The aim of this 2-volume book is to highlight how Sustainability Science approaches can help solve some of the pervasive challenges that Africa faces. The volumes collect a number of local case studies throughout Africa that adopt transdisciplinary and problem-oriented research approaches using methodologies from the natural and the social sciences. These are put into perspective with chapters that introduce key sustainability challenges such using a regional focus. Through this multi-scale and inter/transdisciplinary approach the proposed volume will provide an authoritative source that will pack in a single volume a large amount of information on how Sustainability Science approaches sustainability challenges in African contexts. While there have been general books about sustainability science, none has had a strong African focus. As a result the 2-volume set fills a major gap in the Sustainability Science scholarship.

This volume sets the stage for the series. PartI introduces key sustainability challenges in Africa. Parts II‐III highlights specific case studies related to these challenges from West and Central Africa.