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

    Noah's ark or world wild web? Cultural perspectives in global scenario studies and their function for biodiversity conservation in a changing world

    Beumer, C. & Martens, P., 14.10.2010, In: Sustainability. 2, 10, p. 3211-3238 28 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  2. Published

    Polyfluorinated compounds in residential and nonresidential indoor air

    Langer, V., Dreyer, A. & Ebinghaus, R., 01.11.2010, In: Environmental Science and Technology. 44, 21, p. 8075-8081 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Relict species: From past to future

    Habel, J. C., Assmann, T., Schmitt, T. & Avise, J. C., 2010, Relict Species: Phylogeography and Conservation Biology. Habel, J. C. & Assmann, T. (eds.). Springer, p. 1-5 5 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksOtherResearch

  4. Published

    Präventive Diagnostik für Kardiovaskuläre Erkrankungen auf Basis Probabilistischer und Beschreibungslogischer Verfahren

    Weiss, C., Busch, B. H., Welge, R. & Bette, M., 2010, INFORMATIK 2010 - Service Science - Neue Perspektiven fur die Informatik, Beitrage der 40. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft fur Informatik e.V. (GI). Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V., Vol. 1. p. 51-56 6 p. (INFORMATIK 2010 - Service Science - Neue Perspektiven fur die Informatik, Beitrage der 40. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft fur Informatik e.V. (GI); vol. 1).

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

  5. Published

    Evidence for an intrinsic energetic ceiling in free-ranging kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla

    Welcker, J., Moe, B., Bech, C., Fyhn, M., Schultner, J., Speakman, J. R. & Gabrielsen, G. W., 01.2010, In: Journal of Animal Ecology. 79, 1, p. 205-213 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Application of the two-sample doubly labelled water method alters behaviour and affects estimates of energy expenditure in black-legged kittiwakes

    Schultner, J., Welcker, J., Speakman, J. R., Nordoy, E. S. & Gabrielsen, G. W., 01.09.2010, In: Journal of Experimental Biology. 213, 17, p. 2958-2966 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Spatial distribution models in a frugivorous carnivore, the stone marten (Martes foina): Is the fleshy-fruit availability a useful predictor?

    Virgós, E., Cabezas-Díaz, S., Mangas, J. G. & Lozano, J., 01.11.2010, In: Animal Biology. 60, 4, p. 423-436 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Anaerobic biodegradation of organochlorine pesticides in contaminated soil: Significance of temperature and availability

    Baczynski, T. P., Pleissner, D. & Grotenhuis, T., 01.2010, In: Chemosphere. 78, 1, p. 22-28 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Sustainability Management for the Olympic and Paralymic Games in London 2012

    Berlemann, B., 2007, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management, 79 p.

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  10. Published

    Quantification of sources of PCBs to the atmosphere in urban areas: a comparison of cities in North America, Western Europe and former Yugoslavia

    Gasic, B., MacLeod, M., Klanova, J., Scheringer, M., Ilic, P., Lammel, G., Pajovic, A., Breivik, K., Holoubek, I. & Hungerbühler, K., 01.10.2010, In: Environmental Pollution. 158, 10, p. 3230-3235 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review