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. Published

    Ecopreneurship fördern: nachhaltige Entwicklung als Prozess der Unternehmensentwicklung

    Petersen, H. & Schaltegger, S., 01.03.2002, In: Ökologisches Wirtschaften. 17, 1, p. 27-28 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  2. Published

    Ecopreneurship - Konzept und Typologie

    Schaltegger, S. & Petersen, H., 2001, Lüneburg / Luzern: Centre for Sustainability Management, 65 p. (R.I.O Management Forum 2000).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  3. Published

    Ecopreneurship und Wettbewerbsstrategie: Verbreitung ökologischer Innovationen auf Grundlage von Wettbewerbsvorteilen

    Petersen, H., 2003, Marburg: Metropolis Verlag für Ökonomie. 361 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  4. Published

    Ecosystem functions as indicators for heathland responses to nitrogen fertilisation

    Bähring, A., Fichtner, A., Ibe, K., Schütze, G., Temperton, V. M., Oheimb, G. & Härdtle, W., 01.01.2017, In: Ecological Indicators. 72, p. 185-193 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Ecosystems and People – an inclusive, interdisciplinary journal

    Martín-López, B., van Oudenhoven, A. P. E., Balvanera, P., Crossman, N. D., Parrotta, J., Rusch, G. M., Schröter, M. & Smith-Hall, C., 01.01.2019, In: Ecosystems and People. 15, 1, p. 1-2 2 p.

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

  6. Published

    Ecosystem service mapping needs to capture more effectively the biodiversity important for service supply

    Ceausu, S., Apaza-Quevedo, A., Schmid, M., Martín-López, B., Cortés-Avizanda, A., Maes, J., Brotons, L., Queiroz, C. & Pereira, H. M., 01.04.2021, In: Ecosystem Services. 48, 10 p., 101259.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Ecosystem services: Response

    Bateman, I. J., Harwood, A. R., Mace, G. M., Watson, R. T., Abson, D. J., Andrews, B., Binner, A., Crowe, A. M., Day, B., Dugdale, S., Fezzi, C., Foden, J., Hadley, D. J., Haines-Young, R. H., Hulme, M. F., Kontoleon, A. A., Lovett, A. A., Munday, P., Pascual, U., Paterson, J. S., Perino, G., Sen, A., Siriwardena, G., Van Soest, D. P. & Termansen, M., 25.10.2013, In: Science. 342, 6157, p. 421-422 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  8. Published

    Ecosystem Services

    Guterstam, B., Werker, A., Adamsson, M., Barker, D., Brüll, A., Dakers, A., Gossling, S., Heeb, J., Loiselle, S., Mander, U., Melaku Canu, D., Roggenbauer, R., Roux, M., Santopietro, G. D., Stuart, D., Trudeau, M. & van Bohemen, H. D., 01.01.2002, Understanding and solving environmental problems in the 21st century: Toward a new, integrated hard problem science. Costanza, R. & Jørgensen, S. E. (eds.). Elsevier B.V., p. 127-138 9 p.

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

  9. Published

    Ecosystem services and distributive justice. Considering access rights to ecosystem services in theories of distributive justice

    Glotzbach, S., 2013, In: Ethics, Policy & Environment. 16, 2, p. 162-176 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Ecosystem services as a boundary object for sustainability

    Abson, D., von Wehrden, H., Baumgärtner, S., Fischer, J., Hanspach, J., Härdtle, W., Heinrichs, H., Klein, A.-M., Lang, D. J., Martens, P. & Walmsley, D., 07.2014, In: Ecological Economics. 103, 7, p. 29-37 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review