Our planet, and therefore our existence, faces several challenges: world population, food security, climate change, biodiversity loss, water scarcity/poor sanitation, energy resources. Sustainability involves considering the relationship between the finite resources of the planet and the way of life adopted by humans: in what way can our existence be maintained and at what level?

Sustainability is at the forefront of many discussions at the international scene. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals released by the UN in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda underlie that we must become aware of the fact that we are compromising the future of generations to come. The SDGs may well represent the best attempt at addressing sustainability issues at a global scale.

The “Innovation for Sustainability” Prize will reward scientists for their contribution in an area, albeit multidisciplinary, directly relevant to the science of sustainability.

The 2017 prize will be awarded to a female scientist based on scientific achievements in conservation and management of natural resources rather than environmental advocacy