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

    The knowledge transfer potential of online data pools on nature-based solutions

    Schröter, B., Zingraff-Hamed, A., Ott, E., Huang, J., Hüesker, F., Nicolas, C. & Schröder, N. J. S., 25.03.2021, In: Science of the Total Environment. 762, 11 p., 143074.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  2. Published

    The lens of polycentricity: Identifying polycentric governance systems illustrated through examples from the field of water governance

    Schröder, N. J. S., 01.07.2018, In: Environmental Policy and Governance. 28, 4, p. 236-251 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    The Limits to Voluntary Private Social Standards in Global Agri-food System Governance

    Challies, E., 2013, In: International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture and Food. 20, 2, p. 175-195 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    The Link Between 'Green' and Economic Success: Environmental Management as the Crucial Trigger Between Environmental and Economic Performance

    Schaltegger, S. & Synnestvedt, T., 01.08.2002, In: Journal of Environmental Management. 65, 4, p. 339-346 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    The links between biodiversity and ecosystem services

    Balvanera, P., Quijas, S., Martín-López, B., Barrios, E., Dee, L., Isbell, F., Durance, I., White, P., Blanchard, R. & de Groot, R., 2016, Routledge Handbook of Ecosystem Services. Potschin, M., Haines-Young, R. & Fish, R. (eds.). London: Taylor & Francis, p. 85-104 20 p.

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

  6. Published

    The lipid composition of the in situ pellicle

    Reich, M., Hannig, C., Hannig, M., Kümmerer, K. & Kensche, A., 01.10.2022, In: Archives of Oral Biology. 142, 105493.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    The long-term effects of wall attached microalgal biofilm on algae-based wastewater treatment

    Su, Y., Mennerich, A. & Urban, B., 10.2016, In: Bioresource Technology. 218, p. 1249-1252 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published
  9. Published

    The 'Lüneburg Sustainable University' Research and Development Project

    Adomßent, M., Barth, M. & Rieckmann, M., 2009, World in Transition: Sustainability Perspectives for Higher Education. Adomßent, M., Beringer, A. & Barth, M. (eds.). Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 222-227 6 p. (Higher education for sustainability; no. 4).

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

  10. Published

    The madrid statement on poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs)

    Blum, A., Balan, S. A., Scheringer, M., Trier, X., Goldenman, G., Cousins, I. T., Diamond, M., Fletcher, T., Higgins, C., Lindeman, A. E., Peaslee, G., Voogt, P. D., Wang, Z. & Weber, R., 01.05.2015, In: Environmental Health Perspectives. 123, 5, p. A107-A111 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch