“We mustn’t shy away from doing science that’s political”

A CDE Spothlight interviews Anna-Katharina Hornidge, Director of the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), and Sabin Bieri, Director of CDE. The “super election year” of 2024 swept autocrats into power and strengthened nationalist parties. The election of US President Donald Trump, in particular, is causing the pillars of the previous world order to collapse. What does this mean for the goals of sustainable development, and for sustainability science itself? And how do we get back out of this situation?