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. 2014
  2. Published
  3. Published

    Does forest continuity enhance the resilience of trees to environmental change?

    Oheimb, G., Härdtle, W., Eckstein, D., Engelke, H.-H., Hehnke, T., Wagner, B. & Fichtner, A., 10.12.2014, In: PLoS ONE. 9, 12, 18 p., 0113507.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Accounting for Sustainability in Production and Supply Chains: Editorial

    Burritt, R. & Schaltegger, S., 01.12.2014, In: The British Accounting Review. 46, 4, p. 323-326 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Research

  5. Published

    Accounting towards Sustainability in Production and Supply Chains

    Burritt, R. & Schaltegger, S., 01.12.2014, In: The British Accounting Review. 46, 4, p. 327-343 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Ammonia volatilization after application of urea to winter wheat over 3 years affected by novel urease and nitrification inhibitors

    Ni, K., Pacholski, A. S. & Kage, H., 01.12.2014, In: Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 197, p. 184-194 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Brominated flame retardants and Dechloranes in European and American eels from glass to silver life stages

    Sühring, R., Byer, J. D., Freese, M., Pohlmann, J. D., Wolschke, H., Möller, A., Hodson, P. V., Alaee, M., Hanel, R. & Ebinghaus, R., 01.12.2014, In: Chemosphere. 116, p. 104-111 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Bush encroachment control and risk management in semi-arid rangelands

    Lukomska, N., Quaas, M. F. & Baumgärtner, S., 01.12.2014, In: Journal of Environmental Management. 145, p. 24-34 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Conserving the World's Finest Grassland Amidst Ambitious National Development

    Batsaikhan, N., Buuveibaatar, B., Chimed, B., Enkhtuya, O., Galbrakh, D., Ganbaatar, O., Lkhagvasuren, B., Nandintsetseg, D., Berger, J., Calabrese, J. M., Edwards, A. E., Fagan, W. F., Fuller, T. K., Heiner, M., Ito, T. Y., Kaczensky, P., Leimgruber, P., Lushchekina, A., Milner-Gulland, E. J., Mueller, T., Murray, M. G., Olson, K. A., Reading, R., Schaller, G. B., Stubbe, A., Stubbe, M., Walzer, C., Von Wehrden, H. & Whitten, T., 01.12.2014, In: Conservation Biology. 28, 6, p. 1736-1739 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Practical critique: Bridging the gap between critical and practice oriented REDD+ research communities’

    McGregor, A., Weaver, S., Challies, E., Howson, P., Astuti, R. & Haalboom, B., 01.12.2014, In: Asia Pacific Viewpoint. 55, 3, p. 277-291 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Diversity matters: how bees benefit from different resin sources

    Drescher, N., Wallace, H. M., Katouli, M., Massaro, C. F. & Leonhardt, S., 12.2014, In: Oecologia. 176, 4, p. 943-953 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  12. Published

    Entwicklung von Instrumenten zur Vermeidung von Lebensmittelabfällen: Kurzfassung

    Jepsen, D., Vollmer, A., Eberle, U., Fels, J. & Schomerus, T., 12.2014, Dessau-Roßlau: Umweltbundesamt, 23 p. (Umweltforschungsplan des Bundesministeriums für Umwelt, Naturschutz, Bau und Reaktorsicherheit).

    Research output: Working paperProject reportsResearch

  13. Published

    Exemplarisch lernen an der "Lüneburger Heide": Mit Komplexität und Vielperspektivität umgehen lernen

    Stoltenberg, U. (Editor), Preisigke, J. (Editor), Drexhage, J. (Editor) & Lienau, R. (Editor), 12.2014, 1. ed. Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften. 201 p. (Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung in Kindergarten und Grundschule: Lüneburger Beiträge; vol. 3)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesEducation

  14. Published

    Integrating regional perceptions into climate change adaptation: a transdisciplinary case study from Germany's North Sea Coast

    Schmidt, A., Striegnitz, M. & Kuhn, K., 12.2014, In: Regional Environmental Change. 14, 6, p. 2105-2114 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  15. Published

    A holistic approach to studying social-ecological systems and its application to Southern Transylvania

    Hanspach, J., Hartel, T., Milcu, A. I., Mikulcak, F., Dorresteijn, I., Loos, J., von Wehrden, H., Kuemmerle, T., Abson, D., Kovács-Hostyánszki, A., Báldi, A. & Fischer, J., 18.11.2014, In: Ecology and Society. 19, 4, 27 p., 32.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  16. Published

    Global malnutrition overlaps with pollinator-dependent micronutrient production

    Chaplin-Kramer, R., Dombeck, E., Gerber, J., Knuth, K. A., Mueller, N. D., Mueller, M., Ziv, G. & Klein, A.-M., 07.11.2014, In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B . 281, 1794, p. 1-7 7 p., 20141799.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  17. Published

    Visionen, Institutionen und Infrastrukturen als Elemente der Energietransformation

    Binder, C. R., Hecher, M. & Vilsmaier, U., 06.11.2014, Klima von unten: Regionale Governance und gesellschaftlicher Wandel. Böschen, S., Gill, B., Kropp, C. & Vogel, K. (eds.). 1 ed. Frankfurt am Main: Campus Verlag, p. 267-286 20 p.

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

  18. Published

    Ant community structure during forest succession in a subtropical forest in South-East China

    Staab, M., Schuldt, A., Aßmann, T., Bruelheide, H. & Klein, A.-M., 01.11.2014, In: Acta Oecologica. 61, p. 32-40 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  19. Published

    International Sustainability Standards and Certification

    Moser, C., Hildebrandt, T. & Bailis, R., 01.11.2014, Sustainable Development of Biofuels in Latin America and the Caribbean. Solomon , B. D. & Bailis, R. (eds.). New York: Springer, Vol. 9781461492757. p. 27-69 43 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  20. Published

    Local levers for change: Mainstreaming ecosystem-based adaptation into municipal planning to foster sustainability transitions

    Wamsler, C., Luederitz, C. & Brink, E., 01.11.2014, In: Global Environmental Change : Human and Policy Dimensions. 29, p. 189 - 201 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  21. Published

    Aspekte der Nachhaltigkeit in der ambulanten Versorgung von Menschen mit Demenz

    Baumgardt, J., Radisch, J., Touil, E., Moock, J., Plewig, H.-J., Kawohl, W. & Rössler, W., 11.2014, In: Psychiatrische Praxis. 41, 8, p. 424- 431 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review