The social-ecological systems framework (SESF) is arguably the most comprehensive
conceptual framework for diagnosing interactions and outcomes in social-ecological …

This article synthesizes and compares environmental governance theories. For each theory
we outline its main tenets, claims, origin, and supporting literature. We then group the …

Failure to address unsustainable global change is often attributed to failures in conventional
environmental governance. Polycentric environmental governance—the popular alternative …

Institutions are vital to the sustainability of social-ecological systems, balancing individual
and group interests and coordinating responses to change. Ecological decline and social …

Understanding why people do what they do is central to advancing equitable and
sustainable futures. Yet, theories about human action are fragmented across many social …

Background: Competition for freshwater between cities and agriculture is projected to grow
due to rapid urbanization, particularly in the Global South. Water reallocation from rural to …

Large marine protected areas are increasingly being established to meet global
conservation targets and promote sustainable use of resources. Although the factors …

In fisheries management—as in environmental governance more generally—regulatory
arrangements that are thought to be helpful in some contexts frequently become panaceas …

Highlights•Case comparison and synthesis methods are increasingly being used alongside
in-depth case studies to investigate causal effects and causal mechanisms in social …

Many frameworks exist across the sciences and science-policy interface, but it is not always
clear how they are developed or can be applied. It is also often vague how new or existing …