摘要
Sustainability science is being developed in constructive tension between a descriptive–analytical and a transformational mode. The first is concerned with analyzing problems in coupled human–environment systems, whereas the second conducts research on practical solutions to those problems. Transformational sustainability research is confronted with the challenges of generating actionable knowledge, incorporating knowledge from outside academia, and dealing with different values and political interests. This study approaches the theory and promise of sustainability science through a comparative appraisal of five empirical sustainability science projects. We exemplarily appraise in how far sustainability science succeeds and fails in yielding solution options for sustainability problems based on an evaluative framework (that accounts for the particularities of sustainability science). The selected sustainability projects cover a range of topics (water, bioenergy, land use, solar energy, urban development), regions (from coastal to mountainous, from rural to urban areas, in several countries in Africa, Europe, and South and North America), spatial levels (from village to country levels), and research approaches. The comparative results indicate accomplishments regarding problem focus and basic transformational research methodology, but also highlight deficits regarding stakeholder participation, actionable results, and larger impacts. We conclude with suggestions on how to fully realize the potential of sustainability science as a solution-oriented endeavor, including advanced collaborative research settings, advances in transformational research methodologies, cross-case generalization, as well as reducing institutional barriers.
中文摘要
可持续发展科学是在描述性、分析性和转换性模式之间的建设性张力中发展起来的。第一个是分析人-环境耦合系统中的问题，而第二个是研究这些问题的实际解决方案。转型可持续性研究面临着产生可操作的知识、吸收学术界以外的知识以及处理不同价值观和政治利益的挑战。本研究通过对五个实证可持续性科学项目的比较评估，探讨了可持续性科学的理论和前景。我们举例评估了可持续发展科学在基于评估框架（考虑到可持续发展科学的特殊性）的可持续发展问题解决方案方面的成功和失败程度。选定的可持续发展项目涵盖一系列主题（水、生物能源、土地利用、太阳能、城市发展）、区域（从沿海到山区，从农村到城市，在非洲、欧洲、南美洲和北美洲的几个国家）、空间层面（从村庄到国家层面）和研究方法。比较结果表明，在关注问题和基本转型研究方法方面取得了成就，但也突出了利益相关者参与、可操作结果和更大影响方面的不足。最后，我们就如何充分发挥可持续发展科学作为一项以解决方案为导向的努力的潜力提出了建议，包括先进的合作研究环境、转型研究方法的进步、跨案例概括以及减少制度障碍。
