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. 2025
  2. Accepted/In press

    Experimental reduction of land use increases invertebrate abundance in grasslands

    Staab, M., Keller, A., Achury, R., Hilpert, A., Hölzel, N., Prati, D., Weisser, W. W. & Blüthgen, N., 23.08.2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Basic and Applied Ecology.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. 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

  4. Published

    Whole-school sustainability at the core of quality education: Wished for by principals but requiring collective and structural action

    Holst, J., Brock, A., Grund, J., Schlieszus, A. K. & Singer-Brodowski, M., 10.08.2025, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 519, 11 p., 145897.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. 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

  6. Published

    Multilayer Material System Analysis of wind turbines: correlation of stocks and flows in the EU of six metals and two drivetrain technologies

    Godoy León, M. F., Balsells Llort, C., Demuytere, C., Bobba, S., Tazi, N. & Dewulf, J., 01.08.2025, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 518, 15 p., 145794.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Artificial intelligence in sustainable development research

    Gohr, C., Rodríguez Aboytes, J. G., Belomestnykh, S., Berg-Moelleken, D., Chauhan, N., Engler, J.-O., von Heydebreck, L., Hintz, M. J., Kretschmer, M.-F., Krügermeier, C., Meinberg, J., Rau, A.-L., Schwenck, C., Aoulkadi, I., Poll, S., Frank, E., Creutzig, F., Lemke, O., Maushart, M., Pfendtner-Heise, J., Rathgens, J. & von Wehrden, H., 08.2025, In: Nature Sustainability. 8, 8, p. 970-978 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Contributions of Net-Map to sustainability action research

    Cortés-Calderón, S. V., López-Rodríguez, M. D., Jiménez-Aceituno, A., Castro, A. J. & Mancilla-García, M., 08.2025, In: Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. 75, 101542.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  9. Published

    Ecological assessment of forest management approaches to develop resilient forests in the face of global change in Central Europe

    Huth, F., Tischer, A., Nikolova, P., Feldhaar, H., Wehnert, A., Hülsmann, L., Bauhus, J., Heer, K., Vogt, J., Ammer, C., Berger, U., Bernhardt-Römermann, M., Böhme, M., Bugmann, H., Demant, L., Buse, J., Dörfler, I., Ewald, J., Feldmann, E., Fichtner, A., Gossner, M. M., Grams, T. E. E., Häberle, K.-H., Hagge, J., Hartmann, H., Herzog, S., Kahmen, A., Kohnle, U., Krabel, D., Krämer-Klement, K., Kreyling, J., Manthey, M., Mellert, K., Meyer, P., Mölder, A., Muffler-Weigel, L., Ohse, B., Opgenoorth, L., Rewald, B., Rothe, A., Ruehr, N., Scharnweber, T., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Schmeddes, J., Schmerbeck, J., Schmidt, M., Seidel, D., Thomas, F. M., Tiebel, M., von Oheimb, G., Wagner, S., Weigel, R., Wilmking, M., Zang, C. & Schuldt, B., 08.2025, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 86, p. 66-100 35 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  10. 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

  11. Published

    How to Assess Knowledge Cumulation in Environmental Governance Research? Conceptual and Empirical Explorations

    Newig, J. & Rose, M., 08.2025, In: Environmental Policy and Governance. 35, 4, p. 662-681 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

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