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

    Bodenentwicklungen und Bodenbelastungen der Mäanderschleife Wehninger Werder an der niedersächsischen Mittelelbe

    Krüger, F., Weniger, T. & Urban, B., 2013, Jahrbuch des Naturwissenschaftlichen Vereins für das Fürstentum Lüneburg von 1851 e.V.. Härdtle, W. & Prüter, J. (eds.). Lüneburg: Naturwissenschaftlicher Verein für das Fürstentum Lüneburg von 1851 e.V., p. 97-108 12 p. (Jahrbuch des Naturwissenschaftlichen Vereins für das Fürstentum Lüneburg; no. 45).

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

  2. Published

    Conserving the World's Finest Grassland Amidst Ambitious National Development

    Batsaikhan, N., Buuveibaatar, B., Chimed, B., Enkhtuya, O., Galbrakh, D., Ganbaatar, O., Lkhagvasuren, B., Nandintsetseg, D., Berger, J., Calabrese, J. M., Edwards, A. E., Fagan, W. F., Fuller, T. K., Heiner, M., Ito, T. Y., Kaczensky, P., Leimgruber, P., Lushchekina, A., Milner-Gulland, E. J., Mueller, T., Murray, M. G., Olson, K. A., Reading, R., Schaller, G. B., Stubbe, A., Stubbe, M., Walzer, C., Von Wehrden, H. & Whitten, T., 01.12.2014, In: Conservation Biology. 28, 6, p. 1736-1739 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    "Sustainability State” in the Making? Institutionalization of Sustainability in German Federal Policy Making

    Heinrichs, H. & Laws, N., 05.05.2014, In: Sustainability. 6, 5, p. 2623-2641 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Politische Vorfahrt für biologische Vielfalt: Politikbarometer zur Biodiversität in Deutschland

    Laws, N., 2014, Berlin: WWF, 86 p.

    Research output: Working paperExpert opinions

  5. Published

    Das Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz 2.0

    Schomerus, T., 02.05.2014, In: Unsere Wirtschaft. 46, 5, p. 44-45 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransferpeer-review

  6. Published

    Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung zwischen Transparenzanspruch und Management der Nachhaltigkeitsleistung

    Schaltegger, S., 2014, CSR und Reporting: Nach­haltigkeits- und CSR-Berichterstattung verstehen und erfolgreich umsetzen. Fifka, M. S. (ed.). Berlin: Gabler Verlag, p. 21-34 14 p. (Management-Reihe Corporate Social Responsibility).

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

  7. Published
  8. Published

    Degradation of β-blockers in hospital wastewater by means of ozonation and Fe2+/ozonation

    Wilde, M. L., Montipó, S. & Martins, A. F., 01.01.2014, In: Water Research. 48, 1, p. 280-295 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Nachhaltiges Investment erfordert "Business Cases for Sustainability"

    Schaltegger, S., 2014, Nachhaltige Geldanlagen: Produkte, Strategien und Beratungskonzepte. Martin, F. & Stefan, S. (eds.). 2 ed. Frankfurt/Main: Frankfurt School Verlag, p. 110-126 17 p.

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

  10. Published

    Hochschulbildung auf der Höhe des 21. Jahrhunderts

    Otte, I., Prien-Ribcke, S. & Michelsen, G., 2014, Managementperspektiven für die Zivilgesellschaft des 21. Jahrhunderts: Management als Liberal Art. von Müller, C. & Zinth, C.-P. (eds.). 1. ed. Wiesbaden: Gabler Verlag, p. 183-203 21 p.

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