Programme on Ecosystem Change and Society: Knowledge for sustainable stewardship of social-ecological systems

Guest editors: Albert V Norström, Patricia Balvanera, Marja Spierenburg, and Meriem Bouamrane

The vision of PECS is a world where human actions are transformed to achieve sustainable stewardship of social-ecological systems. The goal of PECS is to generate the scientific and policy-relevant knowledge of social-ecological dynamics needed to enable such a shift, including mitigation of poverty. In this special feature the authors show how PECS projects and case studies can contribute towards that end.

From France, over Transylvania, to Canada, what unites the different case studies presented in this special feature is their place-based, social-ecological approach. In addition to that, this special feature presents examples of some of the initial key comparisons and syntheses that have been generated across PECS case-studies and projects. Finally, this special feature also provides an intellectual platform for other large international research networks to share insights and identify critical opportunities for coordinated regional social-ecological research.