RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PLENARY SESSION ON SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE  95th INDIAN SCIENCE CONGRESS
 

3-7 JANUARY, 2008
ANDHRA UNIVERSITY, VISAKHAPATNAM

 1. Sustainability Science is a practical problem-solving oriented discipline, which is based on the integration of natural and social sciences with ethics, economic sustainability, social Sustainability and governance. Sustainability Science has to be rooted on the environment of the country and has to be able to demonstrate sustainable management of ecosystems. Educational programmes of Sustainability Science have to be based on real life examples.
 

2. Sustainability Science requires different research methods, as compared to the mainstream science. These methods include Anticipatory Research, and Participatory Research in which the beneficiaries would work with scientists to identify and develop new programmes and problem solving methods. These methods would have to be developed in the basis of real experiences as part of actions research projects, and thereafter disseminated widely under the programmes for Education for Sustainability Science.
 

3. Practitioners of Sustainability Science in different parts of country have to network and work together in partnership with the Chair for Sustainable Development for developing the new field of Sustainability Science in the country.
 

4. Sustainability Science in the energy sector should focus on meeting energy needs of the large percentage of the country’s population living in the rural areas in the sustainable manner.
 

5. The example of recurring farmers suicides in India only reinforces the need for greater and in- depth understating of the multiple dimension of Sustainability Science. Projects for promoting on sustainable development have to be based on such understanding of the social and cultural dimensions, and their linkages with the economic and environment dimensions.
 

6. Sustainability Science development should draw from the experiences of teaching and research of Environment Science, other existing and mainstream science, and focus in bringing about strengthening of livelihoods and ecological security for sustainable development. The overall objective of the Sustainability Science should be to create a sustainable society where there is no deprivation.