Thank you for joining us on this course. We hope you enjoyed it and that it gave you ideas and input for thinking about and working towards sustainability.

You probably realised that dealing with sustainability is complex and multi-dimensional. Not only do various scientific concepts come with their own distinct strengths and weaknesses, but the concept of sustainability also takes on different forms when put into practice – whether applied to energy systems or in the context of biodiversity.

However, could it be plausible or realistic that there are simple answers to complex global challenges? Perhaps. Either way, we hope that we were able to give you an understanding of the different options and levels to consider in the context of sustainability. We trust that we sparked your interest in dealing with the multi-faceted issues related to sustainability.

Reflection

Take a notebook or a piece of paper and reflect on what you have learnt about sustainability. Try to answer these questions:

1. How has the term sustainability evolved over time?
2. What are the different concepts of sustainability that exist?
3. What sustainability-related challenges does a successful energy transition face?
4. Can you imagine further complex global challenges for sustainability with multiple dimensions and interacting effects? Specify these dimensions and effects.

Authors: Paul Burger, Ulf Hahnel, Patricia Holm, Frank Krysiak, Annika Sohre