ESDU Approach

Over the past decade, it has become increasingly clear that major environmental and development problems can no longer be addressed from one perspective or one scientific discipline. Instead, an interdisciplinary and participatory approach is needed to generate adequate solutions and/or insights to complex socio-economic problems.
ESDU was established in 2001 at the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences at AUB to promote collaboration on sustainable development initiatives among departments at AUB and a wide variety of other institutions and organizations undertaking related activities. It will operate in close cooperation with the Interfaculty Graduate Environmental Science Program.
The Environment and Sustainable Development Unit seeks to break away from the restrictions imposed by the traditional compartmentalization of research and consolidate ongoing research projects fostering action-centered, policy-relevant and participatory research.  It will focus on research and development activities linked to community development.