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. 2021
  2. Published

    Phasing out and in: System transition through disassociation in the German energy transition – The case of light and coal

    David, M. & Schulte-Römer, N., 01.10.2021, In: Energy Research and Social Science. 80, 6 p., 102204.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    CO2-Bepreisung und soziale Ungleichheit in Deutschland

    Gründinger, W., Bendling, L., Creutzig, F., Hagedorn, G., Kemfert, C., Neumärker, B., Praetorius, B. & Tvrtković, M., 05.10.2021, In: Momentum Quarterly - Zeitschrift für sozialen Fortschritt. 10, 3, p. 176-187 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  4. Published

    Investigating the Persuasive Effects of Testimonials on the Acceptance of Digital Stress Management Trainings Among University Students and Underlying Mechanisms: A Randomized Controlled Trial

    Apolinário-Hagen, J., Fritsche, L., Wopperer, J., Wals, F., Harrer, M., Lehr, D., Ebert, D. D. & Salewski, C., 13.10.2021, In: Frontiers in Psychology. 12, 11 p., 738950.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Integrating indigenous and local knowledge in management and research on coastal ecosystems in the Global South: A literature review

    Loch, T. K. & Riechers, M., 15.10.2021, In: Ocean and Coastal Management. 212, 19 p., 105821.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  6. Published

    Naturschutz in Zeiten sozial-ökologischer Transformationen: Triebkraft oder Getriebener?

    Leibenath, M., Eser, U., Katz, C., Kurth, M., Ober, S., Poblocki, A. & Wessel, M. J. K., 22.10.2021, In: GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society. 30, 3, p. 144-149 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Acidification effects on in situ ammonia emissions and cereal yields depending on slurry type and application method

    Wagner, K. C., Nyord, T., Vestergaard, A. V., Hafner, S. D. & Pacholski, A. S., 27.10.2021, In: Agriculture (Switzerland). 11, 11, 20 p., 1053.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Six modes of co-production for sustainability

    Chambers, J. M., Wyborn, C., Ryan, M. E., Reid, R. S., Riechers, M., Serban, A., Bennett, N. J., Cvitanovic, C., Fernández-Giménez, M. E., Galvin, K. A., Goldstein, B. E., Klenk, N. L., Tengö, M., Brennan, R., Cockburn, J. J., Hill, R., Munera, C., Nel, J. L., Österblom, H., Bednarek, A. T., Bennett, E. M., Brandeis, A., Charli-Joseph, L., Chatterton, P., Curran, K., Dumrongrojwatthana, P., Durán, A. P., Fada, S. J., Gerber, J. D., Green, J. M. H., Guerrero, A. M., Haller, T., Horcea-Milcu, A. I., Leimona, B., Montana, J., Rondeau, R., Spierenburg, M., Steyaert, P., Zaehringer, J. G., Gruby, R., Hutton, J. & Pickering, T., 11.2021, In: Nature Sustainability. 4, 11, p. 983-996 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    The potential of crowdfunding for sustainable development: a comparison of sustainable and conventional crowdfunding projects

    Tenner, I., 11.2021, In: International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing. 13, 5, p. 508-527 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and goethite promote carbon sequestration via hyphal-aggregate mineral interactions

    Jeewani, P. H., Luo, Y., Yu, G., Fu, Y., He, X., Van Zwieten, L., Liang, C., Kumar, A., He, Y., Kuzyakov, Y., Qin, H., Guggenberger, G. & Xu, J., 01.11.2021, In: Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 162, 11 p., 108417.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Artificial intelligence, systemic risks, and sustainability

    Galaz, V., Centeno, M. A., Callahan, P. W., Causevic, A., Patterson, T., Brass, I., Baum, S., Farber, D., Fischer, J., Garcia, D., McPhearson, T., Jimenez, D., King, B., Larcey, P. & Levy, K., 01.11.2021, In: Technology in Society. 67, 10 p., 101741.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review