that change is possible, and that it starts with individuals—is what keeps her going.

About

The IKEA Foundation is supporting the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PiK)  in using scientific evidence to stimulate definitive policy shifts so as to prevent collapse on any one of The Earth’s nine interconnected systems, defined by PiK as planetary boundaries.