Official statistics indicate that the world’s population crossed the seven billion threshold late in 2011. This ever expanding sea of humanity will, inevitably, continue to both compete and cooperate on the twin issues of access to and stewardship of Earth’s natural resources, in the fast changing global environment. As a result researchers, worldwide, are turning attention to the interconnected problems of environmental degradation and protection as well as to the sustainable use of natural resources. This interdisciplinary stream is dedicated to such studies and to the best practice in these areas.