Sustainability science is an emerging research program that seeks to address the complex interactions between nature and society in the context of sustainable development. It is grounded in the belief that science and technology (S&T) can play a crucial role in achieving sustainability by helping to reconcile society's development goals with the planet's environmental limits. This field is problem-driven, emphasizing the need for knowledge that is coproduced through collaboration between scholars and practitioners. The research program, known as sustainability science, has emerged from various movements that aim to harness S&T for sustainability. The need for sustainable development initiatives to mobilize appropriate science and technology has been recognized for a long time. Early research on sustainable yield management of renewable resources laid the foundation for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's World Conservation Strategy. The Brundtland Commission's report "Our Common Future" and the Agenda 21 action plan further emphasized the importance of appropriate research and development (R&D) in sustainable development. Over the past decade, discussions on how S&T can contribute to sustainability have intensified, involving researchers, practitioners, and organizations worldwide. Sustainability science focuses on the dynamic interactions between nature and society, and has made significant contributions to sustainable development through various S&T efforts. These include improvements in sanitation and cooking technologies, agricultural research, and fundamental scholarship on nature-society interactions. Recent initiatives in industrial ecology and earth system complexity have also contributed to the field. Despite these advancements, much remains to be done. Sustainability science must complement its role in identifying sustainability problems with a greater willingness to collaborate with development and other communities to find practical solutions. The Johannesburg Summit highlighted the need for a more systematic study of internationally sanctioned goals and targets for a sustainability transition. The sustainability science program is also beginning to address fundamental observational and methodological challenges. Sustainability science is not yet an autonomous field but is a vibrant arena that brings together scholarship and practice, global and local perspectives, and disciplines across the natural and social sciences. Its scope, criteria for quality control, and membership are in flux. Nonetheless, the field is intellectually exciting and practically compelling, and may be called "sustainability science."Sustainability science is an emerging research program that seeks to address the complex interactions between nature and society in the context of sustainable development. It is grounded in the belief that science and technology (S&T) can play a crucial role in achieving sustainability by helping to reconcile society's development goals with the planet's environmental limits. This field is problem-driven, emphasizing the need for knowledge that is coproduced through collaboration between scholars and practitioners. The research program, known as sustainability science, has emerged from various movements that aim to harness S&T for sustainability. The need for sustainable development initiatives to mobilize appropriate science and technology has been recognized for a long time. Early research on sustainable yield management of renewable resources laid the foundation for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's World Conservation Strategy. The Brundtland Commission's report "Our Common Future" and the Agenda 21 action plan further emphasized the importance of appropriate research and development (R&D) in sustainable development. Over the past decade, discussions on how S&T can contribute to sustainability have intensified, involving researchers, practitioners, and organizations worldwide. Sustainability science focuses on the dynamic interactions between nature and society, and has made significant contributions to sustainable development through various S&T efforts. These include improvements in sanitation and cooking technologies, agricultural research, and fundamental scholarship on nature-society interactions. Recent initiatives in industrial ecology and earth system complexity have also contributed to the field. Despite these advancements, much remains to be done. Sustainability science must complement its role in identifying sustainability problems with a greater willingness to collaborate with development and other communities to find practical solutions. The Johannesburg Summit highlighted the need for a more systematic study of internationally sanctioned goals and targets for a sustainability transition. The sustainability science program is also beginning to address fundamental observational and methodological challenges. Sustainability science is not yet an autonomous field but is a vibrant arena that brings together scholarship and practice, global and local perspectives, and disciplines across the natural and social sciences. Its scope, criteria for quality control, and membership are in flux. Nonetheless, the field is intellectually exciting and practically compelling, and may be called "sustainability science."