Sustainability and science – challenges for theory and practice

This editorial article for the special issue of Sustainable Development ‘Sustainability and science – challenges for theory and practice’ presents an introduction to the topics and reviews the seven accepted contributions. Four themes were perceived as challenges for the relationship between sustainability and science. 1 Socio-political sciences and religion and their implications for the concept of sustainable development. 2 Soft systems methodologies and indicators and their contribution to sustainability applications. 3 Management sciences and policy development within sustainable development practice. 4 The design disciplines and their adaptation of sustainable development. Scholars in the field, and also in other related fields, are invited to respond to and comment on this special issue of Sustainable Development.