Editor's Choice: Research Article: Toward a responsible exit from the research field: lessons from transdisciplinary regional envisioning in a Japanese municipality (Masaaki Takahashi, Yoshinori Nakagawa, Tatsuyoshi Saijo)

In sustainability science, the challenge of responsibly exiting the research field is often overshadowed by the focus on co-design and implementation. This article by Takahashi, Nakagawa, and Saijo distinguishes itself in our Editor’s Choice, for its bold exploration of the ethical and practical dimensions of concluding transdisciplinary research collaborations.

Drawing on their experience in a Japanese municipality, the authors provide a nuanced framework for ensuring that collaboratively developed initiatives remain impactful and sustainable after researchers leave. This approach reflects a deep respect for local autonomy and underscores the critical importance of a lasting self-sufficiency in sustainability transitions. It also calls out how not being sensitive to future development and responsible exit research methods, may result in undesirable helicopter, parachute and even worse mosquito science practice consequences.

Amid a growing body of work emphasizing transformations, engagement and participation, this article offers a rare and valuable perspective on closure—highlighting it not as an end, but as an integral and often overlooked part of the research process. Its focus on ethical responsibility as part of enduring collective solutions makes it a valuable contribution to the field and a key highlight in Global Sustainability’s 2024 publications.