摘要：How can our society address the complex interaction of environmental, social, and economic problems in the 21st century? We propose that federal agencies in the United States complement their existing regulatory framework with new initiatives based on the “innovation cycle” for sustainability. This approach includes engaging stakeholders, advancing sustainability science and systems thinking, encouraging public-private partnerships, and developing decision-support capabilities to enable sustainable and resilient solutions. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is moving in this direction through new actions defined in the agency’s Strategic Plan for 2014–2018. In this Community Essay, we highlight examples of how the innovation cycle enables progress on critical issues facing USEPA and other agencies, and we argue for increased government-business collaboration, federal agency coordination, and public involvement.
