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

    Juristisches Gutachten über die Förderung der Vorbereitung zur Wiederverwendung von Elektro-Altgeräten im Sinne der zweiten Stufe der Abfallhierarchie

    Schomerus, T., Fabian, M., Fouquet, D. & Nysten, J. V., 05.2014, Dessau: Umweltbundesamt, 288 p. (Texte; vol. 36/2014).

    Research output: Working paperExpert opinions

  3. Published

    Land sparing versus land sharing: moving forward

    Fischer, J., Abson, D., Butsic, V., Chappell, M. J., Ekroos, J., Hanspach, J., Kuemmerle, T., Smith, H. G. & von Wehrden, H., 05.2014, In: Conservation Letters. 7, 3, p. 149-157 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  4. Published

    Place, case and process: Applying ecology to sustainable development

    Fischer, J., Sherren, K. & Hanspach, J., 05.2014, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 15, 3, p. 187-193 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Pollination of two oil-producing plant species: Camelina (Camelina sativa L. Crantz) and pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) double-cropping in Germany

    Groeneveld, J. H. & Klein, A.-M., 05.2014, In: Global Change Biology : Bioenergy. 6, 3, p. 242-251 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Response to Turnhout et al.’s rethinking biodiversity: From goods and services to “living with”

    Abson, D. & Hanspach, J., 05.2014, In: Conservation Letters. 7, 3, p. 334-335 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  7. Published

    The economic insurance value of ecosystem resilience

    Baumgärtner, S. & Strunz, S., 05.2014, In: Ecological Economics. 101, 6, p. 21-32 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Valorization of industrial waste and by-product streams via fermentation for the production of chemicals and biopolymers

    Koutinas, A. A., Vlysidis, A., Pleissner, D., Kopsahelis, N., Lopez Garcia, I., Kookos, I. K., Papanikolaou, S., Kwan, T. H. & Lin, C. S. K., 21.04.2014, In: Chemical Society Reviews. 43, 8, p. 2587-2627 41 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  9. Published

    Gender and (Un)Sustainability—Can Communication Solve a Conflict of Norms?

    Franz-Balsen, A., 10.04.2014, In: Sustainability. 6, 4, p. 1973-1991 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    An Equation with many Variables: Unhiding the Relationship between Sustainability and Investment Performance

    Peylo, B. T. & Schaltegger, S., 03.04.2014, In: Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment. 4, 2, p. 110-126 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Ratgeber: Erfolgreich beim Gehaltspoker

    Loschelder, D. & Trötschel, R., 03.04.2014, In: Gehirn und Geist. 5, p. 22-27 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  12. Published

    Conceptualizing sustainable consumption: Toward an integrative framework

    Di Giulio, A., Fischer, D., Schäfer, M. & Blättel-Mink, B., 01.04.2014, In: Sustainability: Science, Practice, and Policy. 10, 1, p. 45-61 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  13. Published

    Die nachhaltigen Zwillinge: Keine soziale Gerechtigkeit ohne ökologische Gerechtigkeit

    Niebert, K., 01.04.2014, In: Theorie und Praxis der sozialen Arbeit. 65, 2, p. 102-113 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransferpeer-review

  14. Published
  15. Published

    Going beyond efficiency: including altruistic motives in behavioral models for sustainability transitions to address sufficiency.

    Schäpke, N. & Rauschmayer, F., 01.04.2014, In: Sustainability: Science, Practice, and Policy. 10, 1, p. 29 - 44 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  16. Published

    Advancing climate compatible development: Lessons from southern Africa

    Stringer, L. C., Dougill, A. J., Dyer, J. C., Vincent, K., Fritzsche, F., Leventon, J., Falcão, M. P., Manyakaidze, P., Syampungani, S., Powell, P. & Kalaba, G., 04.2014, In: Regional Environmental Change. 14, 2, p. 713-725 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  17. Published

    Fungal hydrolysis in submerged fermentation for food waste treatment and fermentation feedstock preparation

    Pleissner, D., Kwan, T. H. & Lin, C. S. K., 04.2014, In: Bioresource Technology. 158, p. 48-54 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  18. Published

    glUV: A global UV-B radiation data set for macroecological studies

    Beckmann, M., Václavík, T., Manceur, A. M., Šprtová, L., von Wehrden, H., Welk, E. & Cord, A. F., 04.2014, In: Methods in Ecology and Evolution. 5, 4, p. 372-383 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  19. Published

    How do individual farmers’ objectives influence the evaluation of rangeland management strategies under a variable climate?

    Jakoby, O., Quaas, M. F., Müller, B., Baumgärtner, S. & Frank, K., 04.2014, In: Journal of Applied Ecology. 51, 2, p. 483-493 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  20. Published

    Impacts of seasonal patterns of climate on recurrent fluctuations in tourism demand: Evidence from Aruba

    Ridderstaat, J., Oduber, M., Croes, R., Nijkamp, P. & Martens, P., 04.2014, In: Tourism Management. 41, p. 245-256 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  21. Published

    The First-Mover Disadvantage: The Folly of Revealing Compatible Preferences

    Loschelder, D. D., Swaab, R., Trötschel, R. & Galinsky, A. D., 04.2014, In: Psychological Science. 25, 4, p. 954-962 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  22. Published

    Wirtschaftsethik - quo vadis? «Ist» und «Soll» eines Bindestxichfachs aus protestantischer Perspektive

    Oermann, N. O., 04.2014, In: Theologische Literaturzeitung. 139, 4, p. 411-426 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  23. Published

    Das Erbe der Sylvicultura oeconomica. Eine kritische Reflexion des Nachhaltigkeitsbegriffs

    Gottschlich, D. & Friedrich, B., 27.03.2014, In: GAIA. 23, 1, p. 23-29 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  24. Published

    Mindfulness As/Is Care: Biopolitics, Narrative Empathy, and Technoscientific Practices

    Stingl, A. I. & Weiss, S. M., 21.03.2014, The Wiley Blackwell Handbook of Mindfulness. Le, A., Ngnoumen, C. T. & Langer, E. J. (eds.). Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia, Vol. 1-2. p. 608-629 22 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  25. Published

    Vision Statement for the Planet in 2050

    Bhave, A., Ceausu, S., Deshmukh, A., Jewell, J., Pan, W. & Timm, J.-M., 14.03.2014, Creating a Sustainable and Desirable Future : Insights from 45 Global Thought Leaders . Costanza, R. & Kubiszewski, I. (eds.). 1 ed. New Jersey: World Scientific Publishing Company, p. 51-54 4 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  26. Published

    Atmospheric mercury speciation and mercury in snow over time at Alert, Canada

    Steffen, A., Bottenheim, J. W., Cole, A. S., Ebinghaus, R., Lawson, G. S. & Leaitch, W. R., 03.03.2014, In: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 14, 5, p. 2219-2231 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  27. Published

    Identifying core habitat before it's too late: The case of Bombina variegata, an internationally endangered amphibian

    Scheele, B. C., Boyd, C. E., Fischer, J., Fletcher, A. W., Hanspach, J. & Hartel, T., 01.03.2014, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 23, 3, p. 775-780 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  28. Published

    Transport of perfluoroalkyl acids in a water-saturated sediment column investigated under near-natural conditions

    Vierke, L., Möller, A. & Klitzke, S., 01.03.2014, In: Environmental Pollution. 186, p. 7-13 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  29. Published

    Adolescent growth: Genes, hormones and the peer group. Proceedings of the 20th aschauer Soiree, held at Glücksburg Castle, Germany, 15th to 17th November 2013

    Hermanussen, M., Meitinger, T., Veldhuis, J. D., Low, M. J., Pfäffle, R., Staub, K., Panczak, R., Groth, D., Brabec, M., Von Salisch, M., Loh, C. P. A., Tassenaar, V., Scheffler, C., Mumm, R., Godina, E., Lehmann, A., Tutkuviene, J., Gervickaite, S., Nierop, A. F. M., Holmgren, A., Aßmann, C., Van Buuren, S., Koziel, S., Zadzińska, E., Varela-Silva, I., Vignerová, J., Salama, E., El-Shabrawi, M., Huijic, A., Satake, T. & Bogin, B., 03.2014, In: Pediatric Endocrinology Reviews. 11, 3, p. 341-353 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference article in journalResearchpeer-review

  30. Published

    Bat pest control contributes to food security in Thailand

    Wanger, T. C., Darras, K., Bumrungsri, S., Tscharntke, T. & Klein, A. M., 03.2014, In: Biological Conservation. 171, p. 220-223 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  31. Published

    Do wild bees complement honeybee pollination of confection sunflowers in Israel?

    Pisanty, G., Klein, A.-M. & Mandelik, Y., 03.2014, In: Apidologie. 45, 2, p. 235-247 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  32. Published

    Effects of anthropogenic disturbances on soil microbial communities in oak forests persist for more than 100 years

    Fichtner, A., Oheimb, G., Härdtle, W., Wilken, C. & Gutknecht, J., 03.2014, In: Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 70, p. 79-87 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  33. Published

    Erdsystem, Klima und globale Stoffkreisläufe

    Palm, W.-U. & Urban, B., 03.2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin: Springer Verlag, p. 213-257 45 p.

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

  34. Published

    Host plant availability potentially limits butterfly distributions under cold environmental conditions

    Hanspach, J., Schweiger, O., Kühn, I., Plattner, M., Pearman, P. B., Zimmermann, N. E. & Settele, J., 03.2014, In: Ecography. 37, 3, p. 301-308 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  35. Published

    Kommunikation, Partizipation und digitale Medien: Partizipation

    Newig, J., 03.2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum, p. 381-397 17 p.

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

  36. Published

    Methoden und Methodologie in den Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften

    Lang, D. J., Rode, H. & von Wehrden, H., 03.2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Michelsen, G. & Heinrichs, H. (eds.). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum, p. 115-144 30 p.

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

  37. Published

    Pathogen induced disturbance and succession in temperate forests: Evidence from a 100-year data set in southern Sweden

    Brunet, J., Bukina, Y., Hedwall, P.-O., Holmström, E. & Oheimb, G., 03.2014, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 15, 2, p. 114-121 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  38. Published

    Physicochemical properties and biodegradability of organically functionalized colloidal silica particles in aqueous environment

    Schneider, M., Meder, F., Haiß, A., Treccani, L., Rezwan, K. & Kümmerer, K., 03.2014, In: Chemosphere. 99, p. 96-101 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  39. Published

    Plant diversity effects on pollinating and herbivorous insects can be linked to plant stoichiometry

    Abbas, M., Klein, A. M., Ebeling, A., Oelmann, Y., Ptacnik, R., Weisser, W. W. & Hillebrand, H., 03.2014, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 15, 2, p. 169-178 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  40. Published

    Wasser

    Evers, M. & Newig, J., 03.2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin: Springer Verlag, p. 475-500 26 p.

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

  41. Published

    Pollination and Plant Resources Change the Nutritional Quality of Almonds for Human Health

    Brittain, C., Kremen, C., Garber, A. K. & Klein, A.-M., 27.02.2014, In: PLoS ONE. 9, 2, 7 p., e90082.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  42. Published

    The Three-Tiered Leuphana Model of Student Support

    Balsam, R., Newig, J. & Seifert, A., 20.02.2014, Lüneburg: Universität Lüneburg, Institut für Umweltkommunikation (INFU), 14 p. (INFU - Diskussionsbeiträge; no. 39/14).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  43. Published

    Sustainability-Oriented Innovation of SMEs: A Systematic Review

    Klewitz, J. & Hansen, E. G., 15.02.2014, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 65, p. 57-75 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  44. Published

    Using the Rapid Impact Assessment Matrix to synthesize biofuel and bioenergy impact assessment results: The example of medium scale bioenergy heat options

    Upham, P. & Smith, B., 15.02.2014, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 65, p. 261-269 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  45. Published

    Anpassung an regionale Klimafolgen kommunizieren: Konzepte, Herausforderungen und Perspektiven

    Beese, K. (Editor), Fekkak, M. (Editor), Katz, C. (Editor), Körner, C. (Editor) & Molitor, H. (Editor), 13.02.2014, München: Oekom Verlag. 517 p. (Klimawandel in Regionen zukunftsfähig gestalten : Klimzug; vol. 2)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  46. Published

    archiDART: a R package allowing root system architecture analysis using Data Analysis of Root Tracings (DART) output files

    Delory, B., Baudson, C., Brostaux, Y., Pagès, L., du Jardin, P. & Delaplace, P., 07.02.2014, Book of short abstracts, poster presentations: 19th National Symposium on Applied Biological Sciences. Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, p. 14 1 p.

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

  47. Published

    Development of an ex-vitro system allowing plant-bacteria interactions through VOCs in the context of water stress

    Mendaluk - Saunier de Cazenave, M., Baudson, C., Delory, B., du Jardin, P. & Delaplace, P., 07.02.2014, Book of short abstracts, poster presentations: 19th National Symposium on Applied Biological Sciences. Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, p. 98 1 p.

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

  48. Published

    Multi-level Governance, Policy Implementation and Participation: The EU’s Mandated Participatory Planning Approach to Implementing Environmental Policy

    Newig, J. & Koontz, T. M., 07.02.2014, In: Journal of European Public Policy. 21, 2, p. 248-267 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  49. Published

    Quantitative gas chromatography - mass spectrometry profiling of volatile organic compounds produced by barley (Hordeum distichon L.) roots according to plant age

    Delory, B., Delaplace, P., du Jardin, P. & Fauconnier, M.-L., 07.02.2014, Book of short abstracts, Poster presentations: 19th National Symposium on Applied Biological Sciences. Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, p. 82 1 p.

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

  50. Published

    Identification of phototransformation products of thalidomide and mixture toxicity assessment: An experimental and quantitative structural activity relationships (QSAR) approach

    Mahmoud, W. M. M., Toolaram, A. P., Menz, J., Leder, C., Schneider, M. & Kümmerer, K., 01.02.2014, In: Water Research. 49, 1, p. 11-22 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  51. Published

    Bird community responses to the edge between suburbs and reserves

    Ikin, K., Barton, P. S., Knight, E., Lindenmayer, D. B., Fischer, J. & Manning, A. D., 02.2014, In: Oecologia. 174, 2, p. 545-557 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review