Transforming Sustainability Science to Generate Positive Social and Environmental Change Globally

Abstract

Despite the decades-long efforts of sustainability science and related policy and action programs, humanity has not gotten closer to global sustainability. With its focus on the natural sciences, sustainability science is not able to contribute sufficiently to the global transition to sustainability. This Perspective argues for transforming sustainability science into a transdisciplinary enterprise that can generate positive social and environmental change globally. In such transformation, the social sciences, humanities, and the arts can play an important role to address the complex problems of culture, institutions, and human behavior. To realize a truly integrated sustainability science, we need renewed research and public policies that reshape the research ecosystem of universities, funding agencies, science communications, policymaking, and decision making. Sustainability science must also engage with society and creatively employ all available sources of knowledge in favor of creating a sustainable Earth.

Abstract

Sustainability science has evolved significantly over the past century and contributed to our systemic understanding of sustainability challenges of the Anthropocene. However, its contribution to global sustainability transition has been limited. To be more impactful, sustainability science needs deeper integration with the social and human sciences and the arts. It should engage and co-evolve with underlying socio-economic and cultural roots of environmental changes. Research systems and research and public policy changes are explored.