“EOLSS has the goal to provide a firm knowledge base for future activities to prolong the lifetime of the human race in a hospitable environment“
- Richard R. Ernst, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry

UNESCO - Encyclopedia Life Support Systems (UNESCO-EOLSS)

One of the largest database repositories on the web, dedicated to the health, maintenance and future of the web of life on planet Earth, focusing on the complex connections among all the myriad aspects from natural and social sciences through water, energy, land, food, agriculture, environment, biodiversity, health, education, culture, engineering and technology, management, development and environmental security carrying knowledge for our times. It has been developed under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The EOLSS body of knowledge is a virtual compendium of Twenty One component encyclopedias (Subject Categories). It is regarded as the world’s largest comprehensive professional publication carrying state-of-the-art, high-quality, peer-reviewed, thematically organized archival content in many traditional disciplines and interdisciplinary subjects including the coverage of transdisciplinary pathways. The contributions are from thousands of scholars from over 100 countries and edited by more than 350 subject experts. It also includes up-to-date coverage of various aspects of sustainable development that are relevant to the current state of the world.

EOLSS offered free access to:

Outlines Of The Component Encyclopedias

UNESCO-EOLSS is an integrated compendium of twenty one component encyclopedias, each covering a large number of disciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary subjects.

Hierarchical structure of the EOLSS Body of Knowledge

The body of knowledge is structured into units known as Themes, consisting of three levels: Theme, Topic, and Article. These levels indicate varying degrees of specialization, except for themes under Regional Reviews, which only extend to the Topic Level.

Explore the outline content.

Hierarchical structure of the EOLSS Body of Knowledge

Latest & Upcoming Chapters

UNESCO-EOLSS Subscription

Global Crisis and Sustainable Development

At present, as never before, the future of life on our planet has become a matter of great concern. We are confronted with several warnings emphasizing the growing fragility of the Earth's life support systems. (See: Crisis And Sustainable Development: The Inspiration For The EOLSS )

EOLSS e-Book Academic Collections

To cater to the diverse interests of our users, the UNESCO EOLSS-online platform now offers the extensive EOLSS body of knowledge in the form of easily accessible e-books (PDF). These e-books are organized according to theme subjects, ensuring convenience and relevance for every user. Additionally, users have the option for Print on Demand, enabling them to acquire physical copies according to their preferences.