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

    Catalyzing Transformations to Sustainability in the World's Mountains

    the Mountain Sentinels Network, Klein, J. A., Tucker, C. M., Nolin, A. W., Hopping, K. A., Reid, R. S., Steger, C., Grêt-Regamey, A., Lavorel, S., Müller, B., Yeh, E. T., Boone, R. B., Bourgeron, P., Butsic, V., Castellanos, E., Chen, X., Dong, S., Greenwood, G., Keiler, M., Marchant, R., Seidl, R., Spies, T., Thorn, J., Yager, K. & Martín‐López, B., 01.05.2019, In: Earth's Future. 7, 5, p. 547-557 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Make EU trade with Brazil sustainable

    604 signatories, Kehoe, L., Reis, T., Virah-Sawmy, M., Balmford, A., Kuemmerle, T., Knohl, A., Antonelli, A., Hochkirch, A., Vira, B., Massa, B., Peres, C. A., Ammer, C., Görg, C., Schneider, C., Curtis, D., de la Peña, E., Tello, E., Sperfeld, E., Corbera, E., Morelli, F., Valladares, F., Peterson, G., Hide, G., Mace, G., Kallis, G., Olsson, G. A., Brumelis, G., Alexanderson, H., Haberl, H., Nuissl, H., Kreft, H., Ghazoul, J., Piotrowski, J. A., Macdiarmid, J., Newig, J., Fischer, J., Altringham, J., Gledhill, J., Nielsen, J., Müller, J., Palmeirim, J., Barlow, J., Alonso, J. C., Asencio, J. J. P., Steinberger, J. K., Jones, J. P. G., Cotta, B., Leonhardt, S. D., Wanger, T. C. & Coenen, J., 26.04.2019, In: Science. 364, 6438, p. 341 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  3. Published

    Was tun gegen das Insektensterben? Empfehlungen für naturschutzfachlich wertvolle Flächen

    Aßmann, T., Buse, J., Drees, C., Homburg, K. & Nolte, D., 2019, In: Natur und Landschaft. 94, 6-7, p. 289-293 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    The role of business models for sustainable consumption: A pattern approach

    Lüdeke-Freund, F., Froese, T. & Schaltegger, S., 01.10.2019, A Research Agenda for Sustainable Consumption Governance. Mont, O. (ed.). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing, p. 86-104 19 p. (Elgar research agendas).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  5. Published

    Green City---A Sustainable Energy Concept for a Climate Neutral University

    Strodel, N., Opel, O., Werner, K. F. & Ruck, W. K. L., 2019, International Climate Protection. Palocz-Andresen, M., Szalay, D., Gosztom, A., Sípos, L. & Taligás, T. (eds.). Cham: Springer International Publishing AG, p. 211-216 6 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapter

  6. Published

    Interoperability of mineral sustainability initiatives: A case study of the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) and the Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM)

    Junior, R. M., Sturman, K. & Imbrogiano, J. P., 28.05.2019, Sustainability Certification Schemes in the Agricultural and Natural Resource Sectors: Outcomes for Society and the Environment. Vogt, M. (ed.). London: Taylor and Francis Inc., p. 215-229 15 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  7. Published

    Enabling the identification of industrial symbiosis (IS) through information communication technology (ICT)

    Lütje, A., Willenbacher, M., Möller, A. & Wohlgemuth, V., 08.01.2019, Proceedings of the 52nd Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 2019. Bui, T. X. (ed.). IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., p. 709-719 11 p. (Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences; vol. 2019-January).

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

  8. Published

    A greener path for the EU Common Agricultural Policy

    Pe’er, G., Zinngrebe, Y., Moreira, F., Sirami, C., Schindler, S., Müller, R., Bontzorlos, V., Clough, D., Bezák, P., Bonn, A., Hansjürgens, B., Lomba, A., Möckel, S., Passoni, G., Schleyer, C., Schmidt, J. & Lakner, S., 02.08.2019, In: Science. 365, 6452, p. 449-451 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  9. Published

    Three ways forward to improve regional information for extreme events: An early career perspective

    Langendijk, G. S., Aubry-Wake, C., Osman, M., Gulizia, C., Attig-Bahar, F., Behrens, E., Bertoncini, A., Hart, N., Indasi, V. S., Innocenti, S., van der Linden, E. C., Mamnun, N., Rasouli, K., Reed, K. A., Ridder, N., Rivera, J., Ruscica, R., Ukazu, B. U., Walawender, J. P., Walker, D. P., Woodhams, B. J. & Yilmaz, Y. A., 04.02.2019, In: Frontiers in Environmental Science. 7, FEB, 6.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    A flexible semi-empirical model for estimating ammonia volatilization from field-applied slurry

    Hafner, S. D., Pacholski, A., Bittman, S., Carozzi, M., Chantigny, M., Génermont, S., Häni, C., Hansen, M. N., Huijsmans, J., Kupper, T., Misselbrook, T., Neftel, A., Nyord, T. & Sommer, S. G., 15.02.2019, In: Atmospheric Environment. 199, p. 474-484 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review