Call for paper for sustainability science and implementing the sustainable development goals

Abstract

Sustainability science probes interactions between global, social, and human systems, the complex mechanisms that lead to degradation of these systems, and concomitant risks to human well-being. As a transdisciplinary academic discipline, it can point the way to a sustainable global society by identifying and addressing complex challenges that traditional academic disciplines have not addressed. As it can no longer be considered a new field, it is the right time to take stock of what we have learned in recent sustainability science research, and how to apply this to the sustainability challenge of our time, which is the success of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs combine efforts to eradicate poverty and increase the development of poor countries with decreasing the human footprint on the environment. They will take a more inclusive and diverse approach by mobilizing actors in both developed and developing countries. Now serious sustainable development problems dominate policy discussion in many countries, but with little actual results in terms of complex global environmental problems like climate change. Where progress in social indicators is made, it often comes at an environmental cost. Inter-linkages across different goals will be a challenging area of research, and the inherent trade-offs and complexity of such an effort require that related policies be informed by a science of sustainability. New accounting measures will be required to monitor implementation of SDGs, such as with an inclusive index of well-being by including natural and human capital as well as manufactured capital into national accounts. The SDGs and progressively more inclusive accounting methods are a response to the rather narrow focus on economic growth that creates inequality and undermines sustainability, and there is a need for research into how measuring wealth inclusively can support SDG implementation. This special issue presents a critical analysis of the SDGs from the perspective of how the science community can best contribute to their implementation through scenario analysis, stakeholder partnerships, regional analyses, and ultimately policy impact. & Osamu Saito saito@unu.edu