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 trees are keystone structures in urban parks

    Stagoll, K., Lindenmayer, D. B., Knight, E., Fischer, J. & Manning, A. D., 04.2012, In: Conservation Letters. 5, 2, p. 115-122 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Consequences of nuclear accidents for biodiversity and ecosystem services

    von Wehrden, H., Fischer, J., Brandt, P., Wagner, V., Kümmerer, K., Kuemmerle, T., Nagel, A., Olsson, O. & Hostert, P., 01.04.2012, In: Conservation Letters. 5, 2, p. 81-89 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  3. Published

    Unternehmen & Biodiversität: Biodiversität im unternehmerischen Immobilien- und Liegenschaftsmanagement

    Heitepriem, N., 2012, Treffpunkt Biologische Vielfalt XI: Interdisziplinärer Forschungsaustausch im Rahmen des Übereinkommens über die biologische Vielfalt. Bonn - Bad Godesberg: Bundesamt für Naturschutz, p. 137-142 6 p. (BfN-Skripten; vol. 309).

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

  4. Published

    (Re)Produktivität im Dialog mit der Praxis

    Schön, S., Biesecker, A., Hofmeister, S. & Scurrell, B., 2013, Wege Vorsorgenden Wirtschaftens. N. V. W. (ed.). Marburg: Metropolis Verlag, p. 159-200 41 p.

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

  5. Published

    (Re)Produktivität als Kategorie vorsorgenden Wirtschaftens

    Biesecker, A. & Hofmeister, S., 2013, Wege Vorsorgenden Wirtschaftens. N. V. W. (ed.). Marburg: Metropolis Verlag, p. 137-158 21 p.

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

  6. Published

    Horizontal, but not vertical canopy structure is related to stand functional diversity in a subtropical slope forest

    Lang, A. C., Härdtle, W., Bruelheide, H., Kröber, W., Schröter, M., von Wehrden, H. & Oheimb, G., 01.2012, In: Ecological Research. 27, 1, p. 181-189 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Die Beziehung zwischen CSR und Corporate Sustainability

    Schaltegger, S., 2012, Corporate Social Responsibility: Verantwortungsvolle Unternehmensführung in Theorie und Praxis. Schneider, A. & Schmidpeter, R. (eds.). Berlin: Gabler Verlag, p. 165-175 11 p.

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

  8. Published

    Business Model Innovation for Sustainable Energy: How German Municipal Utilities invest in Offshore Wind Energy

    Richter, M., 2012, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management, 30 p.

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  9. Published

    Environmental Management Accounting: A Bibliometric Literature Review

    Schaltegger, S., Gibassier, D. & Zvezdov, D., 2011, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management, 36 p.

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  10. Published

    Die CBD, ‚Biopiraterie‘ und Gerechtigkeit: Eine gerechtigkeitstheoretische Rekonstruktion der ‚Biopiraterie‘-Debatte

    Stumpf, K. H., 2012, Treffpunkt Biologische Vielfalt XI: Interdisziplinärer Forschungsaustausch im Rahmen des Übereinkommens über die biologische Vielfalt. Feit, U. & Korn, H. (eds.). Bonn - Bad Godesberg: Bundesamt für Naturschutz, p. 95-100 6 p. (BfN-Skripten; vol. 309).

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