As evidenced by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we share many connections. Long range transport of atmospheric pollutants, global pandemics, and watersheds crossing international borders illustrate our inherent connectivity across spatial scales. Global megatrends, such as demographic transition to cities and the food–energy–water nexus, further remind us of the diverse and complex systems that routinely influence environmental and public health studies. We also share common goals. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals provide aspirations to achieve sustainable and equitable development around the world. Yet achieving these and other noble goals is challenged by chemical, physical, biological, social, economic, and other stressors. Pollution is now considered a major global health threat. In fact, global disease burdens from air pollution alone exceed many well-known diseases. Most of the sewage in the world still goes untreated, which contributes to environmental determinants of communicable and noncommunicable diseases. Globally, biodiversity loss is occurring in an unprecedented fashion. At the same time, chemical production and waste generation continue to increase, and at a faster pace than robust interventions are being implemented in many low- and middle-income countries. Natural resource scarcity is shaping trade and commerce, within and among regions. Subsequently, resource efficiency, recovery, and reuse are increasingly critical, particularly in the face of climate change. But often environment and health research in these areas is reactive, responding to the latest hot-button issues. Environmental science and technology research within and among disciplines must continue to address existing problems. We must also look to the horizon and anticipate future challenges and opportunities. It is clear that systems-based solutions will be essential as we strive to understand environmental stressors and develop interventions to protect public health and the environment. Since the first articles appeared in 2014, Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T) Letters has provided a unique international forum within the environmental science, engineering, and health communities. Its short-article format, quick review period, and short publication time present a unique outlet for urgent communications from multiple environment-related fields of study. ES&T Letters has benefited from the outstanding leadership of Profs. Bruce Logan and David Sedlak. We owe them an incredible debt of gratitude. The journal has been fueled by the authors and facilitated by an excellent group of talented and loyal Associate Editors and a committed Editorial Advisory Board. ES&T Letters will further develop from this sound foundation to continue to communicate timely work from diverse fields of environmental research. Looking forward, we intend to expand our Editorial Advisory Board to further increase international and disciplinary diversity. We will also be introducing a new article type, Global Perspectives. Global Perspectives manuscripts will be forward looking, providing syntheses, critiques, and recommendations on contemporary and emerging environment and health topics. During the recent transition to serve as Editor in Chief of ES&T Letters, I have worked closely with American Chemical Society (ACS) publications staff and my longtime collaborator, Prof. Julie Zimmerman, the new Editor-in-Chief of ES&T, to ensure a smooth and strategic transfer. We have benefited from the sage perspectives of Prof. David Allen, Editor in Chief of ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. We look forward to working with Prof. Wonyong Choi, the new Editor-in-Chief of ACS ES&T Engineering, and the new Editor-in-Chief of ACS ES&T Water. I am particularly grateful to ACS staff and Profs. William Arnold and Daniel Schlenk, who continue as Associate Editors of ES&T Letters, for their collegiality, commitment, and counsel. Thank you, Bill, for shouldering a heavier workload during the editiorial transition. Please allow me to express sincere appreciation to Prof. Staci Simonich, who has admirably served ES&T Letters and the contributing communities as an Associate Editor since the inception of the journal. Thank you, Staci, for your outstanding work and advice. We wish you well with your new endeavors. I am also pleased to announce the appointment of several new Associate Editors. Prof. Jonathan Martin has joined the editorial team as an Associate Editor from the University of Stockholm. Profs. Shuxiao Wang at Tsinghua University, James Mihelcic from the University of South Florida, and Alexandria Boehm with Stanford University have also joined ES&T Letters as Associate Editors. Similar to Prof. Schlenk’s current role, they are serving in a joint capacity with ES&T. These hybrid editorial positions thus continue our close cooperation between the two journals. Our connections are palpable. Stressors to the environment and health are complex. Solutions resulting from systems thinking, scientific advances, and technological innovations are critically needed. Addressing global environment and health issues requires timely contributions from many disciplines. We must work together. ES&T Letters has previously welcomed research findings from diverse science and engineering disciplines. We will continue to do so and will particularly welcome systems-based perspectives. ES&T Letters is uniquely positioned to facilitate rapid communication of your work, both within and among disciplines, as we collectively engage current challenges and opportunities while keeping our eyes on the horizon. Views expressed in this editorial are those of the author and not necessarily the views of the ACS. This article has not yet been cited by other publications.

中文翻译：

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展望地平线：系统，压力源和解决方案

正如持续发生的COVID-19大流行所证明的，我们拥有许多联系。大气污染物，全球流行病和跨越国际边界的流域的长距离运输说明了我们在空间尺度上的固有连通性。全球大趋势，例如人口向城市的过渡以及食物，能源，水的关系，使我们进一步想到了经常影响环境和公共卫生研究的多样而复杂的系统。我们也有共同的目标。联合国可持续发展目标为在世界范围内实现可持续和公平发展提供了愿望。然而，实现这些目标和其他崇高目标受到化学，物理，生物学，社会，经济和其他压力的挑战。现在，污染被认为是全球主要的健康威胁。事实上，仅空气污染造成的全球疾病负担就超过了许多知名疾病。世界上大多数污水仍未经处理，这是导致传染病和非传染病的环境决定因素。在全球范围内，生物多样性的丧失正在以前所未有的方式发生。同时，化学产品的生产和废物的产生继续增加，并且比许多低收入和中等收入国家正在实施的强有力的干预措施要快。自然资源稀缺正在影响区域内部和区域之间的贸易和商业。随后，尤其是面对气候变化，资源效率，回收和再利用变得越来越关键。但是，这些领域的环境与健康研究通常是被动的，以应对最新的热点问题。学科内部和学科之间的环境科学和技术研究必须继续解决现有问题。我们还必须展望未来，并展望未来的挑战和机遇。显然，基于系统的解决方案对于我们努力理解环境压力因素并制定干预措施以保护公共健康和环境至关重要。自从第一篇文章于2014年发表以来，环境科学与技术（ES＆T）Letters在环境科学，工程和健康领域内提供了一个独特的国际论坛。它的短文章格式，快速的审查周期和短的出版时间为来自与环境相关的多个研究领域的紧急交流提供了独特的出路。ES ＆T Letters得益于教授杰出的领导才能。布鲁斯·洛根（Bruce Logan）和大卫·塞德拉克（David Sedlak）。我们欠他们令人难以置信的感谢之债。该期刊受到作者的推崇，并由一群才华横溢，忠实的副编辑和忠实的编辑咨询委员会提供便利。ES ＆T信件将在这个坚实的基础上进一步发展，以继续交流环境研究各个领域的及时工作。展望未来，我们打算扩大我们的编辑咨询委员会，以进一步增加国际和学科多样性。我们还将介绍一种新的文章类型，Global Perspectives。《全球观点》手稿将具有前瞻性，并提供有关当代和新兴环境与健康主题的综合，评论和建议。在最近担任ES ＆T Letters的总编的过渡期间，我与美国化学学会（ACS）的出版物工作人员以及我的长期合作者ES ＆T的新主编Julie Zimmerman教授密切合作。，以确保顺利进行战略转移。我们受益于ACS可持续化学与工程学系主任David Allen教授的贤哲观点。我们期待与ACS ES ＆T Engineering的新主编，ACS ES ＆T Water的新主编Choonong Choi教授合作。我特别感谢ACS员工和教授。威廉·阿诺德（William Arnold）和丹尼尔·史伦克（Daniel Schlenk）继续担任ES ＆T Letters的副编辑，他们的合作，奉献精神和法律顾问。Bill，谢谢您在编辑过渡期间承担的繁重工作。请允许我对斯塔奇·西蒙尼奇（Staci Simonich）教授表示诚挚的谢意。自该杂志成立以来，ES ＆T Letters和贡献社区一直担任副编辑。谢谢Staci，感谢您的出色工作和建议。我们祝您一切顺利。我也很高兴宣布任命了几位新的副编辑。乔纳森·马丁（Jonathan Martin）教授已加入编辑团队，成为斯德哥尔摩大学的副编辑。教授 清华大学的王树晓，南佛罗里达大学的詹姆斯·米赫尔西奇和斯坦福大学的亚历山大·勃姆也加入了《ES ＆T Letters》杂志担任副编辑。与Schlenk教授目前的职务相似，他们与ES ＆T共同担任职务。这些混合的编辑立场因此继续了我们在两个期刊之间的紧密合作。我们的联系很明显。对环境和健康的压力很大。迫切需要系统思想，科学进步和技术创新所产生的解决方案。解决全球环境与健康问题需要许多学科的及时贡献。我们必须共同努力。ES ＆T Letters以前欢迎各种科学和工程学科的研究结果。我们将继续这样做，并将特别欢迎基于系统的观点。ES ＆T信件在我们共同努力应对当前挑战和机遇的同时，我们始终注视着我们，因此其独特的地理位置可以促进您在学科内部和学科之间的快速交流。本社论中表达的观点只是作者的观点，不一定是ACS的观点。本文尚未被其他出版物引用。