Burns, MERAudouin, Michelle AWeaver, AV2007-07-032007-07-032006-09Burns, MER, Audouin, MA and Weaver, AV. 2006.Advancing sustainability science in South Africa. South African Journal of Science, Vol. 102(9/10), pp 379-3840038-2353http://hdl.handle.net/10204/875Copyright: 2006 Acad Science South Africa A S S AFScience has considerable potential to contribute to sustainable development. Much of this potential remains latent, however, due to the divisions that exist within and between the producers of scientific information and the users of this and other sources of knowledge. A response to this situation has seen the emergence of 'sustainability science’, which aims to overcome divisions between knowledge sources of various forms, including the social and natural sciences and alternative epistemologies that warrant acknowledgement. We (the authors) review the key defining characteristics of sustainability science, and describe some examples of science-based South African initiatives, aimed at promoting sustainable development, that incorporate many of these characteristics. We (the authors) suggest that, with some reinforcement of their sustainability science base, these examples provide good templates for broader application. To retain the experience gained through such projects and to build organizational memory, there is a strong case for the establishment of trans disciplinary centres for sustainability science in South Africa.enSustainable developmentSustainability scienceSouth AfricaSocial–ecological systemsInterdisciplinary dialogueArticleBurns, M., Audouin, M. A., & Weaver, A. (2006). Advancing sustainability science in South Africa. http://hdl.handle.net/10204/875Burns, MER, Michelle A Audouin, and AV Weaver "Advancing sustainability science in South Africa." (2006) http://hdl.handle.net/10204/875Burns M, Audouin MA, Weaver A. Advancing sustainability science in South Africa. 2006; http://hdl.handle.net/10204/875.TY - Article AU - Burns, MER AU - Audouin, Michelle A AU - Weaver, AV AB - Science has considerable potential to contribute to sustainable development. Much of this potential remains latent, however, due to the divisions that exist within and between the producers of scientific information and the users of this and other sources of knowledge. A response to this situation has seen the emergence of 'sustainability science’, which aims to overcome divisions between knowledge sources of various forms, including the social and natural sciences and alternative epistemologies that warrant acknowledgement. We (the authors) review the key defining characteristics of sustainability science, and describe some examples of science-based South African initiatives, aimed at promoting sustainable development, that incorporate many of these characteristics. We (the authors) suggest that, with some reinforcement of their sustainability science base, these examples provide good templates for broader application. To retain the experience gained through such projects and to build organizational memory, there is a strong case for the establishment of trans disciplinary centres for sustainability science in South Africa. DA - 2006-09 DB - ResearchSpace DP - CSIR KW - Sustainable development KW - Sustainability science KW - South Africa KW - Social–ecological systems KW - Interdisciplinary dialogue LK - https://researchspace.csir.co.za PY - 2006 SM - 0038-2353 T1 - Advancing sustainability science in South Africa TI - Advancing sustainability science in South Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10204/875 ER -