ABSTRACT
The notions of synergies and goal complementarity are both promising theoretically and empirically. They offer opportunities to look at socio-ecological issues from a system perspective, highlighting connections, mutually reinforcing relationships and common challenges. Both notions invite to join the strengths of multiple approaches and perspectives on societies and the planet into dynamic, inclusive, comprehensive, flexible and far-reaching research and action programmes. As such, they provide promising avenues to bring together the insights of a plethora of fields, from social to natural sciences, in an effort to systematically address pressing socio-ecological issues. Despite their widely recognized value, they are too often peripheral to goal-setting efforts and global governance, rather than integral and central.
