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. 2009
  2. Published
  3. Published

    Determination of polyfluoroalkyl compounds in water and suspended particulate matter in the river Elbe and North Sea, Germany

    Ahrens, L., Plassmann, M., Xie, Z. & Ebinghaus, R., 06.2009, In: Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering in China. 3, 2, p. 152-170 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Pigous Beitrag zur Nachhaltigkeit: eine Würdigung zum 50. Todestag

    Groth, M. & Baumgärtner, S., 06.2009, In: Wirtschaftsdienst. 89, 6, p. 419-424 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  5. Published

    Spatial distribution of polyfluoroalkyl compounds in seawater of the German Bight

    Ahrens, L., Felizeter, S. & Ebinghaus, R., 06.2009, In: Chemosphere. 76, 2, p. 179-184 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Unternehmensnahe Instrumente: Systematisierung unternehmensnaher Instrumente bzw. von Instrumentenclustern sowie Grobrasterung und Instrumentenauswahl zur Vorbereitung auf die Phase der Feinanalyse. Arbeitspapier zu Arbeitspaket 4 des Projekts Materialeffizienz und Ressourcenschonung (MaRess)

    Görlach, S., Lemken, T., Liedtke, C., Onischka, M., Schmidt, M. & Viere, T., 29.05.2009, Wuppertal: Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie, 75 p. (Materialeffizienz & Ressourcenschonung; vol. 4, no. 1).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  7. Published

    Ecological-economic viability as a criterion of strong sustainability under uncertainty

    Quaas, M. F. & Baumgärtner, S., 15.05.2009, In: Ecological Economics. 68, 7, p. 2008-2020 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Longitudinal and Latitudinal Distribution of Perfluoroalkyl Compounds in the Surface Water of the Atlantic Ocean

    Ahrens, L., Barber, J. L., Xie, Z. & Ebinghaus, R., 01.05.2009, In: Environmental Science & Technology. 43, 9, p. 3122-3127 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Biomonitoring Hospital Effluents by the Allium cepa L. Test

    Bagatini, M. D., Vasconcelos, T. G., Laughinghouse IV, H. D. & Martins, A. F., 05.2009, In: Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. 82, 5, p. 590-592 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    European Union law by Alina Kaczorowska

    Schomerus, T., 05.2009, In: The Modern Law Review. 72, 3, p. 517-518 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsCritical reviewsResearch

  11. Published

    Genetic diversity and population structure of the endangered insect species Carabus variolosus in its western distribution range: implications for conservation

    Matern, A., Desender, K., Gaublomme, E., Drees, C., Paill, W. & Aßmann, T., 01.04.2009, In: Conservation Genetics. 10, 2, p. 391-405 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review