The UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES Coalition is proud to announce the formal recognition of the 4-OCEANS research project as an outstanding initiative, demonstrating and exemplifying excellence in humanities-anchored, transdisciplinary sustainability science.
We begin this series focussing on publications from 2025, with a paper written by Luci Attala, Louise Steel, and Gareth Thomas, BRIDGES IPO and UK Hub, UWTSD, and Nigel Robins: Geographer and specialist in Welsh industrial history. In a significant submission to the UK Parliament, a transdisciplinary team challenge traditional "top-down" approaches to environmental restoration, arguing that the true value of Wales’ industrial legacy lies as much in its "intangible" culture as in its ecology; demonstrating the value of local, historical, and cultural stories to foster climate change adaptation and coastal resilience. The paper was submitted as written evidence for the Welsh Affairs Committee of the UK Parliament, published 19 March 2025.
Work is well underway on the ground-breaking “REPAIR: Retrofitting for the Future: Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Adaptation” project. The ambition is to transform the urban landscape by integrating nature, wellbeing, and sustainability. The four-year project is one of just three across the UK chosen for funding through AHRC’s new Mission Awards. Through this project, the city of Swansea, Wales, is set to become a beacon of sustainable, nature-led urban living. This innovative, four-year, £3 million initiative, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), is pioneering a new way to adapt older urban buildings to the challenges of climate change and wellbeing.
The UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES Coalition has recognised 11 initiatives in the inaugural round of our Recognition Programme. We commend these standout initiatives for their dedication and impactful contributions to transdisciplinary sustainability science. They serve as exemplary cases of how bridging diverse knowledge systems and integrating the humanities can address complex sustainability challenges. We extend our congratulations and highest regards to all 11 initiatives, celebrating their achievements and honouring the vital work they do.
January 28, 2026, marked the official online debut of The Planetary Arts Movement: X-ART, an ambitious global initiative led by the World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS) in partnership with UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES Coalition and other like-minded organisations. Under the banner Art with Purpose: A Blank Canvas, the event convened a diverse assembly of leaders to reposition creativity as a primary driver for global transformation.
