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.

  1. 2019
  2. Published

    Tree-species interactions increase light absorption and growth in Chinese subtropical mixed-species plantations

    Forrester, D. I., Rodenfels, P., Haase, J., Härdtle, W., Leppert, K. N., Niklaus, P. A., Oheimb, G., Scherer-Lorenzen, M. & Bauhus, J., 01.10.2019, In: Oecologia. 191, 2, p. 421-432 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Unlocking knowledge-policy action gaps in disaster-recovery-risk governance cycle: A governmentality approach

    Ghosh, A. & Boyd, E., 01.10.2019, In: International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. 39, 101236.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    How mindfulness training cultivates introspection and competence development for sustainable consumption

    Frank, P., Sundermann, A. & Fischer, D., 04.10.2019, In: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. 20, 6, p. 1002-1021 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Woody plant use and management in relation to property rights: a social-ecological case study from southwestern Ethiopia

    Shumi, G., Dorresteijn, I., Schultner, J., Hylander, K., Senbeta, F., Hanspach, J., Ango, T. G. & Fischer, J., 14.10.2019, In: Ecosystems and People. 15, 1, p. 303-316 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Social Synergies, Tradeoffs, and Equity in Marine Conservation Impacts

    Gill, D. A., Cheng, S. H., Glew, L., Aigner, E., Bennett, N. J. & Mascia, M. B., 17.10.2019, In: Annual Review of Environment and Resources. 44, p. 347-372 26 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  7. Published

    Comment on "The global tree restoration potential"

    Veldman, J. W., Aleman, J. C., Alvarado, S. T., Anderson, T. M., Archibald, S., Bond, W. J., Boutton, T. W., Buchmann, N., Buisson, E., Canadell, J. G., de Sá Dechoum, M., Diaz-Toribio, M. H., Durigan, G., Ewel, J. J., Fernandes, G. W., Fidelis, A., Fleischman, F., Good, S. P., Griffith, D. M., Hermann, J.-M., Hoffmann, W. A., Le Stradic, S., Lehmann, C. E. R., Mahy, G., Nerlekar, A. N., Nippert, J. B., Noss, R. F., Osborne, C. P., Overbeck, G. E., Parr, C. L., Pausas, J. G., Pennington, R. T., Perring, M. P., Putz, F. E., Ratnam, J., Sankaran, M., Schmidt, I. B., Schmitt, C. B., Silveira, F. A. O., Staver, A. C., Stevens, N., Still, C. J., Strömberg, C. A. E., Temperton, V. M., Varner, J. M. & Zaloumis, N. P., 18.10.2019, In: Science. 366, 6463, 4 p., 7976.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  8. Published

    Fridays for Future aus nachhaltigkeitswissenschaftlicher Perspektive

    von Wehrden, H., Kater-Wettstaedt, L. & Schneidewind, U., 18.10.2019, In: GAIA. 28, 3, p. 307-309 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Conflicts over GMOs and their Contribution to Food Democracy

    Friedrich, B., Hackfort, S. K., Boyer, M. & Gottschlich, D., 28.10.2019, In: Politics and Governance. 7, 4, p. 165-177 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Food policy councils as loci for practising food democracy? Insights from the case of Oldenburg, Germany

    Sieveking, A., 28.10.2019, In: Politics and Governance. 7, 4, p. 48-58 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Capital asset substitution as a coping strategy: Practices and implications for food security and resilience in southwestern Ethiopia

    Manlosa, A. O., Schultner, J., Dorresteijn, I. & Fischer, J., 01.11.2019, In: Geoforum. 106, p. 13-23 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review