Founded in 2005, the On Sustainability Research Network emerged as one of the earliest interdisciplinary forums to bring environmental science, cultural perspectives, economic thinking, and social equity into the same conversation. From the beginning, the Network has explored sustainability as a set of interdependent systems—ecological, cultural, economic, and institutional—and as a long-term project requiring ethical reflection, scientific evidence, and participatory practice. Over time, it has become a global platform for examining both the structural conditions shaping sustainability and the practical pathways by which communities, governments, and organizations pursue fairer and more resilient futures.
The International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability is hosted each year in partnership with a university or cultural institution. The Network’s history includes early gatherings at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (USA), Hanoi University (Vietnam), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (Malaysia), the University of Madras (India), and the University of Split (Croatia); and more recent conferences at the University of Granada (Spain), the University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), the University of Aveiro (Portugal), the University of the Aegean (Greece), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Netherlands), and Florida International University (USA). Each edition articulates a Special Focus that addresses emerging concerns in sustainability—from governance and justice to innovation, resilience, and transition design. Proposals and presentations are welcomed in both English and Spanish.
The On Sustainability Journal Collection publishes peer-reviewed, hybrid open access research across three core journals: The International Journal of Sustainability Policy and Practice, which investigates governance, regulation, equity, and systemic change; The International Journal of Environmental Sustainability, which examines human–environment interactions and the responsibilities of societies as agents within natural systems; and The International Journal of Social Sustainability in Economic, Social, and Cultural Context, which explores the cultural, economic, and social forces that shape sustainable and unsustainable practices. All journals use a double-anonymous, rubric-guided review process with constructive editorial feedback, and each provides clear pathways from conference presentations and Member Knowledge Community contributions to full publication.
The On Sustainability Book Imprint publishes monographs and edited collections that advance theoretical and applied research on sustainability. Volumes range from global policy analysis and transitions research to community-based case studies, cultural perspectives, and interdisciplinary approaches that integrate science, economics, culture, and governance. The imprint welcomes both broad and specialized topics, offers inclusive submissions, and provides open access pathways to support accessibility and impact.
The On Sustainability Research Network’s Member Knowledge Community on CGScholar provides a year-round environment for collaboration—supporting profiles, papers, comparative studies, field documentation, and works-in-progress. Designed to help members refine their contributions, the platform includes a multimodal authoring environment and light, community-guided review. Conference presentations, journal submissions, and book projects are connected within one integrated research ecosystem, enabling sustained engagement across environmental science, policy, culture, economics, and social change.
The Network’s leadership provides overall direction and stewardship—shaping priorities, supporting programs, and sustaining an inclusive, scholar-led community. The Founding Chair was Amareswar Galla, whose tenure established the Network’s global, interdisciplinary scope; since 2016 the Chair has been David Humphreys, with José Gutiérrez-Pérez serving as Spanish-language Chair.
Professor, Environmental Policy, The Open University, United Kingdom (English)
Professor, Educational Research Methodology, Faculty of Science Education, Universidad de Granada, Spain (Spanish)
Partnerships extend the Network’s scholar-led mission, linking universities, research institutes, and civic organizations committed to sustainability transitions. Recent and past collaborators include:
Hyderabad, India & Sydney, Australia
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Aveiro, Portugal
Miami, USA
James Cook University
Cairns, Australia
Faculty of Education, The University of British Columbia
Vancouver, Canada
Santiago, Chile
Santiago, Chile
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Gujarat, India
Granada, Spain
Rhodes, Greece
Johannesburg, South Africa