Kates, Robert W.2020-11-182011-03Kates, Robert W. “From the Unity of Nature to Sustainability Science: Ideas and Practice.” CID Working Paper Series 2011.218, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, March 2011.https://nrs.harvard.edu/URN-3:HUL.INSTREPOS:37366242The ideas of sustainability science are at least two centuries old; the practice is but a decade. This paper reviews some of those key ideas beginning with Humboldt and the unity of nature, and goes on to discuss just what is sustainability science. For its current practice, the author discusses three major tasks of sustainability science: fundamental research on use-directed problems; nurture of the next generations of sustainability scientists; and moving knowledge into action. The author illustrates each of these with some recent initiatives.en-USResearch Paper or Report2020-11-18