The conference theme is “Moving Toward a Sustainable Future: Opportunities and Challenges.” Within this theme, the ISDRC 17 will explore the fundamental question of how global society's aspiration to continued growth can be harmonized with the existing limits imposed by Earth’s resources. ISDRC17 will explore how progress in the field of sustainable development can be translated into political action through a dialogue between scientists and stakeholders. The third day of the conference will include dialogue between conference attendees, decision makers, policy makers and the private sector. Scientists from academia and other research entities will have the opportunity to hear firsthand about the type of information needed by stakeholders while stakeholders and policymakers will be informed of the state of the science of sustainable development. The results of the conference will be summarized in a white paper prepared by the scientific committee to inform the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Earth Summit 2012 (Rio +20).

The conference will explore what it would take to master the challenge of sustainable development in a future with increasing constraints, assuming that developing countries will continue to strive for improvements in their standard of living. At the same time the conference will examine opportunities and mechanisms through which global society can move towards a sustainable future.

Click here to view the conference flyer.