This article presents a framework for vulnerability analysis in sustainability science, emphasizing the need to consider the complex interactions within coupled human-environment systems. Vulnerability is not just about exposure to hazards but also involves sensitivity and resilience of the system. The framework aims to integrate these aspects into assessments, considering the system's capacity to cope, respond, and adapt. It highlights the importance of place-based analysis, acknowledging that vulnerability varies by location and is influenced by social, economic, and institutional factors. The framework includes elements such as multiple interacting perturbations, exposure, sensitivity, resilience, and nested scales of hazards and responses. It also emphasizes the need for comprehensive vulnerability analysis that accounts for the coupled system's dynamics, including the role of institutions, stochastic processes, and nonlinear interactions. The framework is designed to support decision-making by linking vulnerability assessments to practical actions, considering both quantitative and qualitative data. The article also discusses the importance of institutional structures that facilitate the integration of vulnerability analysis into decision-making processes. The framework is illustrated with case studies and is intended to guide future research and policy in sustainability science.This article presents a framework for vulnerability analysis in sustainability science, emphasizing the need to consider the complex interactions within coupled human-environment systems. Vulnerability is not just about exposure to hazards but also involves sensitivity and resilience of the system. The framework aims to integrate these aspects into assessments, considering the system's capacity to cope, respond, and adapt. It highlights the importance of place-based analysis, acknowledging that vulnerability varies by location and is influenced by social, economic, and institutional factors. The framework includes elements such as multiple interacting perturbations, exposure, sensitivity, resilience, and nested scales of hazards and responses. It also emphasizes the need for comprehensive vulnerability analysis that accounts for the coupled system's dynamics, including the role of institutions, stochastic processes, and nonlinear interactions. The framework is designed to support decision-making by linking vulnerability assessments to practical actions, considering both quantitative and qualitative data. The article also discusses the importance of institutional structures that facilitate the integration of vulnerability analysis into decision-making processes. The framework is illustrated with case studies and is intended to guide future research and policy in sustainability science.