As cities and towns nationwide look for innovative ways to tackle the housing crisis, land condition professionals dedicate themselves to unlocking land that was otherwise written off for development. With an increasing drive for accessible green space, remediated sites now not only provide much needed space for housing, but the chance for green spaces in the heart of our cities. This edition of the environmental SCIENTIST highlights some of the key challenges and opportunities currently being tackled by land condition professionals. This issue delves into the legislation surrounding land condition and land use, as well as how modern sustainability technologies and techniques are being incorporated into remediation practice.

As Higher Education Institutions increasingly strive to find the most impactful way of conducting innovative education and research, many are initiating Living Labs programmes. The objective of a Living Lab programme is to establish a platform where people from different stakeholder groups can easily and effectively collaborate. While Living Labs are not limited to sustainability, this sector has led the way and embraced their potential to enhance learning and employability for students, problem-solving for campus managers, and deliver real-world sustainability improvements. This issue of the environmental SCIENTIST explores the development of the concept, presents case studies from the perspective of a range of Living Labs stakeholders, and considers its potential to drive further change.

In September 2015, world leaders adopted the seventeen goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at a special United National Summit. 193 UN Member States signed up to the Goals, which are focused around ending poverty and hunger, protecting the planet, fostering peaceful societies and promoting partnerships to help achieve the sustainable development. Science is fundamental to many of the Goals and the 169 targets which accompany them, and this issue of the environmental SCIENTIST explores its role, in partnership with policy, business and civil society, in delivering on this ambitious agenda.

Though experts have been aware of the issue for many years, it is only in recent years that the majority of the media and public have become aware of the severity of the air quality crisis in many of Britain's towns and cities. But is it too little too late? The articles in this issue of the environmental SCIENTIST discuss controversial topics around air quality management and measurement, and suggest ways in which both government and individuals can strive to tackle this problem.

It is estimated that the world's population will reach 9.7 billion by 2050. This presents a huge challenge: how to feed this many people. This problem can be addressed in a variety of ways: increasing production and sustainability through new technologies and practices, preventing food waste, and changing our diets and behaviours towards consumption. Featuring discussions on topics ranging from smart farms and soil research, to case studies of 'super foods' and successful food waste charities, this issue of the environmental SCIENTIST seeks to explore some of the interconnected challenges of feeding nine billion people. Innovation in thought, technology, policy and practice will play a crucial role in tackling food security in the coming decades, and we hope the case studies presented here will provoke further discussion and provide some insight.