Global society’s insatiable demand for natural resources since the industrial revolution has led to myriads of environmental consequences. Concerned citizens have called for a carbon–neutral and sustainable future. In light of this trend, the aims and scope of the Environmental Earth Sciences (EES) journal are being revisited and revised. Founded as the “Environmental Geology” journal, it is logical not only to uphold the geological tradition and strength of the EES, but also to expand outward to advance geosphere^plus knowledge. This refers to a novel understanding of multi-faceted and anthropogenically altered interactions within the geosphere and along the geosphere–biosphere nexus. The geosphere consists of the lithosphere (solid Earth), atmosphere (gaseous envelope), hydrosphere (liquid water) and cryosphere (frozen water). Since the EES values observation-based science, it also recognizes the role of development of cutting-edge tools for data collection, analysis and modeling. Contributions documenting innovations in local environmental problem solving are also welcome, especially engineering solutions grounded in geosciences. To cultivate diverse and inclusive scholarly pursuits, new types of articles are introduced. In anticipation of the growing number of publications arising from this emerging academic discipline, the journal strives to develop a robust appetite for original research that shed light on the problems and offer science-based solutions in the Anthropocene.