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

    Normative Begründung der Nachhaltigkeitsökonomie

    Baumgärtner, S., 2012, Wissenschaft für nach­haltige Entwicklung !: Multi­perspektivische Beiträge zu einer verantwortungs­bewussten Wissenschaft. Studierenden­Initiative Greening the University e.V. (ed.). Metropolis Verlag für Ökonomie, p. 273-298 26 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Normative Innovation for Sustainable Business Models in Value Networks

    Breuer, H. & Lüdeke-Freund, F., 2014, The Proceedings of XXV ISPIM Conference : Innovation for Sustainable Economy and Society. Huizingh, K., Conn, S., Torkkeli, M. & Bitran, I. (eds.). Lappeenranta University of Technology Press, 17 p.

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

  3. Published

    Normative Orientierungen: Ein kritisch-emanzipatorisches Nachhaltigkeitsverständnis

    Gottschlich, D. & Mölders, T., 02.2017, Politiken der Naturgestaltung : Ländliche Entwicklung und Agro-Gentechnik zwischen Kritik und Vision. Gottschlich, D. & Mölders, T. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Springer VS, p. 31-43 13 p. (Research).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  4. Published

    Normative Verortungen und Vorgehen im Forschungsprozess: Das Nachhaltigkeitsverständnis im Forschungsprojekt PoNa

    Friedrich, B., Lindner, A., Sulmowski, J. A., Szumelda, A. U., Gottschlich, D. & Mölders, T., 2010, Lüneburg: Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, 48 p. (PoNa-Paper; no. 1).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  5. Published

    Nothing lasts forever: Dominant species decline under rapid environmental change in global grasslands

    Wilfahrt, P. A., Seabloom, E. W., Bakker, J. D., Biederman, L., Bugalho, M. N., Cadotte, M. W., Caldeira, M. C., Catford, J. A., Chen, Q., Donohue, I., Ebeling, A., Eisenhauer, N., Haider, S., Heckman, R. W., Jentsch, A., Koerner, S. E., Komatsu, K. J., Laungani, R., MacDougall, A., Martina, J. P., Martinson, H., Moore, J. L., Niu, Y., Ohlert, T., Venterink, H. O., Orr, D., Peri, P., Pos, E., Price, J., Raynaud, X., Ren, Z., Roscher, C., Smith, N. G., Stevens, C. J., Sullivan, L. L., Tedder, M., Tognetti, P. M., Veen, C., Wheeler, G., Young, A. L., Young, H. & Borer, E. T., 11.2023, In: Journal of Ecology. 111, 11, p. 2472-2482 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Notions of justice held by stakeholders of the Newfoundland fishery

    Kahmann, B., Stumpf, K. H. & Baumgärtner, S., 01.12.2015, In: Marine Policy. 62, p. 37-50 14 p., 2174.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published
  8. Published

    Novel flame retardants: Estimating the physical-chemical properties and environmental fate of 94 halogenated and organophosphate PBDE replacements

    Zhang, X., Sühring, R., Serodio, D., Bonnell, M., Sundin, N. & Diamond, M. L., 01.02.2016, In: Chemosphere. 144, p. 2401-2407 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    N:P Ratio and the Nature of Nutrient Limitation in Calluna-Dominated Heathlands

    Oheimb, G., Power, S. A., Falk, K., Friedrich, U., Mohamed, A., Krug, A., Boschatzke, N. & Härdtle, W., 01.03.2010, In: Ecosystems. 13, 2, p. 317-327 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Nuclear accidents call for transdisciplinary nuclear energy research

    Gralla, F., Abson, D., Møller, A. P., Lang, D. J., Vilsmaier, U., Sovacool, B. K. & von Wehrden, H., 01.2015, In: Sustainability Science. 10, 1, p. 179-183 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch