School of Sustainability
Organisational unit: Research School
- Centre for Sustainability Management (CSM)
- Institute of Ecology
- Institute of Ethics and Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research
- Institute of Sustainability Governance
- Institute of Sustainability Material Flows and Circularity
- Institute of Sustainability Psychology
- Institute of Sustainable Chemistry
- Social-Ecological Systems Institute (SESI)
- Sustainability Education and Transdisciplinary Research Institute
Organisation profile
Sustainability has many facets. Inter- and transdisciplinary research and teaching characterize the School of Sustainability. Scientists in our research projects work together in the laboratory, on the heath, in the grassland, in the classroom, with the city administration, with farmers, with non-governmental organizations, with companies, with students in the lecture hall and of course at their desks.
Furthermore, we work with regional and national political actors, e.g. ministries, as well as international organizations, e.g. UNEP, UNESCO, EU. We are part of national and international bodies, e.g. sustainability advisory boards of companies, member of the German Sustainability Award, World Biodiversity Council (IPBES), in order to contribute to social change with scientific findings.
Main research areas
Vision
Sustainability science investigates on a theoretical, conceptual and empirical level how to promote sustainable development and how to find and implement effective solutions for current social and ecological challenges. The aim is to create a more sustainable future.
Sustainability researchers are called upon to take responsibility for their research, which is anchored in existing scientific knowledge and methods and serves to make the world a better place for everyone.
Mission
We promote change towards a sustainable future by developing theories, concepts and practices of inclusive education for sustainability, research, governance and management.
We acknowledge the diversity and dynamics of values, norms and behaviour and contribute with transdisciplinary methods to ensuring that tensions and differences between different disciplines, methods, topics and standards are fruitfully taken up and used with productive compromises and further developments towards sustainable development.
Principles
The School of Sustainability is guided by the normative concepts of ecological system integrity and social and economic justice.
Ecological system integrity refers to the safeguarding of life-support systems, as well as the maintenance of the well-being of life on Earth.
With social and economic justice we strive for a world in which all people can fulfil their potential without endangering system integrity and the well-being of others.
Information about the School
The School of Sustainability includes...
... ca. 25 professors
... ca. 100 research assistants
... ca. 1000 students in Bachelor and Master courses
In various inter- and transdisciplinary projects we are constantly researching and working together on changes and solutions for current challenges.
DIVERSA: Climate future lab DIVERSA - Forest disturbances under climate change in Lower Saxony: Understanding drivers and impacts to enhance forest adaptability
Haider, S. (Project manager, academic) & Fichtner, A. (Project manager, academic)
01.11.24 → 30.10.30
Project: Research
KUNTIKUM: Climate trends and sustainable development of tourism in coastal and low mountain range regions
Kreilkamp, E. (Project manager, academic), Möller, A. (Project manager, academic), Heinrichs, H. (Partner), Burandt, S. (Project staff) & Schulz, D. (Project staff)
Federal Ministry of Education and Research
01.10.06 → 31.12.09
Project: Research
College Studien in der Praxis- Besser netzwerken: KLIMAWERK Energieagentur
Hellmann, K. (Project manager, academic), Teigeler, M. (Project manager, academic), Seifert, A. (Project manager, academic) & Burandt, S. (Project staff)
01.10.12 → 31.03.13
Project: Practical Project
College Studien in der Praxis- KLIMAWERK Energieagentur GmbH & Co. KG
Hellmann, K. (Project manager, academic), Lang, F. J. (Project staff) & Schrader, R. (Project staff)
01.04.12 → 30.09.12
Project: Practical Project
College Studien in der Praxis- Profilschärfung des Reiseveranstalters FairTrade-Travel
Hellmann, K. (Project manager, academic), Teigeler, M. (Project manager, academic), Seifert, A. (Project manager, academic) & Guerra González, J. (Project staff)
01.10.12 → 31.03.13
Project: Practical Project
College Studien in der Praxis- T.U.N. e.V. - DialogN
Hellmann, K. (Project manager, academic) & Adzersen, A. (Project manager, academic)
01.04.12 → 30.09.12
Project: Practical Project
Combined effects of altitude, fire and biotic interactions on the regeneration of subtropical mountain forest species in Central Argentina
von Wehrden, H. (Project manager, academic), Hensen, I. (Project manager, academic), Renison, D. (Partner) & Marcora, P. I. (Project manager, academic)
01.01.16 → 05.10.20
Project: Research
ComCoast: Combined Functions in Coastal Defence Zones
Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic) & Striegnitz, M. (Project manager, academic)
01.01.06 → 14.05.09
Project: Research
Community-mediated mechanisms to stabilize pollination of agricultural production highly dependent on shrinking honey bee populations under global change
Klein, A.-M. (Project manager, academic)
01.02.10 → 17.06.15
Project: Research
AGF: Comparing Environmental Management and Strategies in the UK and Germany
Schaltegger, S. (Project manager, academic), Wehrmeyer, W. (Project manager, academic) & Wagner, M. (Project staff)
01.03.01 → 01.12.01
Project: Research
Competence profiles, success criteria, and qualification requirements for scientists of environmental and sustainability sciences.
Hofmeister, S. (Project manager, academic), Katz, C. (Project staff) & Thiem, A. (Project staff)
01.11.09 → 31.05.11
Project: Research
CODIP: Competences for Digital-Enhanced Individualized Practice
Ahlers, M. (Project manager, academic), Besser, M. (Project manager, academic), Kuhl, P. (Project manager, academic), Lehr, D. (Partner), Süßenbach, J. (Partner), Schmidt, T. (Partner), Herzog, C. (Coordination), Altenburger, L. (Project staff), Diekhoff, H. (Project staff), Hase, A. K. (Project staff), Kahnbach, L. (Project staff), Wendt, C. (Project staff), Wucherpfennig, S. (Project staff), Horst de Cuestas, K. (Project staff) & Neumann, A. (Partner)
Federal Ministry of Education and Research
01.03.20 → 31.12.23
Project: Research
REMOTIVE: Complementary use of mechanical, physical and chemical technologies for the development of comparative recycling concepts for complex plastic-based automotive components
Kümmerer, K. (Project manager, academic) & Endres, H.-J. (Project manager, academic)
01.10.23 → 30.09.27
Project: Research
CCP: Complexity or control? Paradigms for sustainable development
Vilsmaier, U. (Project manager, academic), Lang, D. J. (Project manager, academic), Hörl, E. (Project manager, academic), Laubichler, M. (Project manager, academic), Herberg, J. (Coordination), Caniglia, G. (Project staff), Leistert, O. (Project staff), Schrickel, I. (Project staff), Meyer, E. (Project staff) & Schmieg, G. (Project staff)
Ministry of Science and Culture of the State of Lower Saxony
01.01.15 → 31.03.20
Project: Research
Conceptual Change by Metaphorical Change
Niebert, K. (Project manager, academic)
01.02.11 → …
Project: Research
Connect to transform: Enabling transitions via quadruple helix co-creation
Upham, P. (Project manager, academic), Bögel, P. M. (Project manager, academic), Kordas, O. (Project manager, academic) & Boman, M. (Project manager, academic)
01.01.19 → 31.12.21
Project: Research
Conservation of the endangered Danube Clouded Yellow butterfly (Colias myrmidone) in Natura 2000 sites of Romania
Loos, J. (Project manager, academic), Börsch, J. (Project staff), Gallersdörfer, J. (Project staff), Kortmann, E. (Project staff), Nippen, P. (Partner), Dolek, M. (Partner, non-academic), Kastal, A. (Partner, non-academic), Lengyel, P. (Partner, non-academic) & Vizauer, T.-C. (Partner, non-academic)
01.04.18 → 30.09.22
Project: Research
C-MADEnS: Consortium for Modelling and Analysis of Decentralised Energy Storage
Upham, P. (Project manager, academic)
01.10.15 → 01.04.19
Project: Research
CONSUS: CONSUS - Connecting Science-Society Collaborations for Sustainable Innovations
Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic), Mader, M. (Coordination), Burandt, S. (Project manager, academic) & Adomßent, M. (Project staff)
01.12.13 → 31.03.19
Project: Transfer (R&D project)
CS Barometer: Corporate Sustainability Barometer 2010
Schaltegger, S. (Project manager, academic), Windolph, S. E. (Project staff) & Harms, D. (Project staff)
01.04.09 → 14.02.11
Project: Research
CS Barometer: Corporate Sustainability Barometer 2012. State of the art and progress of sustainability management in major German companies
Schaltegger, S. (Project manager, academic), Harms, D. (Project staff), Hörisch, J. (Project staff) & Windolph, S. E. (Project staff)
01.08.11 → 31.12.13
Project: Research
Slow Fashion: Creative, technical and economic innovations for mass-market offerings in the clothing sector
Schaltegger, S. (Project manager, academic), Kaspar, U. (Project staff) & Freudenreich, B. (Project staff)
Federal Ministry of Education and Research
01.01.15 → 30.06.18
Project: Research
Crowdfunding of Environmental Innovations: Identification of target groups and communication of success factors for start-ups & SMEs
Hörisch, J. (Project manager, academic), Tenner, I. (Project staff) & Buhr, M. (Project staff)
German Federal Environmental Foundation
06.12.18 → 19.09.22
Project: Research
DANCE: DArwin's Naturalization Conundrum rEvisited (DANCE) – Darwin meets omics
Haider, S. (Project manager, academic), Galmán, A. (Partner), Neumann, S. (Partner), van Dam, N. M. (Partner), Uthe, H. (Partner), Winter, M. (Partner) & Daehler, C. (Project manager, academic)
01.01.20 → 31.12.23
Project: Research
KLAM: DAS: Klimaanpassung managen! Weiterbildung für Bildungsakteure, Naturschutzexpert_Innen, Umwelt-, Nachhaltigkeits- und Klimaschutzbeauftragte in Kommunen sowie Multiplikator_innen zu regionalen Klimaanpassungsmanager_Innen
Urban, B. (Project manager, academic), Fischer, K. (Project staff) & Katz, C. (Coordination)
01.06.16 → 31.03.19
Project: Transfer (professional training)
BNE in der Kita - Grabau: Das Leben nachhaltig gestalten lernen: Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung in der Kita. Begleitforschung und Weiterbildung für ErzieherInnen und LehrerInnen im Naturerlebniszentrum Grabau
Stoltenberg, U. (Project manager, academic), Asmussen, S. (Project staff), Benoist, B. (Project staff), Holz, V. (Project staff), Offen, S. (Project staff), Kosler, T. (Project staff) & Moths, K. (Project staff)
01.03.10 → 01.03.13
Project: Research
Lipidprofil: Das Lipidprofil des initialen oralen Biofilms - Charakterisierung und prophylaktische Modifikation
Kümmerer, K. (Project manager, academic) & Reich, M. (Project staff)
01.11.10 → 16.07.13
Project: Research
Das Recht auf Zugang zu Informationen im Rahmen der europäischen REACH-Verordnung
Schulze-Rickmann, S. (Project manager, academic) & Schomerus, T. (Project manager, academic)
17.03.07 → 25.08.09
Project: Dissertation project
Digidok: Das Versuchsprotokoll 2.0 - aus analog wird digital
Abels, S. (Project manager, academic) & Stinken-Rösner, L. (Project staff)
01.01.22 → 31.12.22
Project: Research
DATIpilot: DATIpilot - Community - CommunitE-Innovation - Innovations-Ökosysteme für gemeinschaftsgetragene Energieversorgung; TP2: Rechtliche Analyse und Werkzeuge
Schomerus, T. (Project manager, academic)
01.03.25 → 28.02.27
Project: Research
DIANE-CM: Decentralised Integrated Analysis and Enhancement of Awareness through Collaborative Modelling and Management of Flood Risk
Evers, M. (Project manager, academic), Lange, L. (Project staff) & Teklesadik, A. D. (Project staff)
Federal Ministry of Education and Research
01.09.09 → 30.09.11
Project: Research
D&D: Decolonising and Diversifying the Curriculum
Brogan, A. (Project manager, academic), Hobuß, S. (Project staff), Bremer, V. (Project staff), Edlich, M. G. P. (Project staff), List, F. (Project staff) & Lommel, L. (Project staff)
28.06.23 → …
Project: Teaching
Deficits in EU and US Mandatory Environmental Information Disclosure Laws - Legal, Comparative Legal and Economic Facets of Pollutant Release Inventories
Bünger, D. (Project manager, academic) & Schomerus, T. (Project manager, academic)
09.03.07 → 25.01.11
Project: Dissertation project
Degradation of emerging contaminants by advanced oxidation technologies: Kinetics, identification of degradation products and assessment of biodegradability and toxicology
Wilde, M. L. (Project manager, academic)
04.04.13 → 31.03.15
Project: Research
Kili-SES (NCP): Demand and values of Nature’s Contributions to People (NCP)
Martín-López, B. (Project manager, academic), Groß, M. (Project staff), Pearson, J. (Project staff) & Julius, J. (Project staff)
01.07.20 → 01.02.26
Project: Research
Der anthropogene Klimawandel und seine Resonanz in der Bevölkerung - Eine theoretische und empirische Untersuchung des Klimabewusstseins in Deutschland
Weber-Moritz, M. (Project manager, academic) & Heinrichs, H. (Project manager, academic)
01.05.02 → 30.04.07
Project: Dissertation project
Der Beitrag des privaten Umweltrechts zu den Umweltschutzzielen
Wogersien, J. (Project manager, academic) & Schomerus, T. (Project manager, academic)
21.03.06 → 12.06.06
Project: Dissertation project
Der Beitrag von Semi-Subsistenzwirtschaft zu einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung ländlicher Räume. Eine Untersuchung in ausgewählten Regionen Polens (Arbeitstitel)
Szumelda, A. U. (Project manager, academic) & Hofmeister, S. (Project manager, academic)
01.12.09 → …
Project: Dissertation project
Der partizipative Weg in die nachhaltige Gesellschaft? Formative Evaluation der Gestaltung neuer Partizipationssituationen in Politik und Wirtschaft zur Förderung nachhaltiger Entwicklung auf der Basis systemübergreifender Prinzipien der Partizipation
Basmer-Birkenfeld, S.-V. (Project manager, academic), Heinrichs, H. (Project manager, academic) & Wulfsberg, J. P. (Project manager, academic)
01.10.16 → …
Project: Dissertation project
DWoC 2: Design-Driven Value Chains in the World of Cellulose
Farny, S. (Project manager, academic)
01.04.15 → 31.12.18
Project: Research
Designing knowledge-action networks for supporting energy focused sociotechnical change in illiberal democracies: Interfacing science, policy and transformation processes towards sustainability in Andean Countries.
Noboa, E. (Project manager, academic) & Heinrichs, H. (Project manager, academic)
05.10.15 → 04.06.19
Project: Dissertation project
NaKoV: Development and implementation of an integrated sustainability management system in the local public sector, based on the sub-projects “Accounting System Reform” (Freiburg) and “Administrative Reform in the Case of Energy Management (Lüneburg)”
Heinrichs, H. (Project manager, academic), Lang, D. J. (Project manager, academic), Kirst, E. (Project staff) & Plawitzki, J. (Project staff)
German Federal Environmental Foundation
01.05.12 → 30.04.17
Project: Research
CLIMASP: Development of an Interdisciplinary Programme on Climate Change and Sustainability Policy
Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic), Mader, M. (Coordination) & Mader, C. (Project staff)
01.12.13 → 31.03.19
Project: Transfer (R&D project)
Development of a pilot module for a practice-oriented further education offering for municipal employees “Environmental protection and sustainable regional development in Slovakia”
Adomßent, M. (Project manager, academic)
01.01.05 → 30.06.07
Project: Research
Biomasse: Development of a practice-proven method to simultaneously dehydrate and pelletize agricultural biomass
Schaltegger, S. (Project manager, academic) & Lüdeke-Freund, F. (Project staff)
German Federal Environmental Foundation
07.12.06 → 14.11.09
Project: Research
Aquiferspeicher: Development of Areas of Application of Middle Deep Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage in Northern Germany from Economic, Geological-Technical, Environmental Chemistry and Legal/Subsidy Policy Perspectives; work packages: Economic, Environmental Chemistry and Legal Analysis of Aquifer Storage
Degenhart, H. (Project manager, academic), Holstenkamp, L. (Coordination), Schomerus, T. (Project manager, academic), Opel, O. (Project staff), Strodel, N. (Project staff) & Neidig, P. (Project staff)
01.04.16 → 30.06.19
Project: Research
Development of sustainable as well as environmental-friendly, adaptive and cost-effective technical protection measures for sandy beaches
Brinkmann, B. (Project manager, academic)
Federal Ministry of Education and Research
01.04.10 → 30.09.12
Project: Research
MECS: DFG-Kolleg-Forschergruppe MECS (Medienkulturen der Computersimulation)
Pias, C. (Project manager, academic), Warnke, M. (Project manager, academic), Vehlken, S. (Project staff), Schrape, N. (Project staff), Schrickel, I. (Project staff), Stöcklmayr, N. (Project staff), Engemann, C. (Project staff), Winter, F. (Project staff) & Wellmann, J. (Project staff)
01.01.13 → 31.07.22
Project: Research
DFG research unit “The role of nature for human well-being in the Kilimanjaro Social-Ecological System” (Kili-SES-2) - Sub project 3: “Understanding social-ecological transformations: the role of initiatives’ values, rules and knowledge”
Martín-López, B. (Project manager, academic) & Groß, M. (Project manager, academic)
12.12.24 → 12.12.28
Project: Research