On the 4th of May 2001 the Senate of the Swiss Academy of Natural Sciences (SANW) adopted a new concept for their annual congresses:

“The annual congress (AC) promotes the inter- and transdisciplinary dialogue as visionary principle of research and enrichment. Within this context, it offers the opportunity to show the importance of the substantial role of the natural sciences with regard to the inward and outward development. As a first goal it wants to bring together SANW-members of different scientific disciplines and to show them that and how (scientific and/or social) problems can be tackled on a long-term basis. The AC serves likewise to reflect the inter- and transdisciplinary dimensions of one’s proper work as well as the potential of reciprocal and interdisciplinary learning. Besides the discussion of concrete and actual problems the discussion of our intellectual challenge should find its place, too.”

The annual congress 2003 in Fribourg followed this new concept and focused on the phenomena of storms and its different meanings for the different scientific fields of research and the different areas of life.

Under the title Limits the board of representatives of the annual congress 2004 in Ob- and Nidwalden would like to initiate an inter- and transdisciplinary discussion concerned with different aspects of limits. Besides trying to find out common aspects of limits in science and society oppositional stands and limits to research within different scientific fields will be analysed. Limits can be subject to technical, financial, political, ethical or various other reasons.
Besides the discussion of limits and their importance for the local area with case studies the idea of sustainability should become manifest during the annual congress. More than 30 years ago the first global UN-conference for the environment and development took place. “Man has the fundamental right to freedom, equality and adequate conditions of life, in an environment of a quality that permits a life of dignity and well-being …” (Declaration of Stockholm 1972 ). “Sustainable development” is required as a strategy of development, which meets the needs of the environment (Brundtland-Commission, 1987; UN-conference in Rio, 1992). The following vision of a sustainable society shall serve the annual congress as central idea.
“ The modern society living according to the vision of a sustainable world is based on a highly developed technique and a careful consumption of its resources. The members of this society accept the limits of the feasibility and reduce their activities to enhance the general well-being. Human interactions with the environment should meet the needs of the present society without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”