Sustainability Science

Journal Article, Science, volume 292, issue 5517, pages 641-642

April 27, 2001

Authors: J. Michael Hall, Former Senior Research Fellow, Environment and Natural Resources Program, Nancy Dickson, Former Associate Director, Global Environmental Assessment Project; Executive Director, Research and Assessment Systems for Sustainability, Robert Corell, Former Senior Research Fellow, Global Environment Assessment Project/Environment and Natural Resources Program, 2000-2003, William Clark, Harvey Brooks Professor of International Science, Public Policy, and Human Development; Co-director, Sustainability Science Program; Faculty Chair, ENRP;, Robert Kates, Former Visiting Scholar, Environment and Natural Resources Program, 1997-2000

Belfer Center Programs or Projects: Environment and Natural Resources; Research and Assessment Systems for Sustainability

ABSTRACT

Meeting fundamental human needs while preserving Earth's life support systems will require an accelerated transition toward sustainability. A new field of sustainability science is emerging that seeks to understand the fundamental character of interactions between nature and society and to encourage those interactions along more sustainable trajectories. Such an integrated, place-based science will require new research strategies and institutional innovations to enable them especially in developing countries still separated by deepening divides from mainstream science. Sustainability science needs to be widely discussed in the scientific community, reconnected to the political agenda for sustainable development, and become a major focus for research.

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A longer version of the paper with full citations is available in PDF format on the web site of the Research and Assessment Systems for Sustainability Program.

For more information about the emerging field of sustainability science, visit the Forum on Science and Technology for Sustainability.

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Full text of this publication is available at:
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