Sustainability Science

The growing recognition that human activities are transforming Earth systems and having far-reaching implications for society has given rise to the ambitious research field of sustainability science. This area of study is concerned with the most complex challenges that societies face, focusing on the dynamic interaction of nature-society systems in response to stresses emanating from multiple sources. Sustainability science grapples with societal problems that are characterized by multiple viewpoints and a high degree of uncertainty. It evolves from a scientific perspective of critically examining the relationship between nature and society. It addresses tensions among economic, social, technological, and environmental interests among a broad range of stakeholders while focusing on interactions across scales. Though sustainability science has not been clearly defined, in recent years, its central ...