The ISEE was founded in 1989. Its presidents have been Bob Costanza, Dick Norgaard, John Proops, Charles Perrings, Joan Martinez-Alier, Peter May, John Gowdy, Bina Agarwal, Marina Fischer-Kowalski, Sabine O’Hara, Clovis Cavalcanti, Joshua Farley, and Roldan Muradian. The current president is Erik Gomez-Baggethun (until January 2025), and the president-elect is Eszter Kelemen.

Other board members include the Executive Director, Anne Aitken, and Student Members Alejandra and Lizah Makambore. Other board members are Christine Corlet Walker, Louison Cahen-Fourot, Lina Brand Correa, M. Azahara Mesa-Jurado, Paola Arias-Arevalo, Paula Nova, Sophia Sanniti, Teresa Meira, Tiziano DiStefano, Xi Ji, and Zafarani Uwingabire.

The Society assists its members and ecological economists, regional societies of ecological economics, related societies, and other organizations in matters of common concern that can be dealt with more effectively by united action. To this end, the Society publishes a research journal, books, and other materials; holds and sponsors scientific meetings; develops educational materials; and facilitates a voice for ecological economists in public forums.

Below is a classic photo from soon after ISEE’s founding, when, in 1990, a workshop was held on Wye Island on the eastern shore of Maryland to prepare the introduction to the first ISEE Conference Proceedings, “Ecological Economics: the science and management of sustainability.”