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 influence of leaf litter diversity and soil fauna on initial soil erosion in subtropical forests

    Seitz, S., Goebes, P., Zumstein, P., Aßmann, T., Kühn, P., Niklaus, P. A., Schuldt, A. & Scholten, T., 15.09.2015, In: Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. 40, 11, p. 1439-1447 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Environmental chemistry of organosiloxanes

    Rücker, C. & Kümmerer, K., 14.01.2015, In: Chemical Reviews. 115, 1, p. 466-524 59 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  3. Published

    Correlation of trends in cashmere production and declines of large wild mammals: Response to Berger et al. 2013

    von Wehrden, H., Wesche, K., Chuluunkhuyag, O. & Fust, P., 02.2015, In: Conservation Biology. 29, 1, p. 286-289 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Pollination mitigates cucumber yield gaps more than pesticide and fertilizer use in tropical smallholder gardens

    Motzke, I., Tscharntke, T., Wanger, T. C. & Klein, A. M., 02.2015, In: Journal of Applied Ecology. 52, 1, p. 261-269 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Beyond carbon, more than forest? REDD plus governmentality in Indonesia

    McGregor, A., Challies, E., Howson, P., Astuti, R., Dixon, R., Haalboom, B., Gavin, M., Tacconi, L. & Afiff, S., 2015, In: Environment and Planning A. 47, 1, p. 138-155 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published
  7. Published

    Linking stakeholder survey, scenario analysis, and simulation modeling to explore the long-term impacts of regional water governance regimes

    Withycombe Keeler, L., Wiek, A., White, D. D. & Sampson, D. A., 04.2015, In: Environmental Science & Policy. 48, p. 237-249 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Editorial: Advancing Corporate Sustainability, CSR, and Business Ethics

    Hansen, E. G., Zvezdov, D., Harms, D. & Lenssen, G., 2014, In: Business and Professional Ethics Journal. 33, 4, p. 287-296 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Research

  9. Published

    Public participation and local environmental planning: Testing factors influencing decision quality and implementation in four case studies from Germany

    Drazkiewicz, A., Challies, E. & Newig, J., 01.07.2015, In: Land Use Policy. 46, p. 211-222 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Analyzing management preferences for sustainability: Toward a new framework

    Brieger, S. A., Seidel, J., Strathoff, P. & Sundermann, A., 2015, Lüneburg: Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, 9 p. (Working Paper Series in Management; no. 3).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers