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

    Construction of Container Terminal 4: Port of Bremerhaven, Germany

    Brinkmann, B. & Woltering, S., 2006, Proceedings of the Third Chinese-German Joint Symposium on Coastal and Ocean Engineering, National Cheng Kung University Tainan, Taiwan. Ou, S.-H., Kao, C. C. & Hsu, T.-W. (eds.). Tainan: National Cheng Kung University, 12 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsTransfer

  2. Published

    Consumer concerns about drinking water in an area with high levels of naturally occurring arsenic in groundwater, and the implications for managing health risks

    Leventon, J. & Hug, S., 2012, Metals and Related Substances in Drinking Water: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference, METEAU. Bhattacharya, P., Rosborg, I. & Sandhi, A. (eds.). IWA Publishing, p. 34-40 7 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksPublished abstract in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Consumerist lifestyles in the context of globalization: investigating scenarios of homogenization, diversification and hybridization

    Kuhn, K., 01.01.2009, The new middle classes: globalizing lifestyles, consumerism and environmental concern. Lange, H. & Meier, L. (eds.). Dordrecht [u.a.]: Springer Science+Business Media, p. 49-64 16 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  4. Published

    Consumer preferences determine resilience of ecological-economic systems

    Baumgärtner, S., Derissen, S., Quaas, M. F. & Strunz, S., 01.01.2011, In: Ecology and Society. 16, 4, 12 p., 9.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Consumers' perceptions of biocidal products in households

    Wieck, S., Olsson, O. & Kümmerer, K., 03.2018, In: International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health. 221, 2, p. 260-268 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Consumers' purchasing decisions regarding environmentally friendly products: An empirical analysis of German consumers

    Moser, A., 01.07.2016, In: Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 31, p. 389-397 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Consumers' Responses to CSR Activities: The Linkage between Increased Awareness and Purchase Intention

    Lee, K.-H. & Shin, D., 06.2010, In: Public Relations Review. 36, 2, p. 193-195 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Contaminated sediment in Ramsar wetlands; A challenge towards sustainable management of sensitive ecosystems

    Materu, S. F., Urban, B. & Heise, S., 2015, 2015 Regional Conference of the International Network of Women Engineers & Scientists: Book of Abstracts. African Women in Science & Engineering, p. 37 1 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksPublished abstract in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Contemporary Environmental Accounting: Issues, Concepts and Practice

    Schaltegger, S. & Burritt, R., 2000, Sheffield: Greenleaf Publishing. 462 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  10. Published

    Contextualising coastal management and adaptation: Examining situated practices and path dependencies in Ireland and Germany

    Tubridy, F., Walsh, C., Lennon, M. & Scott, M., 01.04.2022, In: Ocean and Coastal Management. 220, 11 p., 106095.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review