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

    Tree diversity, tree growth, and microclimate independently structure Lepidoptera herbivore community stability

    Wang, M. Q., Albert, G., Chesters, D., Bruelheide, H., Li, Y., Chen, J. T., Haider, S., Li, S., von Oheimb, G., Proß, T., Schnabel, F., Yang, B., Zhou, Q. S., Ma, K., Liu, X., Zhu, C. D., Luo, A. & Schuldt, A., 08.2025, In: Ecological Monographs. 95, 3, 22 p., e70026.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Brazil's dangerous environmental licensing bill

    Weidlich, E. W. A., 07.08.2025, In: Science (New York, N.Y.). 389, 6760, p. 583-584 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  3. Published

    With or against the river? Tracing changes and relationships between social and ecological systems on the central Vistula floodplain over the last 200 years

    Sobechowicz, Ł., Obremska, M., Brykała, D., Ćwiek-Rogalska, K., Gąsiorowski, M., Konopski, M., Łotysz, S., Mulczyk, A., Samojlik, T., Siwek, W. A., Słowiński, M., Szewczyk, K., Stadnicka, M., Targowski, M., Theuerkauf, M., Wolski, J. & Związek, T., 08.2025, In: Anthropocene Review. 12, 2, p. 302-326 25 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Locked in a fossil-centric system paradigm: LNG expansion impedes socio-ecological transition toward a just and renewable energy future

    Kemfert, C., Präger, F., Hoffart, F. M. & von Hirschhausen, C., 22.08.2025, In: Cell Reports Sustainability. 2, 8, 11 p., 100464.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  5. Published

    Cascading effects of tree diversity loss on herbivore-parasitoid interactions

    Wang, M. Q., Zhang, K., Albert, G., Haider, S., Li, Y., Chen, J. T., Davrinche, A., Zhou, Q. S., Luo, A., Proß, T., Ma, K., Bruelheide, H., Liu, X., Zhu, C. D. & Schuldt, A., 11.2025, In: Biological Conservation. 311, 10 p., 111418.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Engagement for genetic modification technologies in conservation: For whom, how, and for what ends?

    Bülow, F., Nissen, S., Black, A. & Taitingfong, R., 09.2025, In: Environmental Science & Policy. 2025, 171, p. 104190

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Limited carbon sequestration potential from global ecosystem restoration

    Tölgyesi, C., Csikós, N., Temperton, V. M., Buisson, E., Silveira, F. A. O., Lehmann, C. E. R., Török, P., Bátori, Z. & Bede-Fazekas, Á., 08.2025, In: Nature Geoscience. 18, 8, p. 761-768 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Accepted/In press

    New draft law on environmental licensing is a major threat to the Brazilian ecosystems and can hinder ecological restoration efforts

    Weidlich, E. W. A., de Morae, L. F. D. & Engel, V. L., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Restoration Ecology. 1 p., e70171.

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

  9. Published

    Framing the relationship between justice and ecosystem services: A systematic review

    Locatelli, B., Benra, F., Geneletti, D., Loft, L., Loos, J., Schröter, B., Winkler, K. & Zoderer, B. M., 08.2025, In: Ecosystem Services. 74, 14 p., 101755.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Engaging with justice in integrated landscape approaches

    Zafra-Calvo, N., Altmann, B. A., Chowdhury, K., Cortes-Capano, G., Flinzberger, L., Heindorf, C., Huber, J., Jay, M., Kmoch, L. M., Polas, A. B., Svobodova, K., Thapa, P. & Plieninger, T., 07.2025, In: Ecology and Society. 30, 3, 30 p., 6.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review