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

    Flavonoids as biopesticides – Systematic assessment of sources, structures, activities and environmental fate

    Schnarr, L., Segatto, M. L., Olsson, O., Zuin, V. G. & Kümmerer, K., 10.06.2022, In: Science of the Total Environment. 824, 153781.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  2. Published

    Vorschläge für einen klimagerechten Ausbau der Photovoltaik und Windenergie

    Bett, A., Erlach, B., Gölz, S., Gutnik, M., Hentschel, A., Hirschl, B., Hübner, G., Kienzlen, V., Matthies, E., Müller, F. J. Y., Münch, W., O'Sullivan, M., Rech, B., Reusswig, F. W., Schöbel-Rutschman, S., Schomerus, T. & Stryi-Hipp, G., 2021, München: acatech - Deutsche Akademie der Technikwissenschaften e.V., 5 p. (Impuls; vol. November 2021).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  3. Published

    Hinweise und Empfehlungen zu Vermeidungsmaßnahmen bei Erdkabelvorhaben: Ergebnisse des gleichnamigen F+E-Vorhabens (FKZ 3518 86 0700)

    Runge, K., Schomerus, T., Gronowski, L., Müller, A. & Rickert, C., 2021, Bonn: Bundesamt für Naturschutz, 208 p. (BfN-Skripten; vol. 606).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  4. Published

    An inclusive future: disabled populations in the context of climate and environmental change

    Kosanic, A., Petzold, J., Martín-López, B. & Razanajatovo, M., 01.04.2022, In: Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. 55, 11 p., 101159.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  5. Published

    Using a leverage points perspective to compare social-ecological systems: a case study on rural landscapes

    Fischer, J., Abson, D., Dorresteijn, I., Hanspach, J., Hartel, T., Schultner, J. & Sherrene, K., 03.2022, In: Ecosystems and People. 18, 1, p. 119-130 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Advancing research on ecosystem service bundles for comparative assessments and synthesis

    Meacham, M., Norströma, A. V., Peterson, G. D., Andersson, E., Bennett, E. M., Biggs, R., Crouzat, E., Cord, A. F., Enfors, E., Felipe-Lucia, M. R., Fischer, J., Hamann, M., Hanspach, J., Hicks, C., Jacobs, S., Lavorel, S., Locatelli, B., Martín-López, B., Plieninger, T. & Queiroz, C., 02.2022, In: Ecosystems and People. 18, 1, p. 99-111 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Nachhaltigkeit erzählen: Durch Storytelling besser kommunizieren?

    Fischer, D. (Editor), Fücker, S. (Editor), Selm, H. (Editor) & Sundermann, A. (Editor), 04.02.2021, München : oekom verlag GmbH. 180 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesTransfer

  8. Published

    A scale-up procedure to dialkyl carbonates; evaluation of their properties, biodegradability, and toxicity

    Trapasso, G., Salaris, C., Reich, M., Logunova, E., Salata, C., Kümmerer, K., Figoli, A. & Aricò, F., 01.05.2022, In: Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy. 26, 100639.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Essential ecosystem service variables for monitoring progress towards sustainability

    Balvanera, P., Brauman, K. A., Cord, A. F., Drakou, E. G., Geijzendorffer, I. R., Karp, D. S., Martín-López, B., Mwampamba, T. H. & Schröter, M., 01.02.2022, In: Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. 54, 9 p., 101152.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published