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. 2020
  2. Published

    Growth of Iron-Oxidizing Bacteria Gallionella ferruginea and Leptothrix cholodnii in Oligotrophic Environments: Ca, Mg, and C as Limiting Factors and G. ferruginea Necromass as C-Source

    Eggerichs, T., Wiegand, M., Neumann, K., Opel, O., Thronicker, O. & Szewzyk, U., 07.02.2020, In: Geomicrobiology Journal. 37, 2, p. 190-199 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Developing sufficiency-oriented offerings for clothing users: Business approaches to support consumption reduction

    Freudenreich, B. & Schaltegger, S., 20.02.2020, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 247, 10 p., 119589.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Use your power for good: plural valuation of nature – the Oaxaca statement

    Jacobs, S., Zafra-Calvo, N., Gonzalez-Jimenez, D., Guibrunet, L., Benessaiah, K., Berghöfer, A., Chaves-Chaparro, J., Díaz, S., Gomez-Baggethun, E., Lele, S., Martín-López, B., Masterson, V. A., Merçon, J., Moersberger, H., Muraca, B., Norström, A., O'Farrell, P., Ordonez, J. C., Prieur-Richard, A.-H., Rincón-Ruiz, A., Sitas, N., Subramanian, S. M., Tadesse, W., van Noordwijk, M., Pascual, U. & Balvanera, P., 21.02.2020, In: Global Sustainability. 3, 7 p., e8.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Scientific priorities and shepherds' perceptions of ungulate's contributions to people in rewilding landscapes

    Pascual-Rico, R., Martín-López, B., Sánchez-Zapata, J. A. & Morales-Reyes, Z., 25.02.2020, In: Science of the Total Environment. 705, 11 p., 135876.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Indigenous and local knowledge in sustainability transformations research: a literature review

    Lam, D., Hinz, E., Lang, D. J., Tengö, M., Wehrden, H. V. & Martín-López, B., 03.2020, In: Ecology and Society. 25, 1, 25 p., 3.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Requirements engineering for an industrial symbiosis tool for industrial parks covering system analysis, transformation simulation and goal setting

    Lütje, A. & Wohlgemuth, V., 03.2020, In: Administrative Sciences. 10, 1, 24 p., 10.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Research pathways to foster transformation: linking sustainability science and social-ecological systems research

    Horcea-Milcu, A.-I., Martín-López, B., Lam, D. & Lang, D. J., 03.2020, In: Ecology and Society. 25, 1, 29 p., 13.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Solvable problems or problematic solvability? Problem conceptualization in transdisciplinary sustainability research and a possible epistemological contribution

    Meyer, E., 03.2020, In: GAIA. 29, 1, p. 34-39 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Thinking about individual actor-level perspectives in sociotechnical transitions: A comment on the transitions research agenda

    Upham, P., Bögel, P. & Dütschke, E., 03.2020, In: Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions. 34, p. 341-343 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    A highly endangered species on the edge: distribution, habitat use and outlook for Colias myrmidone in newly established Natura 2000 areas in Romania

    Loos, J., Vizauer, T.-C., Kastal, A., Davies, M., Hedrich, H. & Dolek, M., 01.03.2020, In: Environment, Development and Sustainability. 22, 3, p. 2399-2414 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review