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. 2014
  2. Published

    Emissions of decamethylcyclopentasiloxane from Chicago

    Buser, A. M., Bogdal, C., MacLeod, M. & Scheringer, M., 01.07.2014, In: Chemosphere. 107, p. 473-475 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Food packaging and migration of food contact materials: will epidemiologists rise to the neotoxic challenge?

    Muncke, J., Myers, J. P., Scheringer, M. & Porta, M., 01.07.2014, In: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. 68, 7, p. 592-594 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Key Competencies for and beyond Sustainable Consumption: An Educational Contribution to the Debate

    Fischer, D. & Barth, M., 01.07.2014, In: GAIA. 23, S1, p. 193-200 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  5. Published

    Delivering community benefits through REDD plus : Lessons from Joint Forest Management in Zambia

    Leventon, J., Kalaba, F. K., Dyer, J. C., Stringer, L. C. & Dougill, A. J., 07.2014, In: Forest Policy and Economics. 44, p. 10-17 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Determinants and interactions of sustainability and risk management of commercial cattle farmers in Namibia

    Ingenillem, J., Merz, J. & Baumgärtner, S., 07.2014, Lüneburg: Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre der Universität Lüneburg, 72 p. (University of Lüneburg Working Paper Series in Economics; no. 304).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  7. Published

    Ecosystem services as a boundary object for sustainability

    Abson, D., von Wehrden, H., Baumgärtner, S., Fischer, J., Hanspach, J., Härdtle, W., Heinrichs, H., Klein, A.-M., Lang, D. J., Martens, P. & Walmsley, D., 07.2014, In: Ecological Economics. 103, 7, p. 29-37 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Experience from downscaling IPCC-SRES scenarios to specific national-level focus scenarios for ecosystem service management

    Walz, A., Braendle, J. M., Lang, D. J., Brand, F., Briner, S., Elkin, C., Hirschi, C., Huber, R., Lischke, H. & Schmatz, D. R., 07.2014, In: Technological Forecasting and Social Change. 86, p. 21-32 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Interdependencies between Biotic and Abiotic Ferrous Iron Oxidation and Influence of pH, Oxygen and Ferric Iron Deposits

    Eggerichs, T., Opel, O., Otte, T. & Ruck, W., 07.2014, In: Geomicrobiology Journal. 31, 6, p. 461-472 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Realigning the land-sharing/land-sparing debate to match conservation needs: considering diversity scales and land-use history

    von Wehrden, H., Abson, D. J., Beckmann, M., Cord, A. F., Klotz, S. & Seppelt, R., 07.2014, In: Landscape Ecology. 29, 6, p. 941-948 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Reining in rascal geographies of neoliberalism in the periphery?

    Challies, E., 07.2014, In: Dialogues in Human Geography. 4, 2, p. 131-136 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch