TY - JOUR

T1 - Mind the sustainability gap

AU - Fischer, Jörn

AU - Manning, Adrian D.

AU - Steffen, Will

AU - Rose, Deborah B.

AU - Daniell, Katherine

AU - Felton, Adam

AU - Garnett, Stephen

AU - Gilna, Ben

AU - Heinsohn, Rob

AU - Lindenmayer, David B.

AU - MacDonald, Ben

AU - Mills, Frank

AU - Newell, Barry

AU - Reid, Julian

AU - Robin, Libby

AU - Sherren, Kate

AU - Wade, Alan

N1 - Times Cited: 8

PY - 2007/12/1

Y1 - 2007/12/1

N2 - Despite increasing efforts to reach sustainability, key global biophysical indicators such as climate change and biodiversity loss continue to deteriorate rather than improve. Ongoing failure to move towards sustainability calls into question the focus of current research and policy. We recommend two strategies for progress. First, sustainability must be conceptualized as a hierarchy of considerations, with the biophysical limits of the Earth setting the ultimate boundaries within which social and economic goals must be achieved. Second, transdisciplinary research programs must confront key normative questions facing modern consumer societies. The humanities should have a key role in such programs. Assisted by these strategies, ambitious targets that realistically reflect the biophysical limits of the life-support system of the Earth must be set and relentlessly worked towards.

AB - Despite increasing efforts to reach sustainability, key global biophysical indicators such as climate change and biodiversity loss continue to deteriorate rather than improve. Ongoing failure to move towards sustainability calls into question the focus of current research and policy. We recommend two strategies for progress. First, sustainability must be conceptualized as a hierarchy of considerations, with the biophysical limits of the Earth setting the ultimate boundaries within which social and economic goals must be achieved. Second, transdisciplinary research programs must confront key normative questions facing modern consumer societies. The humanities should have a key role in such programs. Assisted by these strategies, ambitious targets that realistically reflect the biophysical limits of the life-support system of the Earth must be set and relentlessly worked towards.

KW - Biology

KW - climate change

KW - biodiversity

KW - sustainibility

KW - transdisciplinary research

KW - biophysical limits

KW - life-support system

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=36549072883&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/ce9db000-32ee-3c8a-b3cc-a0ae49dbd94d/

U2 - 10.1016/j.tree.2007.08.016

DO - 10.1016/j.tree.2007.08.016

M3 - Comments / Debate / Reports

C2 - 17997188

VL - 22

SP - 621

EP - 624

JO - Trends in Ecology and Evolution

JF - Trends in Ecology and Evolution

SN - 0169-5347

IS - 12

ER -