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. 2011
  2. Published

    Biologische Vielfalt und Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung: Schlüsselthemen und Zugänge für Bildungsangebote

    Arbeitsgruppe Biologische Vielfalt & Leicht, A. (Editor), 2011, 2. Fassung ed., Bonn: Medienhaus Plump, 33 p.

    Research output: Working paperExpert opinions

  3. Published

    Biotische Eisenoxidation - Einfluss von Phosphat auf das Wachstum von Gallionella ferruginea

    Eggerichs, T., Bauer, J., Opel, O. & Ruck, W., 2011, Wasser 2011: Jahrestagung der Wasserchemischen Gesellschaft ; Kurzreferate. GDCh, Wasserchemische Gesellschaft, p. 187-191 5 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearch

  4. Published

    Business Cases for Sustainability and the Role of Business Model Innovation: Developing a Conceptual Framework

    Schaltegger, S., Lüdeke-Freund, F. & Hansen, E. G., 2011, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management, 32 p.

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  5. Published

    Business Model Innovation for Sustainable Energy: German Utilities and Renewable Energy

    Richter, M., 2011, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management, 29 p.

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  6. Published

    Chemistry of POPs in the Atmosphere

    Palm, W.-U., 2011, Persitent Pollution - Past, Present and Future: School of Environmental Research - organized by Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht. Quante, M., Ebinghaus, R. & Flöser, G. (eds.). Heidelberg: Springer, p. 141-176 36 p.

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

  7. Published

    Climate change as an element of sustainability communication

    Newig, J., 2011, Sustainability Communication: Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Theoretical Foundations. Godemann, J. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Dordrecht, Heidelberg, London, New York: Springer Netherlands, p. 119-128 12 p.

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

  8. Published

    Climate Costs and Benefits: New Challenges for Corporate Accounting and Management. Call for Papers.

    Schaltegger, S., Csutora, M. & Huisingh, D., 2011, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 19, 9-10, p. 1141-1143 3 p.

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

  9. Published

    »CO2 causes a hole in the atmosphere« Using laypeople’s conceptions as a starting point to communicate climate change

    Niebert, K. & Gropengießer, H., 2011, The Economic, Social and Political Elements of Climate Change. Leal Filho, W. (ed.). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer, p. 603-622 20 p. (Climate Change Management).

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

  10. Published

    Commitment Strategies for Sustainability: How Corporations Can Create Value through New Governance

    Beckmann, M., Pies, I. & Hielscher, S., 2011, Academy of Management Annual Meeting Best Paper Proceedings. Academy of Management (Briarcliff Manor, NY) , Vol. 2011. 6 p. (Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings; vol. 2011).

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

  11. Published

    Competencies for sustainability and gender: How to gain advantage: The problem, the theoretical background and questions

    Katz, C. & Thiem, A., 2011, Equality, Growth and Sustainability.: Do they mix? Proceedings from the international conference. Fogelberg Eriksson, A. (ed.). Linköping University Electronic Press, p. 173-180 8 p. (Forums skriftserie; no. 5)(Linköping Electronic Conference Proceedings; no. 58).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearch

  12. Published

    Complementarity, impatience, and the resilience of natural-resource-dependent economies

    Quaas, M. F., van Soest, D. & Baumgärtner, S., 2011, Lüneburg: Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre der Universität Lüneburg, 37 p. (Working Paper Series in Economics; no. 220).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  13. Published

    Computer Support for Cooperative Sustainability Communication

    Möller, A., 2011, Sustainability Communication: Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Theoretical Foundations. Godemann, J. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). 1 ed. Dordrecht: Springer Science+Business Media, Vol. 1. p. 171-185 15 p.

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

  14. Published

    Controlling im Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement: Unterstützung betrieblicher Entscheidungen

    Jänicke, N. T., 2011, Marburg: Tectum Verlag. 274 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  15. Published

    Corporate Sustainability Reporting

    Herzig, C. & Schaltegger, S., 2011, Sustainability Communication: Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Theoretical Foundations. Godemann, J. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Dordrecht: Springer Science+Business Media, p. 151-169 19 p.

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

  16. Published

    Crosscutting Issues and Conservation Strategies

    DellaSala, D. A., Alaback, P., Craighead, L., Krestov, P., Moola, F., Nakamura, Y., Nauman, R. S., Noss, R. F., Ronneberg, K., Spribille, T., Tecklin, D., von Wehrden, H., Goward, T., Holien, H., Kirkpatrick, J. & Paquet, P., 2011, Temperate and boreal rainforests of the world: ecology and conservation. DellaSala, D. A. (ed.). Washington: Island Press, p. 243-259 17 p.

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

  17. Published

    CSR und gesellschaftliche Wertschöpfung

    Beckmann, M., 2011, Was ist Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) ?. München: Roman Herzog Institut , p. 16-20 5 p. (Diskussion; no. 17).

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

  18. Published
  19. Published

    Demirovic, Alex, Julia Dück, Florian Becker u. Pauline Bader (Hg.), VielfachKrise im finanzmarktdominierten Kapitalismus, 2011

    Friedrich, B., 2011, In: Das Argument. 53, 4, p. 621-623 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsCritical reviewsResearch

  20. Published

    Der Kompass "Nachhaltiger Konsum"

    Fischer, D., 2011, Bildungsinstitutionen und nachhaltiger Konsum (Handreichung): Nachhaltigen Konsum fördern und Schulen verändern. Michelsen, G. & Nemnich, C. (eds.). Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, 24 p.

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

  21. Published

    Der Nachhaltigkeitsprozess der Universität Graz - analysiert durch das Grazer Modell für Integrative Entwicklung

    Mader, C., Mader, M. & Diethart, M., 2011, Nachhaltigkeit - Regionalentwicklung - Tourismus: Festschrift zum 60. Geburtstag von Friedrich M. Zimmermann. Zimmermann, F. (ed.). Graz: Institut für Geographie und Raumforschung, p. 63 - 69 7 p. (Grazer Schriften der Geographie und Raumforschung; vol. 46).

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