green plant with water droplets — Editors say the special issue aims to contribute to the rapidly expanding field of research in science diplomacy in the light of global sustainability challenges. (Arijit M/Unsplash)

Academic interest in science diplomacy is expanding as governments and international organizations increasingly rely on scientific cooperation to address global challenges.

A Cambridge University Press journal has announced a call for papers examining how scientific cooperation and diplomacy intersect in efforts to address global sustainability challenges.

The journal Global Sustainability is preparing a special issue titled “Science Diplomacy and Sustainability,” inviting theoretical and empirical contributions exploring how scientific cooperation and international diplomacy intersect in addressing global challenges such as climate change, energy security, public health and biodiversity loss.

The call comes as science diplomacy gains greater institutional visibility across international organizations and multilateral frameworks. An increasing reliance on scientific cooperation to address complex cross-border issues is expanding the field beyond traditional academic research into a growing area of policy practice.

The special issue is being edited by Kalterina Shulla of the University of Bonn and Berlin School of Business and Innovation, Bernd-Friedrich Voigt of South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences, and Jan Lüdert of the German Center for Research and Innovation in New York. Manuscripts are due by June 30, 2026.

According to the call for papers, the issue aims to examine how science diplomacy operates as a governance mechanism within international sustainability frameworks, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement, and emerging multilateral initiatives such as the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024–2033).

The editors note that while science diplomacy has received increasing attention in international policy discussions over the past decade, a gap remains between its rhetorical prominence and the practical implementation of policies and institutional arrangements.

“Science diplomacy is increasingly considered a tool for building bridges in addressing interconnected global problems,” the call states, pointing to institutions such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, UNESCO, and the U.N. Environment Program as examples of venues where scientific knowledge and international negotiations intersect.

The collection will focus on governance-oriented approaches to sustainability, including how international institutions, scientific networks and institutions outside of government contribute to policy coordination across borders.

Suggested topics include the role of universities, cities and private sector participants in science diplomacy, emerging diplomatic niches such as climate and technology diplomacy, and empirical studies of cross-border scientific collaboration linked to the U.N.’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.

The call also highlights the expanding role of institutions outside of government — including civil society groups, scientific organizations and private companies — in shaping international science cooperation.

Recent analyses by organizations such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Royal Society have emphasized how science diplomacy is evolving into a more distributed and multidimensional system involving a wide range of participants beyond national governments.

The editors say the special issue aims to advance what some scholars describe as the “science of science diplomacy,” encouraging contributions that clarify concepts, analyze institutional practices and assess how diplomatic engagement around science contributes to sustainability governance.

Submissions will be accepted through the journal’s online manuscript system until the end of June.

The Science Diplomat

Cambridge journal invites research on science…