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. Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
  2. Published

    Learning from Indigenous Populations and Local Communities

    Molnár, Z., Doormann, L., Reyes-García, V., Martín-López, B., Berkes, F. & Bodin, Ö., 20.09.2019, In: One Earth. 1, 1, p. 16-17 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  3. Published

    Living on the edge: Rapid assessment of the mammal community in a coffee forest in south-western Ethiopia

    Rodrigues, P., Dorresteijn, I., Senbeta, F. & Fischer, J., 06.2019, In: African Journal of Ecology. 57, 2, p. 279-285 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  4. Published

    Make EU trade with Brazil sustainable

    604 signatories, Kehoe, L., Reis, T., Virah-Sawmy, M., Balmford, A., Kuemmerle, T., Knohl, A., Antonelli, A., Hochkirch, A., Vira, B., Massa, B., Peres, C. A., Ammer, C., Görg, C., Schneider, C., Curtis, D., de la Peña, E., Tello, E., Sperfeld, E., Corbera, E., Morelli, F., Valladares, F., Peterson, G., Hide, G., Mace, G., Kallis, G., Olsson, G. A., Brumelis, G., Alexanderson, H., Haberl, H., Nuissl, H., Kreft, H., Ghazoul, J., Piotrowski, J. A., Macdiarmid, J., Newig, J., Fischer, J., Altringham, J., Gledhill, J., Nielsen, J., Müller, J., Palmeirim, J., Barlow, J., Alonso, J. C., Asencio, J. J. P., Steinberger, J. K., Jones, J. P. G., Cotta, B., Leonhardt, S. D., Wanger, T. C. & Coenen, J., 26.04.2019, In: Science. 364, 6438, p. 341 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  5. Published

    Managing invasive species amidst high uncertainty and novelty

    Larson, B. M. H., Kueffer, C., the ZiF Working Group on Ecological Novelty & Klein, A.-M., 05.2013, In: Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 28, 5, p. 255-256 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  6. Published

    Nachhaltige Wissenschaft in der akademischen Ausbildung: Das Programm einer transformativen Bildung an NaWis-Institutionen

    Chrubasik, N., Ernst, A., Lang, D. J., Schneidewind, U., Simon, K.-H., Singer-Brodowski, M. & Vilsmaier, U., 06.2013, In: GAIA. 22, 2, p. 132-134 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  7. Published

    Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement auf dem Vormarsch: Corporate Sustainability Barometer

    Harms, D., Schaltegger, S. & Windolph, S. E., 26.11.2010, In: Ökologisches Wirtschaften. 24, 4, p. 10 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  8. Published

    Nachhaltigkeit - zentrales Element des Lüneburger Studienprogramms

    Michelsen, G., 06.2012, In: GAIA. 21, 2, p. 150-151 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  9. Published

    Nachhaltig wachsen: Was macht grüne Unternehmen groß und stark?

    Petersen, H., 01.05.2005, In: Ökologisches Wirtschaften. 20, 2, p. 15-16 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  10. Published

    Neighbourhood Species Richness Reduces Crown Asymmetry of Subtropical Trees in Sloping Terrain

    Perles García, M. D., Kunz, M., Fichtner, A., Meyer, N., Härdtle, W. & von Oheimb, G., 16.03.2022, In: Remote Sensing. 14, 6, 14 p., 1441.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  11. Published

    Nuclear accidents call for transdisciplinary nuclear energy research

    Gralla, F., Abson, D., Møller, A. P., Lang, D. J., Vilsmaier, U., Sovacool, B. K. & von Wehrden, H., 01.2015, In: Sustainability Science. 10, 1, p. 179-183 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  12. Published

    One planet: one health. A call to support the initiative on a global science–policy body on chemicals and waste

    Brack, W., Barcelo Culleres, D., Boxall, A. B. A., Budzinski, H., Castiglioni, S., Covaci, A., Dulio, V., Escher, B. I., Fantke, P., Kandie, F., Fatta-Kassinos, D., Hernández, F. J., Hilscherová, K., Hollender, J., Hollert, H., Jahnke, A., Kasprzyk-Hordern, B., Khan, S. J., Kortenkamp, A., Kümmerer, K., Lalonde, B., Lamoree, M. H., Levi, Y., Lara Martín, P. A., Montagner, C. C., Mougin, C., Msagati, T., Oehlmann, J., Posthuma, L., Reid, M., Reinhard, M., Richardson, S. D., Rostkowski, P., Schymanski, E., Schneider, F., Slobodnik, J., Shibata, Y., Snyder, S. A., Fabriz Sodré, F., Teodorovic, I., Thomas, K. V., Umbuzeiro, G. A., Viet, P. H., Yew-Hoong, K. G., Zhang, X. & Zuccato, E., 01.12.2022, In: Environmental Sciences Europe. 34, 1, 10 p., 21.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  13. Published

    Peer group influences on fifth graders' reading motivation

    von Salisch, M., Philipp, M. & Gölitz, D., 01.06.2008, In: International Journal of Psychology. 43, 3-4, p. 214 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  14. Published

    Pro & Contra: Kernenergie: Pro: Wichtig gegen den Klimawandel — Contra: Energiewende statt Atomkraft

    von Weizsäcker, C. C. & Kemfert, C., 11.2022, In: Wirtschaftsdienst. 102, 11, p. 814-815 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  15. Published

    Protokoll der 73. Jahresversammlung am 26. Juli 2024 in Oldenburg

    Horn, K. & Härdtle, W., 2024, In: Tuexenia. 44, p. 375-377 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  16. Published

    Reallabor versus Realexperiment: Was macht den Unterschied?

    Parodi, O., Ober, S., Lang, D. J. & Albiez, M., 26.08.2024, In: GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society. 33, 2, p. 216-221 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  17. Published

    Rechtliche Rahmenbedingungen der Verklappung von Ladungsrückständen fester Massengüter durch Seeschiffe

    Schatz, V. & Wanner, L., 01.05.2023, In: Natur und Recht. 45, 5, p. 306-314 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  18. Published

    Recommendations for evaluating temporal trends of persistent organic pollutants in breast milk

    Gyalpo, T., Scheringer, M. & Hungerbühler, K., 01.07.2016, In: Environmental Health Perspectives. 124, 7, p. 881-885 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  19. Published

    Recommendations for the evaluation of transdisciplinary research

    Loibl, M. C., 01.11.2005, In: GAIA. 14, 4, p. 351-353 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  20. Published

    Reduction of the Microbial Load of Digestate by the Cultivation of Galdieria sulphuraria Under Acidic Conditions

    Pleissner, D. & Händel, N., 08.2023, In: Waste and Biomass Valorization. 14, 8, p. 2621-2627 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  21. Published

    Reining in rascal geographies of neoliberalism in the periphery?

    Challies, E., 07.2014, In: Dialogues in Human Geography. 4, 2, p. 131-136 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  22. Published

    Reply to: Plant traits alone are good predictors of ecosystem properties when used carefully

    van der Plas, F., Schröder-Georgi, T., Weigelt, A., Barry, K., Meyer, S., Alzate, A., Barnard, R. L., Buchmann, N., de Kroon, H., Ebeling, A., Eisenhauer, N., Engels, C., Fischer, M., Gleixner, G., Hildebrandt, A., Koller-France, E., Leimer, S., Milcu, A., Mommer, L., Niklaus, P. A., Oelmann, Y., Roscher, C., Scherber, C., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Scheu, S., Schmid, B., Schulze, E. D., Temperton, V., Tscharntke, T., Voigt, W., Weisser, W., Wilcke, W. & Wirth, C., 03.2023, In: Nature Ecology and Evolution. 7, 3, p. 335-336 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  23. Published

    Repurposing chemical waste: Sustainable chemistry for circularity beyond artificial intelligence

    Zuin, V. G. & Kümmerer, K., 21.07.2022, In: Cell. 185, 15, p. 2655-2656 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  24. Published

    Response to comment on "In situ air-water and particle-water partitioning of perfluorocarboxylic acids, perfluorosulfonic acids and perfluorooctyl sulfonamide at a wastewater treatment plant"

    Vierke, L., Ahrens, L., Shoeib, M., Palm, W.-U., Webster, E. M., Ellis, D. A. F., Ebinghaus, R. & Harner, T. J., 11.2013, In: Chemosphere. 93, 9, p. 2207-2207 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  25. 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

  26. Published

    Revisiting Renewable Energies: Liberating, Pacifying, and Democratizing

    Schaltegger, S., Linnenluecke, M. K., Dijkstra-Silva, S. & Christ, K. L., 07.2024, In: Business and Society. 63, 6, p. 1295-1301 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  27. Published

    Root biology never sleeps: 11th Symposium of the International Society of Root Research (ISRR11) and the 9th International Symposium on Root Development (Rooting2021), 24-28 May 2021

    Carley, C. N., Chen, G., Das, K. K., Delory, B. M., Dimitrova, A., Ding, Y., George, A. P., Greeley, L. A., Han, Q., Hendriks, P. W., Hernandez-Soriano, M. C., Li, M., Ng, J. L. P., Mau, L., Mesa-Marín, J., Miller, A. J., Rae, A. E., Schmidt, J., Thies, A., Topp, C. N., Wacker, T. S., Wang, P., Wang, X., Xie, L. & Zheng, C., 01.09.2022, In: The New phytologist. 235, 6, p. 2149-2154 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  28. Published

    Science Communication as a Collective Intelligence Endeavor: A Manifesto and Examples for Implementation

    Holford, D., Fasce, A., Wulf, M., Kause, A., Tapper, K., Demko, M., Lewandowski, S., Hahn, U., Abels, C. M., Ahmed, A.-R., Sameer, A., Boender, S. T., Bruns, H., Fischer, H., Gilde, C., Hanel, P. H. P., Herzog, S. M., Lehmann, S., Nurse, M. S., Orr, C., Pescetelli, N., Petrescu, M., Sa, S., Schmid, P., Sirota, M. & Wulf, M., 08.2023, In: Science Communication. 45, 4, p. 539-554 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  29. Published

    Second comment on 'The climate mitigation gap: education and government recommendations miss the most effective individual actions'

    Pedersen, R. L. & Lam, D. P. M., 13.06.2018, In: Environmental Research Letters. 13, 6, 5 p., 068001.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  30. Published

    Stellungnahme zu Walentowski H. et al. 2010. Sind die deutschen waldnaturschutzkonzepte adäquat für die erhaltung der buchenwaldtypischen flora und fauna? Eine kritische bewertung basierend auf der herkunft der waldarten des mitteleuropäischen Tief- und hügellandes. Forstarchiv 81, 195-217

    Meyer, P., Schmidt, M., Blick, T., Brunet, J., Dorow, W. H. O., Hakes, W., Härdtle, W., Heinken, T., Hertel, D., Knapp, H. D., Leuschner, C., Oheimb, G., Otte, V. & Schmidt, W., 03.2011, In: Forstarchiv. 82, 2, p. 62-66 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  31. Published

    Sufficiency as a "Strategy of the Enough": Curbing ecological crises and injustices. A summary of the German Advisory Council on the Environment's discussion paper

    Michaelis, J., Vogel, B., Strunz, S., Lucht, W., Dahms, H., Dornack, C., Geissler, A., Hertin, J., Hoffart, F., Kemfert, C., Klein, M., Köck, W., Lage, J., Marquard, E., Schmalz, S., Settele, J., Sommer, B., Weiss, S. & Wiegand, S., 29.10.2024, In: GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society. 33, 3, p. 275-281 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  32. Published

    Sustainability economics - General versus specific, and conceptual versus practical

    Baumgärtner, S. & Quaas, M., 15.09.2010, In: Ecological Economics. 69, 11, p. 2056-2059 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  33. Published

    Systematic distributions of interaction strengths across tree interaction networks yield positive diversity–productivity relationships

    Yu, W., Albert, G., Rosenbaum, B., Schnabel, F., Bruelheide, H., Connolly, J., Härdtle, W., von Oheimb, G., Trogisch, S., Rüger, N. & Brose, U., 01.2024, In: Ecology Letters. 27, 1, 11 p., e14338.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  34. Published

    Tagungsbericht: Energie-Konferenz - Standortnachteil Deutschland: Sind die Industriestrompreise in Deutschland missbräuchlich überhöht?

    Guerra González, J., 01.03.2011, In: Natur und Recht. 33, 3, p. 199-200 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  35. Published

    The coronavirus pandemic as an analogy for future sustainability challenges

    Engler, J.-O., Abson, D. & Wehrden, H., 01.01.2021, In: Sustainability Science. 16, 1, p. 317-319 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  36. Published

    The elephant in the room: How do we regulate gas transportation infrastructure as gas demand declines?

    Rosenow, J., Lowes, R. & Kemfert, C., 19.07.2024, In: One Earth. 7, 7, p. 1158-1161 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  37. Published

    The Future We Want: A Global Expert Discussion on the Future of Rio+20 Efforts on Higher Education

    Rowland, P., Carteron, J., Denby, L., Klepper, A., Mader, C., Sjerps-Jones, H., Smith, K. & Tilbury, D., 01.02.2013, In: Sustainability: The Journal of Record. 6, 1, p. 42-47 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  38. Published

    The madrid statement on poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs)

    Blum, A., Balan, S. A., Scheringer, M., Trier, X., Goldenman, G., Cousins, I. T., Diamond, M., Fletcher, T., Higgins, C., Lindeman, A. E., Peaslee, G., Voogt, P. D., Wang, Z. & Weber, R., 01.05.2015, In: Environmental Health Perspectives. 123, 5, p. A107-A111 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  39. Published

    The role of emerging scientists in restoration ecology: insights from a SER2023 conference workshop

    Weidlich, E. W. A., Amaral, V., Lengefeld, E., Reis, B. P., Garbowski, M., Martelli, E., Moraes, L. F. D. & Murphy, S. D., 03.2025, In: Restoration Ecology. 33, 3, 5 p., e14318.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  40. Published

    The self-sabotage of conservation: Reply to Manfredo et al.

    Ives, C. D. & Fischer, J., 06.12.2017, In: Conservation Biology. 31, 6, p. 1483 - 1485 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  41. Published

    The urgent need for designing greener drugs

    Brodin, T., Bertram, M. G., Arnold, K. E., Boxall, A. B. A., Brooks, B. W., Cerveny, D., Jörg, M., Kidd, K. A., Lertxundi, U., Martin, J. M., May, L. T., McCallum, E. S., Michelangeli, M., Tyler, C. R., Wong, B. B. M., Kümmerer, K. & Orive, G., 08.2024, In: Nature Sustainability. 7, 8, p. 949-951 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  42. Published

    Thinking beyond Western commercial honeybee hives: towards improved conservation of honey bee diversity

    Matias, D. M. S., Borgemeister, C. & von Wehrden, H., 01.12.2017, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 26, 14, p. 3499 - 3504 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  43. Published

    Towards a global understanding of tree mortality

    International Tree Mortality Network, Senf, C., Esquivel-Muelbert, A., Pugh, T. A. M. & Klipel, J., 03.2025, In: New Phytologist. 245, 6, p. 2377-2392 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  44. Published

    Towards more sustainable curricula

    Zuin, V. G. & Kümmerer, K., 01.02.2021, In: Nature Reviews Chemistry. 5, 2, p. 76-77 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  45. Published

    Trace Metal Dynamics in Floodplain Soils of the River Elbe: A Review (vol 38, pg 1349): A review

    Schulz-Zunke, C. & Krueger, F., 03.2013, In: Journal of Environmental Quality. 42, 2, p. 622-622 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  46. Published

    Transdisziplinäre Forschung mit transformativem Anspruch Zehn Jahre NaWis: Rückblick und Vorausschau

    Lang, D. J., Renn, O., Rehm, A. & Ernst, A., 25.03.2021, In: GAIA. 30, 1, p. 51-53 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  47. Published

    Tree diversity increases forest temperature buffering via enhancing canopy density and structural diversity

    Schnabel, F., Beugnon, R., Yang, B., Richter, R., Eisenhauer, N., Huang, Y., Liu, X., Wirth, C., Cesarz, S., Fichtner, A., Perles-García, M. D., Hähn, G., Härdtle, W., Kunz, M., Castro-Izaguirre, N., Niklaus, P. A., von Oheimb, G., Schmid, B., Trogisch, S., Wendisch, M., Ma, K. & Bruelheide, H., 01.03.2025, In: Ecology Letters. 28, 3, p. 1-11 11 p., e70096.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  48. Published

    Virtual participatory mapping of nature-based solutions in the Grande de Tárcoles River basin, Costa Rica: Connecting diverse knowledge systems in a context of physical immobility

    Schröter, B., Gottwald, S., Castro-Arce, K., Hartkopf, E., Aguilar-González, B. & Albert, C., 10.05.2023, In: Science of the Total Environment. 872, 162195.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  49. Published

    Wasserstoff: Grün und effizient!

    Kemfert, C., 01.12.2020, In: Wirtschaftsdienst. 100, 12, p. 906 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  50. Published

    We have to talk! Claims of early career researchers to transform circular economy research

    Beyeler, L., Eimterbäumer, M., Jürgens, M., Böckel, A., Schoch, K., Bichler, R. M., Straub-Mück, M., Molnár, M. & Jaeger-Erben, M., 07.2025, In: Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 221, 3 p., 108423.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  51. Published

    We Need Qualitative Progress to Address the Food-Biodiversity Nexus: A Reply to Seppelt et al.

    Fischer, J., Abson, D. J., Bergsten, A., Collier, N. F., Dorresteijn, I., Hanspach, J., Hylander, K., Schultner, J. & Senbeta, F., 09.2017, In: Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 32, 9, p. 632-633 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch