Robustness and Resilience of Nature‐Society Systems in the evolving Anthropocen
We found a significant deficiency in the interdisciplinary approach to basic and transformational research concerning the interrelated impacts of environmental pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change.
Despite the substantial amount of research on chemical pollution over the last few decades, it has mostly remained within the domain of ecotoxicology, with little effect on broader ecological fields. Furthermore, there is a lack of social-ecological and social science research addressing the strong interdependence between societies and synthetic chemicals, as well as transformation paths.
Due to the complexity and global nature of this environmental issue, it requires integrated, cross-border research and solution strategies. On the one hand, there is a shortage of research in accurately measuring the effects of new factors on biodiversity and ecosystems. On the other hand, human-caused factors, and potential levers for transformation, such as strategic action fields, relevant actors, and political and economic governance options, need to be examined.
The RobustNature consortium aims to address the research gaps by providing a comprehensive platform for interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research.
The goal is to facilitate societal transformation by examining the safe and equitable operating space for new entities, accounting for both the ecological ceiling and the social foundation. This will be accomplished by combining research on novel entities, the resilience of organisms and ecosystems, and the related social activities, needs, and drivers of change.
Considering this, the consortium has developed the following core research question to guide its work: How do environmental pollution, climate change, and land use change interact to impact biodiversity, ecosystem health, and human well-being, and which societal drivers and transformation levers are involved?
