The “Scale in Earth System Governance: Local Case Studies and Global Sustainability” Summer School, held at the Siberian Federal University in Krasnoyarsk, Russian Federation from 15–29 July 2013, addressed challenges of scale in Earth system governance. It served as means for capacity building, and cross continental network development of early career researchers from the Asia-Pacific region and Central and Eastern Europe while undertaking research into local sustainability in the city of Krasnoyarsk and the beautiful nature of the Krasnoyarsk region. Participants brought case studies and experience from their own localities and context into the design and implementation of the studies in Siberia.