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

    Large mammal diversity matters for wildlife tourism in Southern African Protected Areas: Insights for management

    Arbieu, U., Grünewald, C., Martín-López, B., Schleuning, M. & Böhning-Gaese, K., 06.2018, In: Ecosystem Services. 31, p. 481-490 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    La partecipazione nei processi-agenda locali

    Stoltenberg, U., 2000, Lokale Agenda 21 / Akteure und Aktionen in Deutschland und Italien. Agenda 21 locale / Attori ed azioni in Germania ed in Italia. Stoltenberg, U. & Nora, E. (eds.). Frankfurt/Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 210-215 7 p.

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

  3. Published

    Langzeiteffekte eines Online-Trainings zur Reduktion von depressiven Beschwerden für Personen mit Diabetes Mellitus Typ 1 und Typ 2: Ergebnisse einer randomisiert-klinischen Studie nach 12 Monaten

    Nobis, S., Lehr, D., Berking, M., Baumeister, H., Riper, H., Snoek, F. J. & Ebert, D. D., 04.2016, In: Diabetologie und Stoffwechsel. 11, S1, P89.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference abstract in journalResearchpeer-review

  4. Published
  5. Published

    Langfristige Strategien zur Entfrachtung des aquatischen Kreislaufs von Mikroverunreinigungen

    Kümmerer, K. & Olsson, O., 08.2018, In: KA - Korrespondenz Abwasser, Abfall. 65, 8, p. 686-693 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Landwirtschaft und Lebenswirklichkeiten in kleinen landwirtschaftlichen Betrieben in Ost- und Südostpolen: Beispiele aus den Landkreisen Lubartów und Krosno

    Szumelda, A. U., 02.2017, Politiken der Naturgestaltung : Ländliche Entwicklung und Agro-Gentechnik zwischen Kritik und Vision. Gottschlich, D. & Mölders, T. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Springer VS, p. 93-118 26 p.

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

  7. Published

    Landwirtschaft und Agrarpolitik im Wandel: Konflikte und Kontroversen in der Wahrnehmung von Landwirtinnen und Landwirten

    Mölders, T., 2008, Nachhaltige Agrarpolitik als reflexive Politik: Plädoyer für einen neuen Diskurs zwischen Politik und Wissenschaft. Feindt, P. H., Gottschick, M., Mölders, T., Müller, F., Sodtke, R. & Weiland, S. (eds.). Berlin: edition sigma, p. 157-180 24 p.

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

  8. Published

    Landwirtschaftliche Beratung mit dem Modell CANDY-Carbon Balance

    Schmelmer, K. & Urban, B., 2014, Klimawandel in der Lüneburger Heide: Kulturlandschaften zukunftsfähig gestalten. Urban, B., Becker, J., Mersch, I., Meyer, W., Rechid, D. & Rottgardt, E. (eds.). Hamburg: TuTech Verlag, p. 45-47 3 p. (Berichte aus den KLIMZUG-NORD Modellgebieten; vol. 6).

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

  9. Published

    Landwirtschaft: Flächenproduktivität sichern

    Grocholl, J., Eiben, E., Mensching-Buhr, A., Mersch, I., Riedel, A., von Haaren, M., Schulze, S., Schmelmer, K. & Urban, B., 2014, Kursbuch Klimaanpassung: Handlungsoptionen für die Metropolregion Hamburg. K.-N. V. (ed.). Hamburg: TuTech Verlag, p. 56-59 4 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to scientific reportsResearch

  10. Published

    Land use modulates resistance of grasslands against future climate and inter-annual climate variability in a large field experiment

    Korell, L., Andrzejak, M., Berger, S., Durka, W., Haider, S., Hensen, I., Herion, Y., Höfner, J., Kindermann, L., Klotz, S., Knight, T. M., Linstädter, A., Madaj, A. M., Merbach, I., Michalski, S., Plos, C., Roscher, C., Schädler, M., Welk, E. & Auge, H., 01.07.2024, In: Global Change Biology. 30, 7, 16 p., e17418.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review