Now more than ever, the world is witnessing a green renaissance—a global shift toward sustainable practices that restore ecological balance and protect future generations. But to turn this momentum into lasting action, scientific knowledge should be open to all—so that it can drive policy, spark innovation, and inspire real-world change.

That’s why we feature four Research Topics showcasing solutions for a more sustainable world. These scientific communities have pioneered groundbreaking discoveries to drive tangible progress in climate resilience, biodiversity, and sustainable development.

All articles are freely available to view and download.

1 | Alternative protein source for a sustainable and healthy nutrition

196,000 views | 12 articles

This Research Topic explores the rise of meatless diets and their potential to drive scientific innovation in alternative proteins, including legumes, ancient cereals, fungi, plant-based foods, and edible insects—offering a more sustainable approach to nutrition.

Climate change and socioeconomic disparities leave many malnourished, while livestock farming, though providing protein, exacerbates greenhouse gas emissions and threatens long-term food sustainability.

To meet global food demands while balancing ecological and economic goals, exploring alternative protein sources is crucial for a more sustainable future.

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2 | The physical environment and health: implications for the planning and management of healthy cities

216,000 views | 68 articles

This Research Topic examines how the physical environment—including the built environment, extreme temperatures, urban flooding, pollution, and factors like transportation, food, and housing quality—affects health behaviors and outcomes.

The World Health Organization’s “healthy city” concept highlights the need to enhance urban environments for wellbeing. The COVID-19 pandemic reinforced this urgency, emphasizing resilience and sustainability in city planning, drawing increased attention from governments, society, and academia.

The physical environment plays a crucial role in shaping health behaviors and outcomes. Therefore, understanding these complex interactions is essential for promoting wellbeing and addressing public health challenges.

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3 | Forest carbon credits as a nature-based solution to climate change?

124,000 views | 10 articles

This Research Topic explores the role of forest carbon credits in reducing emissions, especially as meeting climate targets without land-based solutions becomes increasingly challenging.

Supporters argue that forest carbon credits incentivize conservation, sustainable management, and reforestation while lowering mitigation costs and enhancing climate ambition. However, critics warn they may divert attention from cutting emissions at the source, raising concerns about permanence and effectiveness. View Research Topic

4 | Nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation

15,000 views | 11 articles

This Research Topic studies the potential of nature-based solutions for climate adaptation. Climate change poses complex challenges to the world in the form of extreme weather, such as increased precipitation, droughts, flooding, and heat waves. These risks have significant impacts on ecosystems and communities, including risks to human life, health, property, infrastructure, ecosystem health, and access to water and energy.

While ‘nature-based solutions’ is not a novel concept, there is a need for more research into its conceptual and technical aspects to establish a solid foundation for designing effective applications. Researching the potential of nature-based solutions for specific climate change adaptation can provide valuable insights into their applicability, measurement, effectiveness, and scalability. All these factors make this topic highly relevant to creating a more sustainable planet.

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