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. 2017
  2. Published

    Community awareness and engagement for arsenic management

    Mildorfová-Leventon, J., 07.2017, Best Practice Guide on the Control of Arsenic in Drinking Water. Bhattacharya, P., Polya, D. A. & Jovanovic, D. (eds.). IWA Publishing, p. 117-124 8 p.

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

  3. Published

    Functional flower traits and their diversity drive pollinator visitation

    Fornoff, F., Klein, A.-M., Hartig, F., Benadi, G., Venjakob, C., Schaefer, H. M. & Ebeling, A., 07.2017, In: Oikos. 126, 7, p. 1020-1030 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Luminescence dating of Late Pleistocene eruptions in the Eifel Volcanic Field, Germany

    Schmidt, C., Schaarschmidt, M., Kolb, T., Büchel, G., Richter, D. & Zöller, L., 07.2017, In: Journal of Quaternary Science. 32, 5, p. 628-638 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Nachhaltigkeitsstrategien und die Herausforderung der politischen Umsetzung

    Laws, N. & Heinrichs, H., 07.2017, Die Deutsche Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie: Wegweiser für eine Politik der Nachhaltigkeit. Michelsen, G. (ed.). Wiesbaden: Hessische Landeszentrale für politische Bildung, p. 141-156 16 p. (forum hlz).

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

  6. Published
  7. Published

    Off-stage ecosystem service burdens: A blind spot for global sustainability

    Pascual, U., Palomo, I., Adams, W. M., Chan, K. M. A., Daw, T. M., Garmendia, E., Gómez-Baggethun, E., de Groot, R., Mace, G. M., Martín-López, B. & Phelp, J., 07.2017, In: Environmental Research Letters. 12, 7, 10 p., 075001.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Revisiting Carbon Disclosure and Performance: Legitimacy and Management Views

    Qian, W. & Schaltegger, S., 07.2017, In: The British Accounting Review. 49, 4, p. 365–379 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Dryudella paulinae spec. nov. (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) from Morocco

    Jacobs, H.-J. & Grabener, S., 30.06.2017, In: Contributions To Entomology. 67, 1, p. 111 - 115 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    The Sphodrina of the southern Levant (Coleoptera: Carabidae, Sphodrini)

    Casale, A. & Assmann, T., 30.06.2017, In: Fragmenta Entomologica. 49, 1, p. 13-24 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Education for Sustainable Consumption through Mindfulness Training: Development of a Consumption-Specific Intervention

    Stanszus, L., Fischer, D., Böhme, T., Frank, P., Fritzsche, J., Geiger, S., Harfensteller, J., Grossman, P. & Schrader, U., 27.06.2017, In: Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability. 19, 1, p. 5-21 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  12. Published

    Sustainability Reporting at Schools: Challenges and Benefits

    Carbach, E. & Fischer, D., 27.06.2017, In: Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability. 19, 1, p. 69-81 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  13. Published

    Erfassung von Belastungs- und Burnout-Erleben parallel zu einem Screening psychischer Störungen im Internet: Möglichkeiten und Grenzen, am Beispiel des „Stress-Monitors"

    Hillert, A., Bäcker, K., Weiß, S. & Lehr, D., 14.06.2017, In: ZEITSCHRIFT FÜR PSYCHOSOMATISCHE MEDIZIN UND PSYCHOTHERAPIE. 63, 1, p. 65-66 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference abstract in journalResearch

  14. Published

    Das Wirken von Nachhaltigkeitsräten in Politik und Gesellschaft

    Sieveking, A., 12.06.2017, In: GAIA. 26, 2, p. 158-160 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  15. Published

    Dealing with Climate Change: A Conversation with Paul N. Edwards and Oliver Geden

    Schrickel, I. & Engemann, C., 12.06.2017, In: Berichte zur Wissenschaftsgeschichte. 40, 2, p. 175-185 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransferpeer-review

  16. Published

    Trading Zones of Climate Change: Introduction

    Schrickel, I. & Engemann, C., 12.06.2017, In: Berichte zur Wissenschaftsgeschichte. 40, 2, p. 111-119 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  17. Published

    Addressing Complexity in Environmental Management and Governance

    Kirschke, S. & Newig, J., 07.06.2017, In: Sustainability. 9, 6, 18 p., 983.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  18. Published

    The age of the hominin fossils from Jebel Irhoud, Morocco, and the origins of the Middle Stone Age

    Richter, D., Grün, R., Joannes-Boyau, R., Steele, T. E., Amani, F., Rué, M., Fernandes, P., Raynal, J. P., Geraads, D., Ben-Ncer, A., Hublin, J. J. & McPherron, S. P., 07.06.2017, In: Nature. 546, 7657, p. 293-296 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  19. Published

    An economic perspective on land use decisions in agricultural landscapes: Insights from the TEEB Germany Study

    Albert, C., Schröter-Schlaack, C., Hansjürgens, B., Dehnhardt, A., Döring, R., Job, H., Köppel, J., Krätzig, S., Matzdorf, B., Reutter, M., Schaltegger, S., Scholz, M., Siegmund-Schultze, M., Wiggering, H., Woltering, M. & von Haaren, C., 01.06.2017, In: Ecosystem Services. 25, p. 69-78 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  20. Published

    Biodiversity and food security: from trade-offs to synergies

    Cramer, W., Egea, E., Fischer, J., Lux, A., Salles, J. M., Settele, J. & Tichit, M., 01.06.2017, In: Regional Environmental Change. 17, 5, p. 1257-1259 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  21. Published

    Driving factors for the regional implementation of renewable energy: - a multiple case study on the German energy transition

    Lutz, L. M., Fischer, L.-B., Newig, J. & Lang, D. J., 01.06.2017, In: Energy Policy. 105, p. 136-147 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review