The environmental challenges which we are facing today are rooted in unprecedented and deeply interlinked crises in the relationship between humans and the planet. These challenges combine geo-ecological, political, economic and social problems. To better understand them, and to be able to address these challenges, research needs to undergo profound transformations.

Despite considerable advances of knowledge over the last decade, and the efforts towards collaboration between a broad range of disciplines to understand the systemic complexities which underlie sustainability challenges, the scientific community has so far failed to bring about the transformations that would be necessary to achieve and sustain acceptable living conditions for humans and ecosystems. This raises fundamental questions about the role of research, the use of knowledge and the social and political impact of science.

As a scientific community, we need to abandon the classic linear view through which science feeds into action, and instead start building better conditions for the appropriation of scientific knowledge by private and public actors. This requires experimenting with new ways of producing and sharing knowledge with decision-makers and actors on the ground, and exploring a wider range of narratives for the future, ranging from full recognition of the current crisis to desirable scenarios exploring radical system shift.

The Autumn School will allow the participants to share and reflect on the various ways science communities in Europe frame sustainability science and transform their practices to better address sustainability challenges and make a greater contribution to societal transformations. This should enable participants to integrate new concepts and practices into their future research portfolios.