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

    "Brauchen wir einen Grünen im Vorstand?": [Kommentar]

    Schaltegger, S., 04.2011, In: Harvard Business Manager. 33, 4, p. 95 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  2. Published

    BP’s Solar Business Model - A Case Study on BP’s Solar Business Case and its Drivers

    Lüdeke-Freund, F., 2014, In: International Journal of Business Environment. 6, 3, p. 300-328 29 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Boundary speak in sustainability studies: Computational reading of a transversal field

    Herberg, J., Schmitz, S., Stasiak, D. & Schmieg, G., 10.06.2021, In: Science and Public Policy. 48, 3, p. 398-411 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  4. Published

    Bottom-up effects of plant diversity on multitrophic interactions in a biodiversity experiment

    Scherber, C., Eisenhauer, N., Weisser, W. W., Schmid, B., Voigt, W., Fischer, M., Schulze, E.-D., Roscher, C., Weigelt, A., Allan, E., Bonkowski, M., Buchmann, N., Buscot, F., Clement, L. W., Ebeling, A., Engels, C., Halle, S., Kertscher, I., Klein, A.-M., Koller, R., König, S., Kowalski, E., Kummer, V., Kuu, A., Lange, M., Lauterbach, D., Middelhoff, C., Migunova, V. D., Milcu, A., Müller, R., Partsch, S., Petermann, J. S., Renker, C., Rottstock, T., Sabais, A., Scheu, S., Temperton, V. M., Schumacher, J., Tscharntke, T. & Beler, H., 25.11.2010, In: Nature. 468, 7323, p. 553-556 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Bottom-up creation of allele frequency differentiation in Carabus auronitens

    Hinsch, M. & Aßmann, T., 2002, Scales, hierarchies and emergent properties in ecological models. Hölker, F. (ed.). Frankfurt am Main [u.a.]: Peter Lang Verlag, p. 71-82 12 p. (Theorie in der Ökologie; vol. 6).

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

  6. Published

    Bodensaure Eichen- und Eichenmischwälder Europas

    Härdtle, W., 2004, In: Tuexenia. 24, p. 57-72 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  7. Published

    Bodenökologische Untersuchungen in Elbauen - Entstehung und Entwicklung der Böden in der Mäanderschleife Wehningen

    Krüger, F., Tucci, M. & Urban, B., 2014, Klimafolgenanpassung im Biosphärenreservat Niedersächsische Elbtalaue - Modellregion für nachhaltige Entwicklung. Prüter, J., Schreck, C. & Keienburg, T. (eds.). Hamburg: TuTech Verlag, Vol. 5. p. 53-62 10 p. (Berichte aus den KLIMZUG-NORD Modellgebieten; vol. 5).

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

  8. Published

    Bodenentwicklungen und Bodenbelastungen der Mäanderschleife Wehninger Werder an der niedersächsischen Mittelelbe

    Krüger, F., Weniger, T. & Urban, B., 2013, Jahrbuch des Naturwissenschaftlichen Vereins für das Fürstentum Lüneburg von 1851 e.V.. Härdtle, W. & Prüter, J. (eds.). Lüneburg: Naturwissenschaftlicher Verein für das Fürstentum Lüneburg von 1851 e.V., p. 97-108 12 p. (Jahrbuch des Naturwissenschaftlichen Vereins für das Fürstentum Lüneburg; no. 45).

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

  9. Published

    Blue-green light is required for a maximized fatty acid unsaturation and pigment concentration in the microalga Acutodesmus obliquus

    Helamieh, M., Reich, M., Bory, S., Rohne, P., Riebesell, U., Kerner, M. & Kümmerer, K., 01.07.2022, In: Lipids. 57, 4-5, p. 221-232 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Bloggen für eine Nachhaltige Entwicklung?!

    Schulz, D., 2009, In: Umweltwirtschaftsforum. 17, 1, p. 149-154 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch