About SRI2022

The Sustainability Research & Innovation Congress 2022 (SRI2022) is a transdisciplinary gathering in sustainability – a space of dynamic advocacy for sustainability scholarship, innovation, collaboration, and action. This is an annual series that unites global leaders, experts, industry, practitioners, and innovators to inspire action and promote transformation in sustainability.

A collaboration of the Belmont Forum and Future Earth, SRI is a unique opportunity for diverse audiences to connect with the global sustainability community, learn and contribute to the latest sustainability science, create novel networks and partnerships, explore new ideas, gain visibility, inspire, and be inspired.

SRI2022 builds on the success of SRI2021 – the first SRI Congress – which was organized in Brisbane, Australia, and online in June 2021. This inaugural Congress brought together over 2000 participants from more than 100 countries, and was fully recorded. All SRI2021 session recordings are now open access and available here.

SRI2022 is hosted by Future Africa at the University of Pretoria.

SRI2022 THEMES

NEW HORIZONS

Sustainability is about our relationship with the future, and SRI2022 seeks to explore emerging issues and trends that shape our world tomorrow. In a time of rapid change, looking ahead is more important than ever. What are the challenges and solutions that might surprise us? How can we get ahead of the curve and build our preparedness and resilience? How to predict the unpredictable? Who are the new players and what are the unlikely coalitions? Under this theme, we are particularly open for new if not unexpected ideas, but examples or areas might include:

  • World after Covid-19
  • Unheard voices in sustainability science and innovation
  • Justice, equity, ethics and inclusion
  • Levers for innovation and change
  • Inclusive financial mechanisms for supporting growth and resiliency

DIFFERENT WAYS OF KNOWING

Recognizing that knowledge is versatile, SRI2022 explores the various ways of understanding, conceptualizing, and learning about the world. An inclusive approach to knowledge will dramatically broaden the spectrum of solutions available for action-forward sustainability work. SRI2022 will promote new perspectives to:

  • Indigenous/local community knowledge
  • Equitable access to information and decision-making options, including Artificial Intelligence
  • TD (transdisciplinary research and transdisciplinarity)*

*transdisciplinary science is an approach that threads together different scientific and other knowledge

NEXUS ISSUES

Many sustainability challenges are interrelated and intertwined and require a nexus approach. SRI2022 invites novel perspectives looking at critical intersections in multiple areas including but not restricted to:

  • Sustainable food systems and human wellbeing
  • Resilience, adaptation and addressing risk
  • Evidence-based and actionable contributions to the SDGs and beyond
  • Narratives of progress, wealth and well-being
  • Water, food, energy, society
  • Resources use efficiency

CROSS-CUTTING: AFRICAN SCIENCE AND INNOVATION

One of the key objectives of SRI2022 is to showcase the richness of African science and innovation in sustainability. From tested local solutions to advanced academic research, the African continent has a wealth of knowledge and innovation to offer to the wider world. In addition, SRI2022 is hoping to strengthen the inter-African dialogue and networks by offering an inclusive platform for increased visibility and collaboration.