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

    Lokale Agenda 21 und die "Eine Welt"

    Rieckmann, M., 2007, Handbuch Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation: Grundlagen und Praxis. Michelsen, G. & Godemann, J. (eds.). 2 ed. München: oekom verlag GmbH, p. 768-778 11 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  2. Published

    Lokale Agenda 21 und die "Eine Welt"

    Rieckmann, M., 2005, Handbuch Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation: Grundlagen und Praxis . Michelsen, G. & Godemann, J. (eds.). München: oekom verlag GmbH, p. 763-772 10 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  3. Published

    Lokale Agenda 21 in Chile: eine Studie zur Implementation eines lokalen Agenda 21-Prozesses in der Cuenca del Lago Llanquihue

    Rieckmann, M., 2004, München: oekom verlag GmbH. 113 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  4. Published

    Lokale Agenda 21 als Gestaltungsebene für Nachhaltigkeit

    Stoltenberg, U., 2005, Nachhaltigkeit ist machbar: das "Schaufenster für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung" als innovatives Projekt zur Kommunikation und Entwicklung von Nachhaltigkeit . Stoltenberg, U., Muraca, B. & Nora, E. (eds.). Frankfurt am Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 53-63 11 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  5. Published

    Lokale Agenda 21 / Akteure und Aktionen in Deutschland und Italien. Agenda 21 locale / Attori ed azioni in Germania ed in Italia

    Stoltenberg, U. (Editor) & Nora, E. (Editor), 2000, Frankfurt/Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften. 293 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesConference proceedingsResearch

  6. Published

    Lohnt sich Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement? Mindsets, "business cases" und Strategie

    Schaltegger, S., 2017, CSR und Strategisches Management: Wie man mit Nachhaltigkeit langfristig im Wettbewerb gewinnt. Wunder, T. (ed.). Heidelberg: Gabler Verlag, p. 81-92 12 p. (Management-Reihe Corporate Social Responsibility).

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

  7. Published

    Local perceptions of ecosystem services across multiple ecosystem types in Spain

    García-Llorente, M., J. Castro, A., Quintas-Soriano, C., Oteros-Rozas, E., Iniesta-Arandia, I., González, J. A., García del Amo, D., Hernández-Arroyo, M., Casado-Arzuaga, I., Palomo, I., Gómez-Baggethun, E., Onaindia, M., Montes, C. & Martín-López, B., 18.09.2020, In: Land. 9, 9, 20 p., 0330.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Local organochlorine pesticide concentrations in soil put into a global perspective

    Camenzuli, L., Scheringer, M. & Hungerbühler, K., 01.10.2016, In: Environmental Pollution. 217, p. 11-18 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  9. Published

    Local neighborhood competition following an extraordinary snow break event: Implications for tree-individual growth

    Lang, A. C., Härdtle, W., Bruelheide, H. & Oheimb, G., 2014, In: iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry. 7, 1, p. 19-24 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Local levers for change: Mainstreaming ecosystem-based adaptation into municipal planning to foster sustainability transitions

    Wamsler, C., Luederitz, C. & Brink, E., 01.11.2014, In: Global Environmental Change : Human and Policy Dimensions. 29, p. 189 - 201 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review