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. 2011
  2. Published

    Proceedings of the Conference "Protection of the Environment and the Climate": TÁMOP-Humboldt Colleg for Environment and Climate Protection, Sopron, Hungary 3rd December 2009 & 1st October 2010

    Palocz-Andresen, M. (Editor), Németh, R. (Editor) & Szalay, D. (Editor), 2011, Sopron: University of West Hungary. 283 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesConference proceedingsResearch

  3. Published

    PUMA's Environmental Profit and Loss Statement

    Viere, T., 2011, In: News Journal of the Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Accountability. 17, 4, p. 221-223

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  4. Published

    Relevanz von NSO-Heterocyclen in niedersächsischen Fließgewässern

    Siemers, A.-K., Mänz, J. S., Palm, W.-U., Steffen, D. & Ruck, W., 2011, Wasser 2011: Jahrestagung der Wasserchemischen Gesellschaft. GDCh, Wasserchemische Gesellschaft, p. 208-212 4 p.

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

  5. Published

    Remote Sensing of Bush Encroachment on Commercial Cattle Farms in Semi-Arid Rangelands in Namibia

    Schröter, M., Jakoby, O., Olbrich, R., Eichhorn, M. & Baumgärtner, S., 2011, Environmental Modeling for Sustainable Regional Development: System Approaches and Advanced Methods. Olej, V., Obršálová, I. & Krupka, J. (eds.). Hershey : IGI Global Publishing, p. 327-343 17 p.

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

  6. Published

    Responses of herbivory and pollinators to grassland management and plant diversity

    Hudewenz, A., Klein, A.-M., Scherber, C., Stanke, L., Tscharntke, T., Vogel, A., Weigelt, A., Weisser, W. W. & Ebeling, A., 2011, 41st Annual Meeting "Ecological Functions, Patterns, Processes": 41st Annual Meeting "Ecological Functions, Patterns, Processes". Minden, V. (ed.). Oldenburg: Gesellschaft für Ökologie

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

  7. Published

    Risk preferences under heterogeneous environmental risk

    Olbrich, R., Quaas, M. F., Haensler, A. & Baumgärtner, S., 2011, Lüneburg: Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre der Universität Lüneburg, 37 p. (Working Paper Series in Economics; no. 208).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  8. Published

    Rolling Out Corporate Sustainability Accounting: A New Set of Challenges for Sustainability Accounting

    Zvezdov, D., 2011, Accounting for Climate Change: What and How to Measure. Csutora, M. & Kerekes, S. (eds.). Budapest: Corvinus University of Budapest, p. 259-262 4 p.

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

  9. Published

    Sauberes wasser für Australien

    Birke, V. & Burmeier, H., 2011, In: GWF, Wasser - Abwasser. 152, 3, p. 243 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference abstract in journalResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Schlacke/Schrader/Bunge, Informationsrechte, Öffentlichkeitsbeteiligung und Rechtsschutz im Umweltrecht, Aarhus-Handbuch, 2010

    Schomerus, T., 2011, In: Die Verwaltung. 44, 1, p. 149-151 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsCritical reviewsTransfer

  11. Published

    Schlüsselkompetenzen für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung der Weltgesellschaft: Ergebnisse einer europäisch-lateinamerikanischen Delphi-Studie

    Rieckmann, M., 2011, In: GAIA. 20, 1, p. 48-56 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review