Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain
the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in
Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles
and JavaScript.
Adhesives conveniently hold together a wide variety of physical objects, but they carry an underappreciated environmental burden. More sustainable alternatives are urgently needed.
Adhesives are hard to see when in use, but they force most products to reside in landfills for centuries. Ongoing research is creating opportunities in materials design and market impact, thereby helping society move towards a more sustainable future.
The chronic water crisis in Iran stems from decades of water-intensive development, fragmented governance and national priorities that sidelined environmental protection. Without major governance reform and reprioritization, technical solutions alone cannot stop worsening water and environmental degradation.
A panel discussion with global experts, convened by Nature Sustainability and Tongji University in 2021, outlined the roadmap for the development of next-generation sustainable batteries. We now revisit the topic in light of recent advances.
Linking humans, animals, plants, environments and ecosystems to forge healthier lives on a healthier planet clearly aligns with sustainability objectives. A collection of research and opinion presents ideas on the way forward to support such alignment.
The leather industry is at a pivotal moment on its path towards sustainability. Although many bio-based leather alternatives can reduce environmental impact, we need clear definitions of such alternatives to guide materials innovations that truly bring them into the mainstream, sustainable market, as highlighted in a recent court ruling.
Climate change creates multiple pathways of water contamination. Here we call for defining climate change-driven contaminants as a distinct class and explore their implications.
Although researchers try to understand the physical and chemical impacts of fibre-shaped microscopic pollution, use of inconsistent terminology hinders collective progress. Here we call for a unified language as the essential foundation for coordinated research across disciplines and effective mitigation.
Increasing autocratization globally threatens academic freedoms and scientific integrity, undermining core assumptions of sustainability science and environmental policymaking. To stay relevant, sustainability scientists and environmentalists must change how we work and ally with those defending academic freedom.
Understanding the intersections between Indigenous Peoples and the One Health approach demands a fundamental reorientation of how translational work is conceptualized, enacted and evaluated. Partnership between systems may be possible with a clear recognition by the One Health community of Indigenous rights and Indigenous knowledge systems.
Ten years after the adoption of the Paris Agreement, the climate crisis is escalating. It is time for world leaders to confront the reality of a warming planet with pragmatism and actions.
Although catalytic processes offer a low-cost, low-energy alternative to traditional water treatment methods, they still face a lack of industrial adoption. Here we recommend standardized rigorous practices on the catalyst testing to bridge the gap between laboratory research and practical application.
Wild and remote, Antarctica and the Arctic are drawing in record numbers of tourists from around the globe, with environmental effects following in their wake. Proactive policies and careful management are needed to save the Earth’s poles from their growing popularity.
