How long does Sustainability take to review?

Sustainability typically takes ~2-6 weeks. The full review process involves 5 main stages: manuscript preparation, submission via mdpi system, and peer review.

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Journal Guide

Sustainability Impact Factor 3.3: Publishing Guide

Q: What is the impact factor of Sustainability?

Sustainability has an impact factor of 3.3 (2024). This places it as a respected journal with Sustainability is a large open-access MDPI journal covering environmental science, sustainable development, policy, business, urban systems, and interdisciplinary sustainability research.

Q: What is the acceptance rate of Sustainability?

Sustainability has an acceptance rate of ~35-45%. A common reason for rejection is focusing solely on environmental documentation without solutions. Many papers thoroughly document environmental problems but offer no actionable solutions or policy recommendations. Sustainability values problem-identification, but impact is maximized when coupled with solution pathways or policy frameworks that address root causes.

Q: Is Sustainability peer reviewed?

Yes, Sustainability is fully peer reviewed. All submissions undergo rigorous peer review by 2-3 reviewers assess scientific rigor, novelty, and sustainability relevance. Reviews often constructive and developmental. First decision typically 60-90 days..

Q: What does Sustainability look for in submissions?

Systems-level perspective, not just individual problems: Sustainability values papers that show interconnections. Don't just document pollution - explain how it connects to economic incentives, policy failures, and social vulnerabilities. Papers linking environmental problems to systemic causes and multi-stakeholder solutions are stronger than isolated technical fixes.

Applied sustainability research that links evidence to policy, practice, and systems-level decisions

3.3

Impact Factor (2024)

~35-45%

Acceptance Rate

~2-6 weeks

Time to First Decision

What Sustainability Publishes

Sustainability is a large open-access MDPI journal covering environmental science, sustainable development, policy, business, urban systems, and interdisciplinary sustainability research. The latest official Clarivate figure available in 2026 is a 2024 JIF of 3.3, with Q2 ranking in Environmental Sciences. Its real editorial bar is not prestige-first novelty. It's whether the study is within scope, methodologically sound, and framed around a genuine sustainability question rather than a generic environmental observation. Papers do better when they connect evidence to practical action, policy design, implementation tradeoffs, or system-wide consequences.

Environmental sustainability: climate change mitigation, renewable energy, ecosystem conservation
Social sustainability: social equity, community resilience, environmental justice
Economic sustainability: circular economy, sustainable business practices, green finance
Urban and regional sustainability: sustainable cities, land use, transportation
Water and resource management: freshwater, marine ecosystems, natural resource conservation
Waste management and recycling: circular economy implementation, pollution reduction
Policy and governance: environmental regulation, international agreements, stakeholder engagement
Systems analysis: life cycle assessment, carbon footprinting, sustainability metrics

Editor Insight

“Sustainability publishes research that bridges science and solutions. The best papers document real problems AND propose feasible pathways forward, considering economic and social dimensions equally with environmental. We seek work that actually influences practice and policy, not just adds to the literature.”

What Sustainability Editors Look For

Systems-level perspective, not just individual problems

Sustainability values papers that show interconnections. Don't just document pollution - explain how it connects to economic incentives, policy failures, and social vulnerabilities. Papers linking environmental problems to systemic causes and multi-stakeholder solutions are stronger than isolated technical fixes.

Quantifiable solutions or policy pathways

Identify the problem clearly, but equally emphasize solutions. What specific actions reduce emissions? How much improvement occurs with policy change X? Sustainability publishes problem-identification, but impact is highest when coupled with demonstrated or proposed solutions with measurable outcomes.

Interdisciplinary framing and stakeholder perspective

Environmental problems require environmental AND economic AND social analysis. Papers addressing only one dimension (pure science without policy feasibility, or policy without environmental mechanism) feel incomplete. Include perspectives from multiple disciplines or stakeholder groups.

Real-world validation or practical applicability

Lab-scale results or theoretical models need grounding in actual practice. If you propose a waste reduction strategy, test it with real organizations. If you model carbon reduction, show how communities or industries could actually adopt it. Theory + practical validation is much stronger.

Clear communication for diverse readership

Sustainability attracts scientists, engineers, policymakers, and business professionals. Avoid heavy jargon. Explain why environmental problems matter beyond the specialist community. Use figures and tables that communicate key findings clearly to non-specialists.

Why Papers Get Rejected

These patterns appear repeatedly in manuscripts that don't make it past Sustainability's editorial review:

Focusing solely on environmental documentation without solutions

Many papers thoroughly document environmental problems but offer no actionable solutions or policy recommendations. Sustainability values problem-identification, but impact is maximized when coupled with solution pathways or policy frameworks that address root causes.

Proposing solutions without considering economic feasibility or social acceptance

Technical solutions that ignore cost, scalability, or stakeholder acceptance face criticism. If you propose renewable energy adoption, address cost barriers and community concerns. Technically sound but economically or socially implausible solutions have limited real-world impact.

Isolated technical improvements without systems perspective

Optimizing one process (e.g., reducing waste in manufacturing) without considering supply chain or consumer behavior changes has limited sustainability impact. Best papers show how interventions cascade through systems.

Weak connection between research and actual policy or business practice

Papers that ignore existing policy frameworks, regulatory barriers, or business incentives feel disconnected from reality. Acknowledge what already exists and explain how your findings shift practice or policy within those constraints.

Overclaiming sustainability benefits without lifecycle or systemic analysis

Claiming a product or practice is 'sustainable' without life-cycle assessment or comparative analysis against alternatives is common. Back up claims with data showing true sustainability improvement across the full system.

Does your manuscript avoid these patterns?

The quick diagnostic reads your full manuscript against Sustainability's criteria and flags the specific issues most likely to cause rejection.

Run Free Readiness Scan →

Insider Tips from Sustainability Authors

Open access + broad readership = high visibility for policy impact

Sustainability's open-access model means your work reaches policymakers and practitioners, not just academics. Frame findings with policy and business applications explicitly. Papers that address real sustainability challenges often get cited by government and industry reports.

Special issues and topic collections increase discoverability

Sustainability publishes special issues on themes like circular economy, climate adaptation, and sustainable cities. Submitting to a relevant special issue increases editorial attention and reader engagement. Check the journal website for upcoming topics.

Case studies and real-world applications are highly valued

Research documenting actual implementation of sustainability solutions - carbon reduction in a manufacturing facility, waste reduction in a community, renewable energy adoption in a region - often outperforms purely theoretical papers. Real-world validation matters.

Include stakeholder perspectives in your framing

Papers that acknowledge perspectives of government, industry, communities, and other stakeholders demonstrate systems thinking. Interviewing or surveying stakeholders about feasibility strengthens policy relevance.

Use clear visualizations for non-specialist audiences

Sustainability reaches policymakers and business leaders who may lack technical background. Infographics, clear charts, and accessible summaries of key findings significantly increase impact and citations.

The Sustainability Submission Process

Manuscript preparation

Prep

Original research: 7,000-10,000 words. Reviews and perspectives: flexible length. MDPI template. Include figures and supplementary data. Highlight practical or policy implications in abstract and conclusion.

Submission via MDPI system

Day 0

Submit at https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability/submit. Required: manuscript, figures, supplementary materials, author statement including contributions and funding. Conflict of interest disclosure.

Editorial assessment

1-3 weeks

Editor assesses scope, relevance to sustainability, and practical implications. Papers purely documenting environmental problems without solutions face lower priority. Moderate desk rejection rate (~30-40%).

Peer review

60-90 days

2-3 reviewers assess scientific rigor, novelty, and sustainability relevance. Reviews often constructive and developmental. First decision typically 60-90 days.

Revision and publication

Revision: 2-4 weeks

Minor revisions common. Publication occurs quickly after acceptance (2-4 weeks typically). Open access publication immediate upon acceptance.

Sustainability by the Numbers

2024 Impact Factor	3.3
5-Year Impact Factor	3.6
Acceptance rate	~35-45%
Desk rejection rate	Meaningful, especially for weak scope fit
Typical first decision	~2-6 weeks
Open access model	Full OA, APC required
Publisher	MDPI
Founded	2009

Before you submit

Sustainability accepts a small fraction of submissions. Make your attempt count.

The pre-submission diagnostic runs a live literature search, scores your manuscript section by section, and gives you a prioritized fix list calibrated to Sustainability. ~30 minutes.

Run Free Readiness Scan See a sample report

Article Types

Original Research

7,000-10,000 words

Complete research with methodology and findings

Review Article

Flexible; typically 10,000-15,000 words

Comprehensive review of sustainability topic

Perspective/Commentary

3,000-5,000 words

Opinion and analysis of sustainability issue

Landmark Sustainability Papers

Papers that defined fields and changed science:

The Limits to Growth (Meadows et al., 1972) - foundational systems analysis of sustainability constraints
Planetary Boundaries framework (Rockström et al., 2009) - defined environmental limits for human civilization
Cradle to Cradle design philosophy (McDonough & Braungart, 2002) - introduced circular economy principles
Social-Ecological Systems framework (Ostrom, 1990) - showed how communities sustainably manage shared resources
Integrated Assessment Models for climate mitigation (IPCC synthesis) - demonstrated pathways to net-zero emissions

Preparing a Sustainability Submission?

Get pre-submission feedback from reviewers who've published in Sustainability and know exactly what editors look for.

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Primary Fields

Climate Change and MitigationRenewable Energy and ConservationCircular EconomyEnvironmental JusticeSustainable Cities and Urban DevelopmentWater and Resource ManagementPolicy and Governance

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