• POLrCY FORÖW
(iv) recognize the wide range of outlooks
POLICY FORUM: ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
SustaínabíUty Science
Robert W. Kates, William C. Clark,* Robert Corell, J. Michael Hall, Carlo C. Jaeger,
Ian Lowe, James J. McCarthy, Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, Bert Bolin,
Nancy M. Dickson, Sylvie Faucheux, Gilberto C. Calloprn, Arnulf Grübler,
Brian Huntley, Jill Jäger, Narpat S. Jodha, Roger E. Kasperson, Akin Mabogunje,
Pamela Matson, Harold Mooney, Berrien Moore III, Timothy O'Riordan, Uno Svedin
eeting fundamental human needs
M while preserving the life-support sys-
teins of planet Earth is the essence of
sustainable development, an idea that
emerged in the early 1980s from scientific
perspectives on the relation between nature
and society (/). During the late "HOs and early
•90s, however, much of the science and tech-
nology community became increasingly es-
tranged from the preponderantly soeietal and
political processes that were shaping the sus-
lainablc development agenda. This is now
changing as efforts to promole a sustainability
transition emergefrominternational scientific
programs, the world's scientific academies,
and independent networks of scientists {!).
Core Questions
A new field of sustainability science is
emerging that seeks to understand the fun-
damental character of interactions between
R. W. Kates, 33 Popple Point, Trenton, ME 04605.
USA. W. C. Clark and N. M. Dickson. Kennedy School
of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
02138, USA. R. Corell, American Meteorological Soci-
ety, Washington, DC 2000S. USA, J. M. Hall, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver
Spring, MD 20910, USA. C. C. Jaeger and H. J.
Scheilnhuber. Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact
Research, Potsdam D-14412. Germany. I. Lowe, Grif-
fith University, Nathan 4111, Australia. J. J. McCarthy,
Harvard University. Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. B.
Bolin, Stockholm University, Stockholm S-18451,
Sweden, S. Faucheux, Centre d'Economie et d'éthique
pour l'Environment et le Développement, Université
de Versailles, Guyancourt 78047, France. G. C. Gai-
lopin, Economie Commission for Latin America and
the Caribbean, Santiago, Chite. A. Grübler, Interna-
tional Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Vienna
A-2361, Austria. B. Huntley, National Botanical Insti-
tute. Cape Town 7735, South Africa. J. Jäger, interna-
tional Human Dimension Programme on Global En-
vironmental Change, Bonn D-S3113, Germany. N. S,
Jodha, International Centre for Integrated Mountain
Development, Katmandu, Nepal. R. E. Kasperson,
Stockholm Environment Institute. Stockholm 103
14. Sweden. A. Mabogunje. Development Policy Cen-
tre. Ibadan. Nigeria. P. Matson and H. Mooney, Stan-
ford University, Stanford, CA 9430S, USA. B. Moore
III. Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and
Space, University of New Hampshire, Durham. NH
038J4, USA, T. O'Riordan, Centre for Social and Eco-
nomic Research on the Global Environment, Univer-
sity of East Anglia, Norvi/ich NR4 7TJ, UK. U. Svedin,
Swedish Council for Planning and Coordination of
Research (FRN), Stockhotm S-10387. Sweden.
*To whom correspondence should be sent. E-mait:
William clark@harvard.edu
www.sciencemag.org
regarding what makes knowledge usable
within both science and society. Pertinent
actions are not ordered linearly in the fa-
miliar sequence of scientific inquiry,
where action lies outside the research do-
main, In areas like climate change, scien-
tific exploration, and practical application
must occur simultaneously. They tend to
inlluence and become entangled with each
other {5).
In each phase of sustainability science
nature and society. Such an understanding
must encompass the interaction of global
processes with the ecological and social
characteristics of particular places and sec-
research, novel schemes and techniques
have to be used, extended, or invented.
These include observational methods that
blend remote sensing with fieldwork in
tors (i). The regional character of much of conceptually rigorous ways, integrated
what sustainability science is trying to ex- place-based models that are based on
plain means that relevant research wilt have semiqualitative representations of entire
to integrate the efleets of key processes classes of dynamic behavior, and inverse
across Ihe full range of scales from local to approaches that start from outcomes to be
global {4). It will also require fundamental avoided and work backwards to identify
advances in our ability to address such is- relatively safe corridors for a sustainabili-
sues as the behavior of complex self-orga- ty transition. New methodological ap-
nizing systems as well as the responses, proaches for decisions under a wide range
some irreversible, of the nature-soeiety sys- of uncertainties in natural and socioeco-
tem to multiple and
interacting stresses. Global
Combining different issues North
ways of knowing and Old, rich millions
learning will permit Affluence
diflèrent social actors "Global paopie"
Resource surpluses
to work in concert, Causes of climate change
even with much un- Technological knowledge Young, poor billions^
certainty and limited Tîieory-driven research • Poverty
information. 'Loca) people"
Resource shortages
With a view to- Impacts of climate change
ward promoting the Traditional knowledge
research necessary Local Action-driven research
to achieve such ad- issues South ._B_te-a
vances, we propose Sustainability science within a divided world.
an initial set of core
questions for sustainability science (see nomic systems are becoming available
the table on page 642). These are meant to and need to be more widely exploited, as
focus research attention on both the funda- does the systematic use of networks for
mental character of interactions between the utilization of expertise and the promo-
nature and society and on society's capaci- tion of social learning (rt). Finally, in a
ty to guide those interactions along more world put at risk by the unintended conse-
sustainable trajectories. quences of scientific progress, participa-
tory procedures involving scientists,
Research Strategies
stakeholders, advocates, active citizens,
The sustainability science that is necessary and users of knowledge are critically
to address these questions differs to a con- needed ( 7).
siderable degree in structure, methods, and
content from science as we know it. In Institutions and Infrastructure
particular, sustainability science will need Progress in sustainability science will re-
to do the following: (i) span the range of quire fostering problem-driven, interdisci-
spatial scales between such diverse phe- plinary research; building capacity for this
nomena as economic globalization and lo- research; creating coherent systems of re-
cal farming practices, (ii) account for both search planning, operational monitoring,
the temporal inertia and urgency of pro- assessment, and application; and providing
cesses like ozone depletion, (iii) deal with reliable, long-tenn financial support. Insti-
functional complexity such as is evident in tutions for sustainability science must fos-
recent analyses of environmental degrada- ter the development of capacities ranging
tion resulting from multiple stresses; and from rapid appraisal of knowledge and ex-
SCIENCE VOL 292 27 APRIL 2001 641
 ScieNce's COMPASS
perience needs in specific field situations, comprehensive approach to capacity build- ing the social learning that will be neces-
through global operational observation and ing will have to nurture these global insti- sary to navigate the transition to sustain-
reporting systems, to long-term integrated tutions in tandem with locally focused, ability. It is along this pathway—in the
research on nature-society interactions in trusted, and stable institutions that can inte- field, in the simulation laboratory, in the
key places and regions of the world. grate work situated in particular places and users' meeting, and in the quiet study—
Generating adequate scientific capacity grounded in particular cultural traditions that sustainability science has already be-
and institutional support in developing with the global knowledge system. Exam- gun toflourish{9).
eountries is particularly urgent as they are ples of such arrangements are few, but our
most vulnerable to the multiple stresses experience includes such diverse examples
References and Notes
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5517/641/DC1.
few institutions with wide-ranging global to guide those interactions along sustain- 11. We gratefully acknowledge support from the Swedish
capabilities are needed as well. However, a able trajectories, and on ways of promot- FRN, NOAA, Packard Foundation, and N5F.

642 27 APRIL 2001 VOL 292 SCIENCE www.sciencemag.org

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