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. 2013
  2. Published

    Biotic and abiotic degradation of S-metolachlor and its commercial product Mercantor Gold® in aqueous media

    Gutowski, L., Olsson, O. & Kümmerer, K., 2013, Abstract Book: Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry North America 34 th Annual Meeting, Harmonizing Science Across Disciplines Nashville, Tennessee 17–21 November 2013. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, p. 167 1 p. (SETAC annual meeting; no. 34).

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

  3. Published

    Bodenentwicklungen und Bodenbelastungen der Mäanderschleife Wehninger Werder an der niedersächsischen Mittelelbe

    Krüger, F., Weniger, T. & Urban, B., 2013, Jahrbuch des Naturwissenschaftlichen Vereins für das Fürstentum Lüneburg von 1851 e.V.. Härdtle, W. & Prüter, J. (eds.). Lüneburg: Naturwissenschaftlicher Verein für das Fürstentum Lüneburg von 1851 e.V., p. 97-108 12 p. (Jahrbuch des Naturwissenschaftlichen Vereins für das Fürstentum Lüneburg; no. 45).

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

  4. Published

    Business Cases for Sustainability

    Schaltegger, S. & Lüdeke-Freund, F., 2013, Encyclopedia of Corporate Social Responsibility. Idowu, S. O., Capaldi, N., Zu, L. & Das Gupta, A. (eds.). Berlin/Heidelberg: Springer, Vol. 1. p. 245-252 8 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticles for encyclopediaResearch

  5. Published

    Business Model Innovation for Sustainable Energy: How German Municipal Utilities Invest in Offshore Wind Energy

    Richter, M., 2013, In: International Journal of Technology Management. 63, 1/2, p. 24-50 27 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Caring for natures? Naturschutz aus der Perspektive des Vorsorgenden Wirtschaftens.

    Hofmeister, S. & Mölders, T., 2013, Wege Vorsorgenden Wirtschaftens. Vorsorgendes Wirtschaften, N. (ed.). Marburg: Metropolis Verlag für Ökonomie, p. 85-114 29 p.

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

  7. Published

    Carry on the Distribution of Power: Federalism in Germany

    Laws, N., 2013, O Federalista Atual: Teoria do Federalismo. Ramos, D. T. (ed.). Belo Horizonte: Arraes Editores, p. 501-521 21 p.

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

  8. Published

    Challenges and opportunities for sustainable development in Germany

    Heinrichs, H., Laws, N. & Riedel, H., 2013, Winning Strategies for a Sustainable Future: Reinhard Mohn Prize 2013. Gütersloh: WBV Bertelsmann Verlag, p. 39-52 14 p.

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

  9. Published

    Chronometric and relative dating of the Middle Pleistocene sequence of Schöningen

    Richter, D. & Urban, B., 2013, 3rd Annual Meeting of the European Society for the study of human evolution (ESHE). European Society for the Study of Human Evolution, p. 184 1 p. (Proceedings of the European Society for the study of Human Evolution; vol. 2).

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

  10. Published

    Climate change: An amplifier of existing health risks in developing countries

    Huynen, M. M. T. E., Martens, P. & Akin, S.-M., 2013, In: Environment, Development and Sustainability. 15, 6, p. 1425-1442 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Climate change and environmental hazards related to shipping: An international legal framework; Proceedings of the Hamburg International Environmental Law Conference 2011

    Koch, H.-J. (Editor), König, D. (Editor), Sanden, J. (Editor) & Verheyen, R. (Editor), 2013, Leiden; Boston: Martinus Nijhoff. 276 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearchpeer-review