Sustainability science: Building a new academic discipline

In scientific and academic circles worldwide, the opportunity to develop the emerging discipline of sustainability science has never been greater. This new science has its origins in the concept of sustainable development proposed by the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), also known as the Brundtland Commission (WCED, 1987). Defining sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”, the WCED garnered global support for its argument that development must ensure the coexistence of the economy, society and the environment. Today, sustainability is recognized the world over as a key issue facing twenty-first-century society.

Related Subject(s): Environment and Climate Change