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

    Halboffene Verbundkorridore: Ökologische Funktion, Leitbilder und Praxis-Leitfaden

    Aßmann, T., Boutaud, E., Finck, P., Härdtle, W., Matthies, D., Nolte, D. I. I., von Oheimb, G., Riecken, U., Travers, E. & Ullrich, K., 2016, Münster: BfN-Schriftenvertrieb im Landwirtschaftsverlag. 296 p. (Naturschutz und Biologische Vielfalt; vol. 154)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  2. Published

    Baumartenvielfalt und Ressourcennutzung - Ergebnisse eines Stickstoff-Tracer-Experimentes in Baumanpflanzungen im subtropischen China

    Härdtle, W., 2016, Jahrestagung der Reinhold-Tüxen-Gesellschaft e.V: vom 4. bis 6. März 2016 in Hannover : zu Ehren von Professor Dr. Elgene Box (University of Georgia, Athens, USA). Pott, R. (ed.). Hannover: Reinhold-Tüxen-Gesellschaft , p. 75-86 12 p. (Berichte der Reinhold-Tüxen-Gesellschaft; vol. 28).

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

  3. Published

    Introduction to the Assessment - Characteristics of the Region

    Quante, M., Colijn, F., Bakker, J. P., Härdtle, W., Heinrich, H., Lefebvre, C., Nöhren, I., Olesen, J. E., Pohlmann, T., Sterr, H., Sündermann, J. & Tölle, M. H., 01.09.2016, North Sea Region Climate Change Assessment. Quante, M. & Colijn, F. (eds.). 1. ed. Cham: Springer, p. 1-52 52 p. (Regional Climate Studies).

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

  4. Published

    Rule-based analysis of throughfall kinetic energy to evaluate biotic and abiotic factor thresholds to mitigate erosive power

    Goebes, P., Schmidt, K., Härdtle, W., Seitz, S., Stumpf, F., von Oheimb, G. & Scholten, T., 01.06.2016, In: Progress in Physical Geography. 40, 3, p. 431-449 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Does tree architectural complexity influence the accuracy of wood volume estimates of single young trees by terrestrial laser scanning?

    Hess, C., Bienert, A., Härdtle, W. & von Oheimb, G., 30.10.2015, In: Forests. 6, 11, p. 3847-3867 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  6. Published

    Web-based intervention for depressive symptoms in adults with types 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus: a health economic evaluation

    Nobis, S., Ebert, D. D., Lehr, D., Smit, F., Buntrock, C., Berking, M., Baumeister, H., Snoek, F., Funk, B. & Riper, H., 04.2018, In: The British Journal of Psychiatry. 212, 4, p. 199-206 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Neighbourhood interactions drive overyielding in mixed-species tree communities

    Fichtner, A., Härdtle, W., Bruehlheide, H., Kunz, M., Li, Y. & von Oheimb, G., 01.12.2018, In: Nature Communications. 9, 1, 8 p., 1144.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Storytelling: Ein Ansatz zum Umgang mit Komplexität in der Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation?

    Fischer, D. & Storksdieck, M., 05.04.2018, Zwischen Ohnmacht und Zuversicht?: Vom Umgang mit Komplexität in der Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation. München: oekom verlag GmbH, p. 161-176 16 p. (DBU-Umweltkommunikation; vol. 10).

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

  9. Published

    Pestizidrückstände in ländlichen und urbanen Grund- und Oberflächengewässern

    Olsson, O., Hensen, B., Lange, J., Ulrich, U., Pfannerstill, M., Steinmann, F. & Kümmerer, K., 2018, 51. Essener Tagung für Wasserwirtschaft „Wasserwirtschaft im Umbruch": Tagungsband. Pinnekamp, J. (ed.). Aachen: Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Siedlungswasserwirtschaft an der RWTH Aachen e.V., Vol. 247. p. 55/1-55/11 11 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsTransfer

  10. Published

    Foliar nitrogen metabolism of adult Douglas-fir trees is affected by soil water availability and varies little among provenances

    Du, B., Kreuzwieser, J., Dannenmann, M., Junker, L. V., Kleiber, A., Hess, M., Jansen, K., Eiblmeier, M., Gessler, A., Kohnle, U., Ensminger, I., Rennenberg, H. & Wildhagen, H., 22.03.2018, In: PLoS ONE. 13, 3, 24 p., e0194684.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review