The publication of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment in 2005 introduced a new conceptual framework which linked social and ecological systems. This publication also highlighted significant gaps in the scientific knowledge at the time in understanding how ecosystems, through ecosystem services, contribute to human well-being and how these systems evolve over time. PECS was created as a 10-year Future Earth core-project to fill this gap. The programme is one of 21 such global change research projects around the world. PECS aims to understand social-ecological interactions across scales, such as fast and slow drivers of social and ecological change, thresholds, traps and time lags. We employ a comparative, place-based approach, international in scope. In this presentation I will introduce PECS focusing on its objectives, activities and future outlook as a reflection of 10 years since its inception.