School of Sustainability
Organisational unit: Research School
- Centre for Sustainability Management (CSM)
- Institute of Ecology
- Institute of Ethics and Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research
- Institute of Sustainability Governance
- Institute of Sustainability Material Flows and Circularity
- Institute of Sustainability Psychology
- Institute of Sustainable Chemistry
- Social-Ecological Systems Institute (SESI)
- Sustainability Education and Transdisciplinary Research Institute
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.
- Published
"Macht-los?": zwischen Partizipation und Eigensinn
Mölders, T. & Winterfeld, U., 2003, Zwischentöne gestalten: Dialoge zur Verbindung von Geschlechterverhältnissen und Nachhaltigkeit. Hofmeister, S., Mölders, T. & Karsten, M. E. (eds.). Bielefeld: Kleine Verlag, p. 178-197 20 p.Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research
- Published
Macroecological patterns of spider species richness across Europe
Finch, O.-D., Blick, T. & Schuldt, A., 11.2008, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 17, 12, p. 2849-2868 20 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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Mainstream Economy, Development Politics, Sufficiency: The other way around as only sustainable solution?
Guerra González, J., 09.2012, Lüneburg: Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, 30 p. (Leuphana Schriftenreihe Nachhaltigkeit & Recht; no. 1).Research output: Working paper › Working papers
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Mainstreaming of Sustainable Cotton in the German Clothing Industry
Hansen, E. G. & Schaltegger, S., 2016, Sustainable Fibres for Fashion Industry. Muthu, S. S. & Gardetti, M. A. (eds.). 1 ed. Singapur: Springer Science+Business Media, Vol. 1. p. 39-58 20 p. (Environmental Footprints and Eco-Design of Products and Processes).Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research › peer-review
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Mainstreaming regenerative dynamics for sustainability
Fischer, J., Farny, S., Abson, D. J., Zuin Zeidler, V., von Salisch, M., Schaltegger, S., Martín-López, B., Temperton, V. M. & Kümmerer, K., 08.2024, In: Nature Sustainability. 7, 8, p. 964–972 9 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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Maize rhizosphere priming: field estimates using 13C natural abundance
Kumar, A., Kuzyakov, Y. & Pausch, J., 01.12.2016, In: Plant and Soil. 409, 1-2, p. 87-97 11 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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Maize silage digestate application affecting germination and early growth of maize modulated by soil type
Robles-Aguilar, A. A., Temperton, V. M. & Jablonowski, N. D., 20.08.2019, In: Agronomy. 9, 8, 15 p., 473.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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Make EU trade with Brazil sustainable
604 signatories, Kehoe, L., Reis, T., Virah-Sawmy, M., Balmford, A., Kuemmerle, T., Knohl, A., Antonelli, A., Hochkirch, A., Vira, B., Massa, B., Peres, C. A., Ammer, C., Görg, C., Schneider, C., Curtis, D., de la Peña, E., Tello, E., Sperfeld, E., Corbera, E., Morelli, F., Valladares, F., Peterson, G., Hide, G., Mace, G., Kallis, G., Olsson, G. A., Brumelis, G., Alexanderson, H., Haberl, H., Nuissl, H., Kreft, H., Ghazoul, J., Piotrowski, J. A., Macdiarmid, J., Newig, J., Fischer, J., Altringham, J., Gledhill, J., Nielsen, J., Müller, J., Palmeirim, J., Barlow, J., Alonso, J. C., Asencio, J. J. P., Steinberger, J. K., Jones, J. P. G., Cotta, B., Leonhardt, S. D., Wanger, T. C. & Coenen, J., 26.04.2019, In: Science. 364, 6438, p. 341 1 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
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Making a difference by marking the difference: Constituting in-between spaces for sustainability learning
Vilsmaier, U. & Lang, D. J., 10.2015, In: Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. 16, p. 51-55 5 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research
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Making Collective Learning Coherent: An Adaptive Approach to the Practice of Transdisciplinary Pedagogy
Clarke, E. & Ashhurst, C., 01.01.2018, Transdisciplinary Theory, Practice and Education: The Art of Collaborative Research and Collective Learning. Fam, D., Neuhauser, L. & Gibbs, P. (eds.). 1 ed. Cham: Springer, Vol. 1. p. 151-165 15 p.Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Chapter › peer-review