Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2026
07:37
Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications
Published on: January 19, 2018
19.1K
Structuring and advancing solution-oriented research for sustainability : This article belongs to Ambio's 50th
Daniel J Lang1,2, Arnim Wiek3,4
1Faculty of Sustainability, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Universitätsallee 1, 21339, Lüneburg, Germany. daniel.lang@leuphana.de.
Ambio
|March 14, 2021
Summary
Sustainability science needs solution-oriented research to address global challenges. This study introduces types of solution-oriented research and offers recommendations for supporting early-career researchers in this vital field.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Sustainability Science
- Social Science
Background:
- Global sustainability challenges demand immediate, concerted action.
- Current research often focuses on problem description rather than solutions.
- There is a need to strengthen the impact of sustainability science.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and categorize different types of solution-oriented sustainability research.
- To outline opportunities for advancing solution-oriented research.
- To provide recommendations for supporting researchers, especially students and early-career professionals, in engaging with solution-oriented research.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual framework development for solution-oriented research.
- Literature review and synthesis of existing approaches.
- Discourse analysis to structure the research landscape.
Main Results:
- Categorization of solution-oriented sustainability research into distinct types.
- Identification of key opportunities and pathways for advancing this research.
- Specific recommendations for fostering student and early-career researcher involvement.
Conclusions:
- Solution-oriented research is crucial for effective sustainability action.
- A structured approach and targeted support can enhance the development and impact of solution-oriented sustainability science.
- Investing in early-career researchers is key to future sustainability solutions.
Keywords:
Connection of research effortsCross-case comparissonEnabling actionsLeverage pointsOpportunities for advancementTypologyMore Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:43Sustainable Development
As the human population continues to grow and use resources, we must be mindful of our planet’s natural limits. Sustainable development provides a pathway to maintain and improve human life now while also ensuring that future generations will have the resources that they need. The long-term success of sustainability efforts rests on understanding the interplay between human actions and ecological systems.
01:59Solution Equilibrium and Saturation
Imagine adding a small amount of sugar to a glass of water, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved, and then adding a bit more. You can repeat this process until the sugar concentration of the solution reaches its natural limit, a limit determined primarily by the relative strengths of the solute-solute, solute-solvent, and solvent-solvent attractive forces. You can be certain that you have reached this limit because, no matter how long you stir the solution, undissolved sugar remains. The...
01:21Dimensions of Health and Illness
The factors influencing the health-illness continuum can be internal or external and may or may not be under conscious control. They are related to the following eight human dimensions, and each dimension is interrelated to one other.
01:30Moment of a Couple: Problem Solving
The moment of couple is an essential concept in physics and engineering, used to calculate the rotational force, or torque, that is created when a couple —two equal and opposite forces—acts on an object.
The moment of a couple is found by multiplying the magnitude of one of the forces by the perpendicular distance between the line of action of the two forces. This creates a twisting force, which can be used to rotate an object. The moment of a couple is used to solve problems involving balanced...
The moment of a couple is found by multiplying the magnitude of one of the forces by the perpendicular distance between the line of action of the two forces. This creates a twisting force, which can be used to rotate an object. The moment of a couple is used to solve problems involving balanced...
01:26Impact: Problem Solving
In an experiment conducted during a Mars mission, a rover propels a projectile with an initial velocity, and the projectile rebounds after colliding with the Martian surface. To ascertain the maximum height attained by the projectile after this collision, the known restitution coefficient and acceleration due to gravity are employed.
By designating the launch point as the origin and utilizing kinematic equations, the vertical component of the projectile's velocity at the point of impact is...
By designating the launch point as the origin and utilizing kinematic equations, the vertical component of the projectile's velocity at the point of impact is...
01:26Design Example: Sustainability in Concrete Building
As the construction industry moves towards more eco-friendly practices, concrete's adaptability and its ability to incorporate sustainable features make it a key material in the drive towards greener building solutions.
There are multiple approaches to achieve sustainability in a commercial concrete building. For instance, construct a concrete parking area under the building, utilizing pervious concrete paver blocks in open areas to facilitate rainwater collection through an underground cistern.
There are multiple approaches to achieve sustainability in a commercial concrete building. For instance, construct a concrete parking area under the building, utilizing pervious concrete paver blocks in open areas to facilitate rainwater collection through an underground cistern.