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In this first module of this course the objective has been understanding the system . We have looked at the current situation, its challenges and how the “human period of grace,” the Holocene, gives us an understanding of where we need to set the goals of future development.

This cannot be achieved, however, unless one also changes the perspective of integrated and codependent human-nature systems. A social-ecological system perspective embeds society in the planetary support system while also recognizing the immense driving force of economics.

Furthermore, invoking change towards this development requires a trans-disciplinary approach. As you hopefully learned in the lectures on trans-disciplinary approaches, many different kinds of knowledge are needed. Science provides only one type, while policymakers have important understanding of the social system and local stakeholders provide a third kind of knowledge.

I also hope you had a chance to look at the natural and social science concepts that will repeatedly be mentioned throughout the course.

In summary, this first section should have given you a introduction to understanding how sustainability science is framed in modern research on the topic. The next module will further develop this understanding before we start looking at defining the goal of sustainability.