About the Journal

The Journal of Interdisciplinary Sustainability Studies (JISS) is dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary research on sustainability. It focuses on addressing the complex challenges of global social-ecological systems and encourages innovative studies that integrate the natural sciences, social sciences, engineering and technology, humanities and arts, as well as policy and practice.

We encourage submissions that bridge disciplines and promote systemic approaches to sustainability, including but not limited to:

• Climate resilience and adaptation strategies
• Circular economy and sustainable resource management
• Sustainable urban and rural development
• Social equity, environmental justice, and inclusive governance
• Green technology, innovation, and sustainable business models
• Ecosystem services, biodiversity conservation, and land-use planning
• Sustainable materials science and green chemistry
• Renewable energy systems and physical sciences
• Mathematical modeling and data science for sustainability
• Environmental physics and Earth system science
• Quantitative methods in sustainability assessment

The scope of submissions covers the following core areas in detail:

I. Interdisciplinary Theories and Methodologies for Sustainability

System Integration Research: Exploring the dynamic connections between environmental, social, and economic sustainability, such as the cross-scale synergy mechanism of the “Water-Energy-Food Nexus”.

Interdisciplinary Methodologies: Applying tools like system analysis, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), social metabolism analysis, and participatory modeling to solve complex issues including resource allocation and ecological restoration.

Theoretical Innovation: Developing post-growth economics, social-ecological resilience theory, and environmental justice frameworks to challenge traditional disciplinary paradigms.

II. Multidimensional Practice of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Core Issues:

  • Climate Action and Ecological Protection: Climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and valuation of ecosystem services.

  • Resource Circulation and Technological Innovation: Circular economy models, renewable energy technologies, and the application of artificial intelligence in environmental monitoring.

  • Social Equity and Governance: Gender equality, poverty reduction strategies, community-based participatory governance, and the coordination of global environmental policies.

  • Urban and Rural Transition: Sustainable urban planning, resilient community development, and the modern transformation of ecological wisdom in traditional settlements.

Regional and Global Challenges:

  • Regional topics such as climate resilience in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), water resource management in arid regions, and Arctic ecology and geopolitics.

  • The sustainability of transnational supply chains and the evaluation of the implementation effects of international environmental agreements (e.g., the Paris Agreement).

III. Technological Innovation and Sustainable Transition

Application of Green Technologies:

  • Clean energy systems (e.g., photovoltaic power, hydrogen energy), Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), and green building technologies.

  • Digital tools: the application of blockchain in resource tracking and big data-driven environmental decision support systems.

Social-Technological Synergy:

  • Social acceptance and ethical controversies of technological innovation.

  • Technological democratization: ensuring that the benefits of technology reach marginalized groups and bridging the digital divide.

IV. Physical Sciences, Materials, and Quantitative Approaches

Sustainable Materials Science and Green Chemistry:

  • Development of biodegradable materials, low-carbon industrial processes, and pollution remediation technologies.

Renewable Energy Systems and Physical Sciences:

  • Solar, wind, and energy storage technologies; energy efficiency modeling; physics of climate systems.

Environmental Physics and Earth System Science:

  • Atmospheric dynamics, hydrology, geophysics, and the physical dimensions of climate change.

Mathematical Modeling and Data Science for Sustainability:

  • Systems dynamics, optimization models, predictive analytics, and AI applications in resource management and environmental monitoring.

Quantitative Methods in Sustainability Assessment:

  • Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), environmental footprint analysis, sustainability indicators, and statistical approaches to policy evaluation.

V. Culture, Education, and Sustainability Values

Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Development:

  • The preservation and application of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and the sustainable management of cultural landscapes.

  • The ecological empowerment of art and design: promoting environmental awareness through public art and designing sustainable products.

Education and Awareness-Raising:

  • The design of interdisciplinary curricula in higher education.

  • Strategies for public environmental education and the role of media in communicating sustainability values.

VI. Policy, Governance, and Social Experiments

Innovation in Policy Tools:

  • Carbon pricing mechanisms, ecological compensation policies, and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investment frameworks.

  • Coordination between local and global policies: e.g., the compatibility of international climate agreements with national transition pathways.

Social Experiments and Governance Models:

  • Evaluation of community co-management (e.g., forest resource management), participatory budgeting, and climate resilience pilot projects.

  • The role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in sustainable development.

VII. Types of Research and Presentation Formats

Academic Research: Original empirical papers, review articles, and theoretical discussions.

Practice-Oriented Works: Policy recommendation reports and case studies.

Innovative Expressions: Cross-media works such as visual data, interactive models, and documentary films on field research.

Special Encouragement for Submissions

  • Mixed-methods research that combines natural sciences and social sciences (e.g., ecological economics, environmental sociology).

  • Critical perspectives: reflecting on the limitations of existing sustainability paradigms and proposing alternative solutions (e.g., post-growth economics, degrowth theory).

  • South-South cooperation and North-South dialogue: focusing on the sustainable development experiences of developing countries and their contributions to the global agenda.

Submission Requirements

  • Manuscripts should clearly indicate the relevant SDG targets, interdisciplinary methodologies, and practical application value.

  • Priority is given to studies with a global perspective while considering regional specificities, with particular attention to solutions for resource-scarce regions.

By integrating interdisciplinary wisdom, JISS aims to provide theoretical breakthroughs and practical pathways for sustainable development, promote the translation of knowledge into action, and contribute to building an equitable and resilient future society.