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. Published

    Climate Change as an External Enabler of Entrepreneurial Activity

    Hirschmann, M., Farny, S. & Fisch, C., 01.08.2023, In: Academy of Management Proceedings. 2023, 1, 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference abstract in journalResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Climate Change: Implications for Europe's Security and Defence Policy: How Climate Change affects the Security of Europe

    Laws, N., 08.12.2011, Saarbrücken: AV Akademikerverlag. 135 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  3. Published

    Climate Change Law in Germany - Legislation, Iurisdiction, and Governmental Ambitions

    Schomerus, T., 09.2022, In: Public law. 2, p. 1-21 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  4. Published

    Climate Change Litigation: German Family Farmers and Urgenda - Similar Cases, Differing Judgments

    Schomerus, T., 10.07.2020, In: Journal for European Environmental & Planning Law. 17, 3, p. 322-332 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Climate Change May Trigger Broad Shifts in North America's Pacific Coastal Rainforests

    DellaSala, D. A., Brandt, P., Koopman, M., Leonard, J., Meisch, C., Herzog, P., Alaback, P., Goldstein, M. I., Jovan, S., MacKinnon, A. & von Wehrden, H., 01.01.2018, Encyclopedia of the Anthropocene: Volume 2: Climate Change. Dellasala, D. A. & Goldstein, M. I. (eds.). Oxford: Elsevier B.V., Vol. 1-5. p. 233-244 12 p. (Encyclopedia of the Anthropocene; vol. 2).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  6. Published

    Climate Conflicts: A case of international environmental and humanitarian law

    Christiansen, S. M., 01.01.2016, 1 ed. Cham: Springer International Publishing AG. 245 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Climate Costs and Benefits: New Challenges for Corporate Accounting and Management. Call for Papers.

    Schaltegger, S., Csutora, M. & Huisingh, D., 2011, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 19, 9-10, p. 1141-1143 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Research

  8. Published

    Climate – grazing interactions in Mongolian rangelands: Effects of grazing change along a large-scale environmental gradient

    Ahlborn, J., von Wehrden, H., Lang, B., Römermann, C., Oyunbileg, M., Oyuntsetseg, B. & Wesche, K., 01.02.2020, In: Journal of Arid Environments. 173, 10 p., 104043.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published
  10. Published

    Climate-neutral and sustainable campus Leuphana University of Lueneburg

    Opel, O., Strodel, N., Werner, K. F., Geffken, J., Tribel, A. & Ruck, W., 15.12.2017, In: Energy. 141, p. 2628-2639 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review