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. 2023
  2. Published

    A leverage points perspective on Arctic Indigenous food systems research: a systematic review

    Zimmermann, S., Dermody, B. J., Theunissen, B., Wassen, M. J., Divine, L. M., Padula, V. M., von Wehrden, H. & Dorresteijn, I., 05.2023, In: Sustainability Science. 18, 3, p. 1481-1500 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  3. Published

    Practical wisdom and virtue ethics for knowledge co-production in sustainability science

    Caniglia, G., Freeth, R., Lüderitz, C., Leventon, J., West, S. P., John, B., Peukert, D., Lang, D. J., von Wehrden, H., Martín-López, B., Fazey, I., Russo, F., von Wirth, T., Schlüter, M. & Vogel, C., 05.2023, In: Nature Sustainability. 6, 5, p. 493-501 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  4. Published

    Spatial predictions for the distribution of woody plant species under different land-use scenarios in southwestern Ethiopia

    Duguma, D. W., Law, E., Shumi, G., Rodrigues, P., Senbeta, F., Schultner, J., Abson, D. J. & Fischer, J., 05.2023, In: Landscape Ecology. 38, 5, p. 1249-1263 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Special issue: Frameworks for Sustainability Management

    Hörisch, J. (Editor), Schaltegger, S. (Editor), Weissbrod, I. (Editor) & Schreck, P. (Editor), 05.2023, Berlin: Springer Verlag. (Journal of Business Economics; vol. 93, no. 4)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesSpecial Journal issueResearch

  6. Published

    Sustainability innovations: a proposal for an analytical framework and its empirical application in the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve

    Dabard, C. H. & Mann, C., 05.2023, In: Sustainability Science. 18, 3, p. 1085-1098 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Toward holistic corporate sustainability-Developing employees' action competence for sustainability in small and medium-sized enterprises through training

    Schroeder, S., Wiek, A., Farny, S. & Luthardt, P., 05.2023, In: Business Strategy and the Environment. 32, 4, p. 1650-1669 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Using the three horizons approach to explore pathways towards positive futures for agricultural landscapes with rich biodiversity

    Schaal, T., Mitchell, M., Scheele, B. C., Ryan, P. & Hanspach, J., 05.2023, In: Sustainability Science. 18, 3, p. 1271-1289 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Visualizing stakeholders’ willingness for collective action in participatory scenario planning

    López-Rodríguez, M. D., Oteros-Rozas, E., Ruiz-Mallén, I., March, H., Horcea-Milcu, A. I., Heras, M., Cebrián-Piqueras, M. A., Andrade, R., Lo, V. B. P. G. & Piñeiro, C., 05.2023, In: Ecology and Society. 28, 2, 23 p., 5.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Critical political economy of taxation

    Lierse, H., 21.04.2023, Handbook on Critical Political Economy and Public Policy. Scherrer, C., Garcia, A. & Wullweber, J. (eds.). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing, p. 327-340 14 p. (Handbooks of research on public policy).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  11. Published

    Straw amendment and nitrification inhibitor controlling N losses and immobilization in a soil cooling-warming experiment

    Chen, H., Rosinger, C., Blagodatsky, S., Reichel, R., Li, B., Kumar, A., Rothardt, S., Luo, J., Brüggemann, N., Kage, H. & Bonkowski, M., 20.04.2023, In: Science of the Total Environment. 870, 11 p., 162007.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  12. Published

    Digitalization, new media, and education for sustainable development

    Keller, L. (Editor), Michelsen, G. (Editor), Dür, M. (Editor), Bachri, S. (Editor) & Zint, M. (Editor), 17.04.2023, IGI Global Publishing. 328 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  13. Published

    Theoretical Reflections on Education for Sustainable Development and Digital Technologies

    Stoltenberg, U. & Michelsen, G., 17.04.2023, Digitalization, New Media, and Education for Sustainable Development. Keller, L., Michelsen, G., Dür, M., Bachri, S. & Zint, M. (eds.). IGI Global Publishing, p. 1-13 13 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapter

  14. Published

    Bedeutung des Grünlandes für das Klima: Hohe Albedo, Resilienz und Langzeitkohlenstoffspeicherung

    Temperton, V., 15.04.2023, Warnsignal Klima: Hilft Technik gegen die Erderwärmung? Wissenschaftliche Fakten. Lozán, J. L., Graßl, H., Breckle, S.-W., Kasang, D. & Quante, M. (eds.). Hamburg: Wissenschaftliche Auswertungen Verlag, p. 155-161 7 p. (Warnsignal Klima).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  15. Published

    Oxidation Kinetics of Neat Methyl Oleate and as a Blend with Solketal

    Türck, J., Schmitt, F., Anthofer, L., Lichtinger, A., Türck, R., Ruck, W. & Krahl, J., 05.04.2023, In: Energies. 16, 7, 13 p., 3253.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  16. Published

    Are Si-C bonds cleaved by microorganisms? A critical review on biodegradation of methylsiloxanes

    Rücker, C., Grabitz, E. & Kümmerer, K., 01.04.2023, In: Chemosphere. 321, 137858.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  17. Published

    Effects of pesticide application and plant sexual identity on leaf physiological traits and phyllosphere bacterial communities

    Zhu, Z., He, Y., Xu, J., Zhou, Z., Kumar, A. & Xia, Z., 01.04.2023, In: Journal of Plant Ecology. 16, 2, 12 p., rtac084.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  18. Published

    Egalitarian Norm Messaging Increases Human Resources Professionals’ Salary Offers to Women

    Schuster, C., Sparkman, G., Walton, G. M., Alles, A. & Loschelder, D. D., 01.04.2023, In: Journal of Applied Psychology. 108, 4, p. 541-552 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  19. Published

    Identification of environmentally biodegradable scaffolds for the benign design of quinolones and related substances

    Suk, M., Lorenz, S. & Kümmerer, K., 01.04.2023, In: Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy. 31, 100947.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  20. Published

    Bridging scenario planning and backcasting: A Q-analysis of divergent stakeholder priorities for future landscapes

    Jiren, T. S., Abson, D. J., Schultner, J., Riechers, M. & Fischer, J., 04.2023, In: People and Nature. 5, 2, p. 572-590 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  21. Published

    Einfluss der Erstsprache von Lernenden auf ihre Vorstellungen im Fach Biologie

    Sowinski, R. & Abels, S., 04.2023, Lernen, Lehren und Forschen in einer digital geprägten Welt: Gesellschaft für Didaktik der Chemie und Physik. Jahrestagung in Aachen 2022. van Vorst, H. (ed.). Essen: Gesellschaft für Didaktik der Chemie und Physik, p. 973-976 4 p. (Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Didaktik der Chemie und Physik (GDCP); vol. 43).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksPublished abstract in conference proceedingsResearch