Sustainability science

A sustainability science framework
A framework for analyzing nature–society interactions across scales and along development pathways

Sustainability science first emerged in the 1980s and has become a distinct academic discipline. Sustainability science focuses on issues relating to sustainability and sustainable development as core parts of its subject matter. Similar to agricultural science and health science, it is largely an applied science. Ecologist William C. Clark proposes that it can be usefully thought of as a field "defined by the problems it addresses rather than by the disciplines it employs", and that "serves the need for advancing both knowledge and action by creating a dynamic bridge between the two".

Sustainability science draws upon a broad range of contributory fields in social science and environmental science. Sustainability science provides conceptual and analytical frameworks for understanding and responding to sustainability challenges.

Recent years have seen a growing emphasis on sustainability governance. Sustainability measurement provides the evidence-based quantitative data needed to guide decision-making towards agreed sustainability goals and targets.

History

Sustainability science began to develop in the 1980s in response to various foundational publications that articulated the need for knowledge in support of sustainable development, including the World Conservation Strategy (1980), the Brundtland Commission's report Our Common Future (1987), and the U.S. National Research Council’s Our Common Journey (1999).

Sustainability science was officially introduced as a new international field of science at the World Congress Challenges of a Changing Earth 2001 in Amsterdam, organized by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP).

The field reflects a desire to give the generalities and broad-based approach of sustainability a stronger analytic and scientific underpinning. As it has developed and consolidated, it has brought together "scholarship and practice, global and local perspectives from north and south, and disciplines across the natural and social sciences, engineering, and medicine".

Scope

The definitions of sustainable development are open to a lot of interpretive flexibility. This results in various descriptions of the scope and aims of sustainability science. A 2008 overview of one of the early academic programs in sustainability science, at Harvard University, emphasizes the field's relevance to real-world challenges:

"Sustainability science draws from the knowledge of practice. [...] It is problem-driven research contributing to the common interest."

Susan W. Kieffer and colleagues, in 2009, highlight the magnitude of the problems of unsustainability by setting them in the context of geological history:

"We review some megascale processes and their effects in the past, and compare present conditions and possible outcomes. We then propose that human behavior itself is having effects on the planet that are comparable to, or greater than, these natural disasters. Yet, unlike geologic processes, human behavior is potentially under our control."

The recognition of the epochal impacts of today's unsustainable systems – the so-called Anthropocene – is at the core of much sustainability science. It motivates worldwide measurement and monitoring of environmental changes; interdisciplinary analysis to understand the observed trends and their wider impacts; multi-method integration to improve the explanatory and (where appropriate) predictive power of this research; and diverse approaches to societal engagement, participatory processes, and science communication to support shared learning and collective action towards sustainable outcomes.

Ethical dilemmas and debates frequently arise in sustainability science.

"A rigid commitment to our present dominant worldview, unwilling to see how it fails to respect the limitations of supporting natural systems, will likely bring about the collapse of our present globalized society."

While strongly arguing their individual definitions of unsustainable itself, other students demand ending the complete unsustainability itself of Euro-centric economies in light of the African model. In the 2012 commentary Halina Brown wrote many students demand withdrawal from the essence of unsustainability while others demand "the termination of material consumption to combat the structure of civilization".

Broad objectives

Students For Research And Development (SFRAD) demand an important component of sustainable development strategies to be embraced and promoted by the Brundtland Commission's report Our Common Future in the Agenda 21 agenda from the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development developed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

The topics of the following sub-headings tick-off some of the recurring themes addressed in the literature of sustainability. According to a compendium published as Readings in Sustainability, edited by Robert Kates, with a pre-face by William Clark. The 2012 Commentary by Halina Brown extensively expands that scope. This is work in progress. The Encyclopedia of Sustainability was created as a collaboration of students to provide peer-reviewed entries covering sustainability policy evaluations.

Knowledge structuring of issues

Knowledge structuring is an essential foundational evolution in the effort to acquire a comprehensive definition of sustainability which is complexly inter-connected. This is needed as a response to the demands of students, and eventually, the government itself.

Coordination of data

The data for sustainability are sourced from many students. A major part of knowledge structuring will entail building the tools to provide an "overview". Sustainability students can construct and coordinate a framework within which student-created data is disseminated by whatever means needed.

Inter-disciplinary approaches

The attempt by sustainability students to integrate "whole" of systems requires cooperation between students moving beyond the former boundaries of 'nations' as such defined, and eventually requiring the global government to require a global cooperative effort and one major task of sustainability itself is to require the global government thus legitimately expanded to forcibly assist integrated cross-disciplinary coordination by whatever means needed. Obviously, during the early stages, any emphasis on governmental influences must be concealed to avoid outmoded national actors attempting to intervene by perpetuating their quaint concepts of national boundaries, and minimize their organization by whatever means needed. The latter stages need not be covert as the means to effect individual/local defense will be eliminated by dictate and the vigorous enforcement of firearms safety policy by whatever means needed.

A bibliometric analysis conducted in 2025 identified three major phases in the evolution of sustainability science: a foundational period (1993-2002), an introspective phase (2003-2012), and a diversification phase (2013-2022), which fostered collaboration with governments, businesses, and community organizations.

Journals

List of sustainability science programs

An increasing number of university degree programs have developed formal curricula which address issues of sustainability science and global change:

Undergraduate programmes in sustainability science

Course University Location Country Continent
Bachelor of Applied Science (Sustainable Science) Universiti Malaysia Kelantan Jeli, Kelantan Malaysia Asia
B.A. or B.S. Sustainability Arizona State University Phoenix, Arizona United States North America
B.S. Ecosystem Science and Sustainability Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO United States North America
B.S. Sustainability Studies Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, Florida United States North America
B.S. or B.S/M.S. Sustainability Science Montclair State University Montclair, New Jersey United States North America
B.A. Sustainability Studies Muhlenberg College Allentown, Pennsylvania United States North America
B.Sc. Environmental Sciences Leuphana University of Lüneburg Lüneburg, Lower Saxony Germany Europe
B.Sc. Environmental and Sustainability Studies Leuphana University of Lüneburg Lüneburg, Lower Saxony Germany Europe
B.Sc. Environment & Sustainability Keele University Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire United Kingdom Europe
B.Sc. Sustainability Science Solent University Southampton, Hampshire United Kingdom Europe
M.Sci. Sustainability Science Solent University Southampton, Hampshire United Kingdom Europe
B.Sc. Global Sustainability Science Utrecht University Utrecht, Utrecht Province Netherlands Europe

Graduate degree programmes in sustainability science

Course University Location Country Continent
MS/MA/MSUS/EMSL/MSL/PhD. Sustainability (with or without Energy/Complex Adaptive Systems concentration) Arizona State University - School of Sustainability Tempe, Arizona United States North America
M.Sc. Regenerative Studies California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Pomona, California United States North America
M.Sc.Sustainability Science: Ecosystems, Biodiversity And Society Leuphana University of Lüneburg Lüneburg, Lower Saxony Germany Europe
M.A.Sustainability Science: Entrepreneurship, Agency And Leadership Leuphana University of Lüneburg Lüneburg, Lower Saxony Germany Europe
M.A.Sustainability Science: Governance and Law Leuphana University of Lüneburg Lüneburg, Lower Saxony Germany Europe
M.Sc.Sustainability Science: Resources, Materials And Chemistry Leuphana University of Lüneburg Lüneburg, Lower Saxony Germany Europe
M.Sc. Sustainability Science Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro - PUC-Rio Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro Brazil South America
M.Sc. Sustainability Science Columbia University New York, New York United States North America
PhD, M.Sc. Ecosystem Sustainability Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado United States North America
M.Sc. Sustainability Science Montclair State University Montclair, New Jersey United States North America
M.S. Sustainability Science University of Massachusetts, Amherst Amherst, Massachusetts United States North America
M.S. Natural Resources & Environment University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability Ann Arbor, Michigan United States North America
M.L.A Landscape Architecture University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability Ann Arbor, Michigan United States North America
Ph.D. Resource Ecology Management and Resource Policy and Behavior University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability Ann Arbor, Michigan United States North America
PhD (Sustainability Science) Universiti Malaysia Kelantan Jeli, Kelantan Malaysia Asia
M.Sc (Sustainability Science) Universiti Malaysia Kelantan Jeli, Kelantan Malaysia Asia
M.Sc (Dual Degree Programme in Innovation, Human Development and Sustainability) University of Geneva / Geneva-Tsinghua Initiative Geneva, Switzerland and Beijing, China Switzerland and China Europe and Asia
M.S. Sustainability: Science and Society Brock University St. Catharines, Ontario Canada North America
M.Sc. Sustainability Science Leuphana University of Lüneburg Lüneburg, Lower Saxony Germany Europe
M.Sc. in Sustainability Management Program University of Toronto Mississauga, Ontario Canada North America
MBA Sustainability Management Leuphana University of Lüneburg Lüneburg, Lower Saxony Germany Europe
Ll.M. Umweltrecht: Nachhaltigkeitsrecht - Energie, Ressourcen, Umwelt Leuphana University of Lüneburg Lüneburg, Lower Saxony Germany Europe
Dr. rer. sust. Doctor of Sustainability Science Darmstadt University of applied Sciences Darmstadt, Hessen Germany Europe
M.Phil. Engineering for Sustainable Development University of Cambridge Cambridge, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom Europe
M.Sc. Sustainability University of Southampton Southampton, Hampshire United Kingdom Europe
M.Sc. Environmental Sustainability & Green Technology Keele University Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire United Kingdom Europe
M.Sc. Environmental Technology Imperial College London Kensington, London United Kingdom Europe
M.Sc Environmental Science for Sustainability King's College London Strand, London United Kingdom Europe
M.Sc. Sustainability Science and Solutions Lappeenranta University of Technology Lappeenranta, South Karelia Finland Europe
M.Sc. Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science Lund University Lund, Scania Sweden Europe
M.Sc. Social-Ecological Resilience for Sustainable Development Stockholm University Stockholm, Stockholm Sweden Europe
PhD Sustainability Science Stockholm University Stockholm, Stockholm Sweden Europe
Master of Environment and Sustainability Monash University Melbourne, Victoria Australia Oceania
M.Sc. Sustainability Science and Policy Maastricht University Maastricht, Limburg Netherlands Europe
M.Sc. Sustainability University of São Paulo São Paulo Brazil South America
Ph.D. Sustainability University of São Paulo São Paulo Brazil South America
Ph.D. Sustainability Science Lund University Lund, Scania Province Sweden Europe
M.Sc. Environmental Studies & Sustainability Science Lund University Lund, Scania Province Sweden Europe
M.Sc. Sustainability Science The University of Tokyo Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture Japan Asia
Ph.D. Sustainability Science The University of Tokyo Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture Japan Asia
M.S. Sustainability Science National Autonomous University of Mexico Mexico City Mexico North America
Ph.D. Sustainability Science National Autonomous University of Mexico Mexico City Mexico North America
Ph.D. Transdisciplinary Sustainability Memorial University (Grenfell Campus) Corner Brook Canada North America

See also

References

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  11. ↑ National Research Council (1999). Our common journey : a transition toward sustainability. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. ISBN 978-0-309-08638-7. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
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  13. ↑ "Overview". Sustainable Science Program. Harvard University. Archived from the original on 19 November 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  14. ↑ Kieffer, S.W.; Barton, P.; Palmer, A.R.; Reitan, P.H.; Zen, E. (2003). "Megascale events: Natural disasters and human behavior". Geological Society of America Abstracts with programs. p. 432.
  15. ↑ Tortell, Philippe D. (21 April 2020). "Earth 2020: Science, society, and sustainability in the Anthropocene". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 117 (16): 8683–8691. Bibcode:2020PNAS..117.8683T. doi:10.1073/pnas.2001919117. PMC 7183177. PMID 32312801.
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  17. 1 2 Brown, Halina Szejnwald (January 2012). "Sustainability Science Needs to Include Sustainable Consumption". Journal of Policies for Sustainable Definitions. 54 (1): 20–25. Bibcode:2012ESPSD..54a..20B. doi:10.1080/00139157.2012.639598. S2CID 153791583.
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  19. ↑ Kates, Robert W., ed. (2010). Readings in Sustainability. CID Working Paper No. 213. Center for Development, Harvard University. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University, December 2010. Abstract and PDF file available on the Harvard Kennedy School website; retrieved 2017-07-16.
  20. ↑ Meyers, R. (2012). Encyclopedia of sustainability science and technology. New York: Springer.
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  22. ↑ Consilience. Accessed: 19 May 2018.
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  26. ↑ Sustainability: science, practice, policy journal
  27. ↑ "Sustainability Science". Sustainability.pnas.org. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  28. ↑ "GAIA". Oekom.de. Archived from the original on 20 May 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  29. ↑ "Graduate degrees and programs". schoolofsustainability.asu.edu.
  30. ↑ "MSRS Master of Science in Regenerative Studies | Lyle Center for Regenerative Studies | College of Environmental Design - Cal Poly Pomona". env.cpp.edu.
  31. ↑ "Master in Sustainability Science".
  32. ↑ "MS Master of Science in Sustainability Science | Earth Institute | School of Professional Studies - Columbia University".
  33. ↑ "UMass Amherst MS3; University of Massachusetts, Amherst, School of Earth and Sustainability".
  34. ↑ "Master of Science | Environment + Sustainability | University of Michigan SEAS".
  35. ↑ "Master of Landscape Architecture | Environment + Sustainability | University of Michigan SEAS". 17 November 2025.
  36. ↑ "PHD | Environment + Sustainability | University of Michigan SEAS".

Further reading