Editorial overview: The science of actionable knowledge

Today, perhaps more than ever, voices across science and societies are calling upon science to inform solutions that will enhance environmental sustainability. Increasingly, sustainability scientists and practitioners are responding by working more deliberately, and often more collaboratively with each other, to generate knowledge that is actionable. While these efforts often appear beneficial, achieving sustainability remains an all too distant goal. As a result, those desiring stronger links between scientific knowledge and action may benefit from improved understanding of what makes knowledge actionable and what actionable knowledge can and cannot do to enhance social and environmental well-being.