Sustainability science: a review, an analysis and some empirical lessons

Abstract

SUMMARYSustainability science has developed from a new research field into a vibrant discipline in its own right, with scientific conferences, journals and scientific societies dedicated to its pursuit. Characterized more by its research purpose than by a common set of methods or objects, sustainability science can be subdivided into the more traditional disciplinary-based science for sustainability and the transdisciplinary science of sustainability. Whereas the former consists of more descriptive, analytical and basic science, the latter is characterized by reflexivity and applicability; on a meta level, the emergence of the latter can be understood as a new step in the evolution of science. This review provides an overview of the state of sustainability science, identifying action orientation, integrated assessments and interdisciplinarity as overall characteristics. The review also focuses on methodological issues, highlighting differences in project organization and management, and the ways in which stakeholder participation can be organized in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research projects. Sustainability science is recognized as essential for progress towards sustainability, and as an opportunity to bring science closer to the people, requiring significant changes in the way science is organized and conducted.

Proposal of a system for the integrated and comparative assessment of protected areas

“…The proposed thresholds represent a reference to where we aim to be in terms of sustainability (Moldan et al, 2012;Spangenberg, 2011) and define acceptable ranges of variation (Parrish et al, 2003). They allow making conservation decisions even if current evidence remains incomplete Spangenberg, 2011). When establishing thresholds or cutoffs we always considered the irreplaceable character of many of the features protected by PAs.…”

“…As precise, sound definitions are fundamental to science (Spangenberg, 2011), some order and clarification is needed in the rapidly developing field of PA assessment.…”

Issues and Challenges in Spatial and Temporal Water Allocation in the Nile Delta

“…There is increasing insight that sustainable development requires fundamentally different approaches that do not only take into account the interaction of social, technical, and environmental systems [29], but also complexity and the uncertainties in decision-making as well as in the boundary conditions [30]. Trans-disciplinary approaches have emerged as powerful practices to shift from understanding sustainable challenges to developing socially robust orientations [31].…”

Interlinking ecosystem services and Ostrom’s framework through orientation in sustainability research

“…Integrating knowledge between multiple concepts and frameworks is a challenge for building academic consensus that can inform sustainability (Spangenberg 2011, Fischer et al 2015, Ruppert-Winkel et al 2015. However, much of the SES literature continues to generate knowledge that is uncoupled from other research efforts.…”