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

    Forests, farms, and fallows: The dynamics of tree cover transition in the southern part of the uluguru mountains, tanzania

    Mpanda, M., Kashindye, A., Aynekulu, E., Jonas, E., Rosenstock, T. S. & Giliba, R. A., 28.05.2021, In: Land. 10, 6, 15 p., 571.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Forestry contributed to warming of forest ecosystems in northern Germany during the extreme summers of 2018 and 2019

    Blumröder, J. S., May, F., Härdtle, W. & Ibisch, P. L., 09.2021, In: Ecological Solutions and Evidence. 2, 3, 14 p., e12087.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Forest Restoration

    Resende, A. F., Krainovic, P. M., Brancalion, P. H. S., Weidlich, E. W. A., Rodrigues, R. R., Strassburg, B. & Loyola, R., 01.01.2024, Encyclopedia of Biodiversity, Third Edition: Volume 1-7. Scheiner, S. M. (ed.). Third Edition ed. Oxford: Academic Press Inc., Vol. 4. p. 799-813 15 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  4. Published

    Forest Islands in an Agricultural Sea

    Klein, A.-M., Boreux, V. E., Bauhus, J., Chappell, M. J., Fischer, J. & Philpott, S. M., 01.01.2014, Global Forest Fragmentation. Kettle, C. J. & Koh, L. P. (eds.). Wallingford: CAB International, p. 79-95 17 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  5. Published

    Forest history from a single tree species perspective: natural occurrence, near extinction and reintroduction of European yew (Taxus baccata L.) on the Darss-Zingst peninsula, southern Baltic Sea coast

    Kaiser, K., Theuerkauf, M., van der Maaten, E., van der Maaten-Theunissen, M. & Beil, A., 06.2024, In: European Journal of Forest Research. 143, 3, p. 917-942 26 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Forest history, continuity, and dynamic naturalness

    Westphal, C., Härdtle, W. & Oheimb, G., 22.03.2004, Forest biodiversity: lessons from history for conservation. . Honnay, O., Verheyen, K., Bossuyt, B. & Hermy, M. (eds.). CABI, p. 205-220 16 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  7. Published

    Forest history as a base for dynamic naturalness

    Westphal, C., Oheimb, G. & Härdtle, W., 2003, Biodiversity - from patterns to processes: 33. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Ökologie in Halle/Saale vom 8.-12.9.2003. . Göttingen: Die Werkstatt Verlag, p. 518 1 p. (Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft für Ökologie; vol. 33).

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

  8. Published

    Forest Ecosystems: A functional and biodiversity perspective

    Fichtner, A. & Härdtle, W., 2021, Perspectives for Biodiversity and Ecosystems. Hobohm, C. (ed.). Cham: Springer, p. 383-405 23 p. 16. (Environmental Challenges and Solutions).

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

  9. Published
  10. Published

    Förderung von Mehrwegverpackungssystemen zur Verringerung des Verpackungsverbrauchs – Mögliche Maßnahmen zur Etablierung, Verbreitung und Optimierung von Mehrwegsystemen: Teilbericht I

    Rödig, L., Jepsen, D., Falkenstein, A., Zimmermann, T., Hauschke, F., Cayé, N., Schüler, K., Burger, A., Schomerus, T. & Jacobj, H., 12.2022, Dessau-Roßlau: Umweltbundesamt, 247 p. (Texte/Umweltbundesamt; vol. 148).

    Research output: Working paperResearch communication reportsResearch