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

    Chemical and environmental aspects of thermal energy storage in aquifers and development of water treatment methods

    Wagner, R., Bardtke, D., Adinolfi, M., Ruck, W., Stein, M. & Weber, W., 1989, Thermische Energiespeicherung: Statusbericht 1989. Stuttgart: Bundesministerium für Forschung und Technologie (BMFT), p. 121-140 21 p.

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

  2. Published

    Charakteristika des Modellgebietes Lüneburger Heide

    Grocholl, J., Mersch, I., Rechid, D. & 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, Vol. 6. p. 5-9 5 p. (Berichte aus den Klimzug-Nord Modellgebieten; vol. 6).

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

  3. Published

    Characterizing the Lower Paleolithic bone industry from Schöningen 12 II: A multi-proxy study.

    Julien, M. A., Hardy, B., Stahlschmidt, M., Urban, B., Serangeli, J. & Conard, N. J., 01.12.2015, In: Journal of Human Evolution. 89, p. 264-286 23 p., 89.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Characterizing social-ecological units to inform biodiversity conservation in cultural landscapes

    Hanspach, J., Loos, J., Dorresteijn, I., Abson, D. J. & Fischer, J., 01.08.2016, In: Diversity and Distributions. 22, 8, p. 853-864 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Characterizing commercial cattle farms in Namibia: risk, management and sustainability

    Olbrich, R., Quaas, M. F. & Baumgärtner, S., 08.2012, Lüneburg: Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre der Universität Lüneburg, 53 p. (Working Paper Series in Economics ; no. 248).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  6. Published

    Characterizing and evaluating successional pathways of fen degradation and restoration

    Schrautzer, J., Sival, F., Breuer, M., Runhaar, H. & Fichtner, A., 02.2013, In: Ecological Indicators. 25, p. 108-120 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Characterization of selected microalgae and cyanobacteria as sources of compounds with antioxidant capacity

    Almendinger, M., Saalfrank, F., Rohn, S., Kurth, E., Springer, M. & Pleissner, D., 01.03.2021, In: Algal Research. 53, 102168.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published
  9. Published

    Characterization and ranking of biodiversity hotspots: centres of species richness and endemism

    Hobohm, C., 01.02.2003, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 12, 2, p. 279-287 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  10. Published

    Characteristics, emerging needs, and challenges of transdisciplinary sustainability science: experiences from the German Social-Ecological Research Program

    Ruppert-Winkel, C., Arlinghaus, R., Deppisch, S., Eisenack, K., Gottschlich, D., Hirschl, B., Matzdorf, B., Mölders, T., Padmanabhan, M., Selbmann, K., Ziegler, R. & Plieninger, T., 09.2015, In: Ecology and Society. 20, 3, 17 p., 13.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review