Guest editorial: Special issue: Multidimensional sustainability – transitions and convergences

Multidimensional sustainabilitytransitions and convergencesAs society struggles to overcome urgent environmental, social and economic issues, sustainability is center stage in talks about how to ensure a prosperous future for everyone.Sustainability is not a static objective; rather, it is a dynamic process that necessitates constant adaptation and modification.The integrated and interconnected adjustments required to achieve sustainable development across time and across many areas of concern are included in multidimensional sustainability transitions.These transformations call for convergences at local, regional and global levels and include intricate connections between social, economic and environmental elements.The significance of convergences in building a sustainable future is here explored, along with the idea of multidimensional sustainability transitions.For the purposes of this editorial, multidimensional sustainability transitions refer to transformative processes that include simultaneous and interrelated changes in social, economic and environmental systems.Rather than focusing on a single problem, these transitions address complex problems holistically and force us to recognize that the interdependencies and convergences introduce the possibility of unexpected consequences.Comprehensive approaches to sustainable development are essential to avoid unintended problems and to create lasting change.For instance, if we attempt to address poverty simply through economic practices, we may cause unintended environmental degradation, which, in turn, will exacerbate poverty in the long run.Sustainability from a multidimensional perspective requires innovation.This is why it makes perfect sense to have a thematic issue of a scientific journal dedicated to innovation science as a means of encouraging worldwide sustainability relevance and impact.Innovation appeals to intelligent, rational and visionary goals concerning human, natural and technological resources, while seeking at the same time an increase in the quality of life of human beings at a planetary level, and an improvement in the condition of humans.New paths are being sought for emerging economies and impoverished populations in a vision of a shared future that is inseparable from the growth of the richest economies.Our vision of innovation focuses on sustainability as the fulcrum for understanding how economic development is closely linked to social and environmental sustainability.Increasingly, multidimensional sustainable development is forefront among academic, governmental, industry and community leaders.Beyond coupling technological and managerial aspects, innovation should contribute to the common good and to the betterment of human life.Innovation should begin with a vision of, and commitment to, sharing.Digital transition in human societies is innovation involving technology, but innovation toward sustainability is mainly a cultural issue and implies a real programmatic revolutionmostly socialif we want to implement smarter scenarios in accordance with sustainable development objectives.Hence, we argue that "transitions and convergences" must be deeply integrated with "sustainability" concerns.