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

    Applicability of the European Commission's framework on safe and sustainable by design to the pharmaceutical sector

    Puhlmann, N., Abbate, E., Kümmerer, K., Oomen, A. G., Ragas, A. M. J. & Moermond, C., 12.2024, In: Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy. 42, 15 p., 101845.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Betriebliches Nachhaltigkeitsbarometer Niedersachsen 2024: Einblicke in Nachhaltigkeit und Klimaschutz in der niedersächsischen Wirtschaft

    Hartmann, E., Wilkens, M. & Heinrichs, H., 20.11.2024, Lüneburg: Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, 42 p. (Schriftenreihe Nachhaltigkeit, Politik, Gesellschaft; no. 7).

    Research output: Working paperResearch communication reportsResearch

  3. Published

    Decolonizing RFMOs: The Case of The United Kingdom’s IOTC Membership on Behalf of the Chagos Archipelago

    Schatz, V. J., 14.10.2024, International Fisheries Law: Persistent and Emerging Challenges. Kunoy, B., Heidar, T. & Yiallourides, C. (eds.). London: Taylor and Francis Inc., p. 17-33 17 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  4. Published

    Geodesign as a boundary management process: Co-creating and negotiating sustainable landscape futures. Participatory research methods for sustainability – toolkit #11

    Gottwald, S., Albert, C., Arciniegas, G., Ducci, M., Jajeh, S., Janssen, R. & Taylor, R., 29.10.2024, In: GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society. 33, 3, p. 282-285 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  5. Published

    Mental contrasting and conflict management in satisfied and unsatisfied romantic relationships

    Jöhnk, H., Sevincer, A. T. & Oettingen, G., 02.2025, In: Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. 42, 2, p. 367-391 25 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Shrub cover declined as Indigenous populations expanded across southeast Australia

    Mariani, M., Wills, A., Herbert, A., Adeleye, M., Florin, S. A., Cadd, H., Connor, S., Kershaw, P., Theuerkauf, M., Stevenson, J., Fletcher, M. S., Mooney, S., Bowman, D. & Haberle, S., 01.11.2024, In: Science (New York, N.Y.). 386, 6721, p. 567-573 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Transdiziplinäre Zusammenarbeit für nachhaltige Flächennutzung: Verständnis fördern, Szenarien entwicklen, Synergien finden

    Pfendtner-Heise, J., Krebs, A. & von Wehrden, H., 11.2024, 9 p.

    Research output: other publicationsContributions to online encyclopediaTransfer

  8. 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

  9. E-pub ahead of print

    Defeminizing Sustainability: How to Boost Men’s Motivation for Proenvironmental Behavior

    Hällfritzsch, M., Volpi, L., Daniel, K. G., Somogyi, C., Kause, A., Reese, G. & Loschelder, D. D., 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Motivation Science.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published
  11. Published

    One Fits Them All? Metaphors in Multilingual Biology Classes

    Sowinski, R. & Abels, S., 01.09.2024, Connecting Science Education with Cultural Heritage: Proceedings of the ESERA 2023 Conference. Kaya, G., Sardag, M. & Gul, K. (eds.). Oxford: European Science Education Research Association, Vol. 3. p. 246-256 11 p.

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

  12. Published

    A Universal Digital Stress Management Intervention for Employees: Randomized Controlled Trial with Health-Economic Evaluation

    Freund, J., Smit, F., Lehr, D., Zarski, A. C., Berking, M., Riper, H., Funk, B., Ebert, D. D. & Buntrock, C., 22.10.2024, In: Journal of Medical Internet Research. 26, 13 p., e48481.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  13. Published

    Revisiting the sustainability science research agenda

    Sahle, M., Lahoti, S. A., Lee, S. Y., Brundiers, K., van Riper, C. J., Pohl, C., Chien, H., Bohnet, I. C., Aguilar-Rivera, N., Edwards, P., Pradhan, P., Plieninger, T., Boonstra, W. J., Flor, A. G., Di Fabio, A., Scheidel, A., Gordon, C., Abson, D. J., Andersson, E., Demaria, F., Kenter, J. O., Brooks, J., Kauffman, J., Hamann, M., Graziano, M., Nagabhatla, N., Mimura, N., Fagerholm, N., O’Farrell, P., Saito, O. & Takeuchi, K., 01.2025, In: Sustainability Science. 20, 1, p. 1-19 19 p., e0261190.

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

  14. Published

    Toward Sustainable Water Governance? Taking Stock of Paradigms, Practices, and Sustainability Outcomes

    Bilalova, S., Newig, J. & Villamayor-Tomas, S., 01.01.2025, In: Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Water. 12, 1, 12 p., e1762.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  15. Published

    Values-based barriers and good practices in sustainability-oriented innovation management

    Ivanov, K., 03.2025, In: Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management. 32, 2, p. 1393-1411 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  16. Published

    Policy as normative influence? On the relationship between parental leave policy and social norms in gender division of childcare across 48 countries

    Author Collaboration für "Policy as normative influence?", Schindler, S., Schuster, C., Olsson, M. I. T., Froehlich, L. & Hübner, A. K., 04.2025, In: British Journal of Social Psychology. 24 p., e12806.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  17. E-pub ahead of print

    Lagged Multidimensional Recurrence Quantification Analysis for Determining Leader–Follower Relationships Within Multidimensional Time Series

    Tomashin, A., Gordon, I., Leonardi, G., Berson, Y., Milstein, N., Ziegler, M., Hess, U. & Wallot, S., 10.10.2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Psychological Methods. 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  18. Published

    Biodiversität, Ökosystemfunktionen und Naturschutz

    Härdtle, W., 19.06.2024, Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Verlag. 911 p. (Life Science and Basic Disciplines)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesBook

  19. Published

    Africa’s mountainous islands: archipelagos of fire, water, and problem species

    Clark, V. R., Ah-Peng, C., Arévalo, J. R., Backes, A. R., Rouget, M., Martin, G. & Haider, S., 01.01.2024, Safeguarding Mountain Social-Ecological Systems, Vol 2: Building Transformative Resilience in Mountain Regions Worldwide. Schneiderbauer, S., Schroder, J. F., Pisa, P. F. & Szarzynski, J. (eds.). Elsevier, Vol. 2. p. 129-149 21 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  20. 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

  21. Published

    Plant neighbors differentially alter a focal species' biotic interactions through changes to resource allocation

    Turner, S. C. & Schweitzer, J. A., 11.2024, In: Ecology. 105, 11, 18 p., e4395.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  22. Published

    Investigation of the utilization of oat pomace and acid whey in technical scale succinic acid fermentation including downstream processing

    Kleps, C., Schneider, R., Venus, J. & Pleißner, D., 01.12.2024, In: Sustainable Chemistry One World. 4, 7 p., 100028.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  23. Published

    Temperate alley-cropping agroforestry improves pest control potential by promoting spider abundance and functional diversity

    Matevski, D., Sagolla, V., Beule, L. & Schuldt, A., 12.2024, In: Journal of Applied Ecology. 61, 12, p. 3079-3091 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  24. Published

    Exploring Management Control Systems for Biodiversity: Insights from Three Food Companies

    Hübel, C. & Wenzig, J., 04.2025, In: Social and Environmental Accountability Journal. 45, 1, p. 42-72 31 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  25. Published

    Grassroots relational approaches to agricultural transformation in Latin America

    Allen, K. E., Ortiz-Przychodzka, S., Coelho-Junior, M. G., Herrmann, T., Atchley, M., Benra, F., Chavez, V., Darvin, E., McCabe, J., Nahuelhual, L., Rodrigues, C. H. & Muraca, B., 2024, In: Ecosystems and People. 20, 1, 16 p., 2390470.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  26. Published

    The impact of biodiversity information on willingness to pay

    Hörisch, J., Petersen, L. & Jacobs, K., 12.2024, In: Journal of Industrial Ecology. 28, 6, p. 1641-1656 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  27. Published

    Using cross-recurrence quantification analysis to compute similarity measures for time series of unequal length with applications to sleep stage analysis

    Drews, H. J., Felletti, F., Kallestad, H., Drews, A., Scott, J., Sand, T., Engstrøm, M., Heglum, H. S. A., Vethe, D., Salvesen, Ø., Langsrud, K., Morken, G. & Wallot, S., 12.2024, In: Scientific Reports. 14, 1, 14 p., 23142.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  28. Published

    Analyzing the political impact of Real-world laboratories for urban transformation in eight German ‘Cities of the Future’

    Kampfmann, T., Lang, D. J. & Weiser, A., 12.2024, In: Environmental Science and Policy. 162, 12 p., 103923.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  29. Published

    The pace of life for forest trees

    Author Collaboration of "The pace of life for forest trees.", Bialic-Murphy, L., McElderry, R. M., Esquivel-Muelbert, A., van den Hoogen, J., Zuidema, P. A., Phillips, O. L., de Oliveira, E. A. & Klipel, J., 04.10.2024, In: Science (New York, N.Y.). 386, 6717, p. 92-98 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  30. Published

    Life Cycle Assessment of Consumption Patterns – Understanding the links between changing social practices and environmental impacts

    Suski, P., Augenstein, K. & Greiff, K., 20.10.2024, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 477, 13 p., 143813.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  31. Published

    Promoting neighbourhood sharing: infrastructures of convenience and community

    Huber, A., Heinrichs, H. & Jäger-Erben, M., 22.08.2024, In: Buildings and Cities. 5, 1, p. 349-367 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransferpeer-review

  32. Published

    Ungleiche Partizipationschancen in heterogenen Lerngruppen: Eine ethnografische Studie in Klassenräten inklusiver Grundschulklassen

    Meyn, J., 2025, Bad Heilbrunn: Verlag Julius Klinkhardt. 322 p. (Forschung Klinkhardt )

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearchpeer-review

  33. Published

    A cultural comparison of children’s emotion knowledge: Data from two cultures

    Schapira, R., von Salisch, M. & Voltmer, K., 01.2025, In: International Journal of Behavioral Development. 49, 1, p. 38-48 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  34. Published

    “We cannot escape this”: discussing leverage points for sustainability across scales with the example of Ouvéa, Kanaky New Caledonia

    Riechers, M., Baumann, L., Braun, M., Ganachaud, A., Heeg, P. & Sabinot, C., 12.2024, In: Regional Environmental Change. 24, 4, 15 p., 146.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  35. Published

    Wirtschaftsvölkerrechtlicher Rahmen

    Bäumler, J., 2023, Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtenrecht: LkSG, GwB, EU-HolzhandelsVO, EU-KonfliktmineralienVO, BetrVG, WRegG, CSR-RL-UmsG. Kaltenborn, M., Krajewski, M., Rühl, G. & Saage-Maaß, M. (eds.). München: C.H. Beck Verlag, p. 34-44 20 p. (Beck'sche Kurz-Kommentare).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions in collection of commentariesResearch

  36. Published

    Citizen Science-Based Monitoring of Cavity-Nesting Wild Bees and Wasps – Benefits for Volunteers, Insects, and Ecological Science

    Lindermann, L., Grabener, S., Hellwig, N., Stahl, J. & Dieker, P., 04.09.2024, In: Citizen Science: Theory and Practice. 9, 1, 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  37. Published

    § 22 Level Playing Field and Sustainable Development

    Bäumler, J., 05.04.2024, EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement: A Handbook. Kübek, G., Tams, C. J. & Terhechte, J. P. (eds.). Baden Baden: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft, p. 359-380 22 p.

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

  38. Published

    Safe-and-sustainable-by-design roadmap: identifying research, competencies, and knowledge sharing needs

    Apel, C., Sudheshwar, A., Kümmerer, K., Nowack, B., Midander, K., Strömberg, E. & Soeteman-Hernández, L. G., 19.08.2024, In: RSC Sustainability. 2, 10, p. 2833-2838 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  39. Published

    Applying the Three Horizons approach in local and regional scenarios to support policy coherence in SDG implementation: Insights from arid Spain

    López-Rodríguez, M. D., Jiménez-Aceituno, A., Quintas-Soriano, C., Miguel Requena-Mullor, J., Garau, E., Alba-Patiño, D., Otamendi-Urroz, I., Aguiar, A. P. D., Cortés-Calderón, S. & Castro, A. J., 01.12.2024, In: Global Environmental Change. 89, 16 p., 102922.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  40. Published

    From rebound to reinforcement effects. The role of analyzing underlying mechanisms for accounting

    Schaltegger, S., Amend, C. & Wüst, S., 01.09.2024, In: Journal of Sustainable Finance and Accounting. 3, 10 p., 100014.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  41. Published

    Organizational Ethical Cultures and Social Embeddedness – A Research Framework for Investigating Externally Anchored Organizational Worldviews

    Beckmann, M. & Hörisch, J., 2024, In: Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Unternehmensethik. 25, 2, p. 307-331 25 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  42. Published

    Why gender matters for addressing chemical pollution

    Wang, M., Balayannis, A., Rother, H. A., Hemmati, M., Holthaus, A. & Zuin Zeidler, V., 01.09.2024, In: The Lancet Planetary Health. 8, 9, 1 p., e611.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  43. Published

    Interplays between relational and instrumental values: insights from research experiences on human–nature relations

    Riechers, M., Pearson, J., Diaz-Cruz, N., Ortiz-Przychodzka, S. & Topp, E., 01.2025, In: Sustainability Science. 20, 1, p. 287-298 12 p., 104232.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  44. Published

    Ecosystem Services Justice: The Emergence of a Critical Research Field

    Langemeyer, J., Benra, F., Nahuelhual, L. & Zoderer, B. M., 01.10.2024, In: Ecosystem Services. 69, 11 p., 101655.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  45. Published

    Indigenous and local values of nature through a gender lens: A literature review

    Hartmann, J. Z. & Pearson, J., 01.10.2024, In: Ecosystem Services. 69, 14 p., 101654.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  46. Published

    LFB-Labs-digital: Schülerlabore als Ort der Lehrkräftefortbildung in der digitalen Welt: Ein Bericht zur Konzeption eines Verbundprojektes

    Kirchhoff, T., Schwedler, S., Abels, S., Acher, A., Anselmetti, D., Besa, K.-S., Biehl, J., Blumberg, E., Breiter, A., Brückmann, M., Büntemeyer, D., Tegani, M. E., Engelhardt, A., Grotjohann, N., Kiel, C., Kleine, M., Koerber, R., Lambrecht, M., Lehmenkühler, A., Meyer, D., Mußhoff, A., Panhorst, M., Peperkorn, C., Röllke, K., Roth, J., Schäfers, M. S., Schüler, H., Stinken-Rösner, L., Strauß, S., Stricker, J., Temmen, K., Tönsing, K., Verständig, D., Wegner, C., Wellensiek, N., Wenzel, A., Wördemann, D., Ziegler, M., Heinrich, M. & Wilde, M., 19.08.2024, In: PFLB - Zeitschrift für Schul- und Professionsentwicklung. 6, 1, p. 130-155 25 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransferpeer-review

  47. Published

    Author Correction: Widening global variability in grassland biomass since the 1980s

    MacDougall, A. S., Esch, E., Chen, Q., Carroll, O., Bonner, C., Ohlert, T., Siewert, M., Sulik, J., Schweiger, A. K., Borer, E. T., Naidu, D., Bagchi, S., Hautier, Y., Wilfahrt, P., Larson, K., Olofsson, J., Cleland, E., Muthukrishnan, R., O’Halloran, L., Alberti, J., Anderson, T. M., Arnillas, C. A., Bakker, J. D., Barrio, I. C., Biederman, L., Boughton, E. H., Brudvig, L. A., Bruschetti, M., Buckley, Y., Bugalho, M. N., Cadotte, M. W., Caldeira, M. C., Catford, J. A., D’Antonio, C., Davies, K., Daleo, P., Dickman, C. R., Donohue, I., DuPre, M. E., Elgersma, K., Eisenhauer, N., Eskelinen, A., Estrada, C., Fay, P. A., Feng, Y., Gruner, D. S., Hagenah, N., Haider, S., Harpole, W. S., Hersch-Green, E., Jentsch, A., Kirkman, K., Knops, J. M. H., Laanisto, L., Lannes, L. S., Laungani, R., Lkhagva, A., Macek, P., Martina, J. P., McCulley, R. L., Melbourne, B., Mitchell, R., Moore, J. L., Morgan, J. W., Muraina, T. O., Niu, Y., Pärtel, M., Peri, P. L., Power, S. A., Price, J. N., Prober, S. M., Ren, Z., Risch, A. C., Smith, N. G., Sonnier, G., Standish, R. J., Stevens, C. J., Tedder, M., Tognetti, P., Veen, G. F., Virtanen, R., Wardle, G. M., Waring, E., Wolf, A. A., Yahdjian, L. & Seabloom, E. W., 01.10.2024, In: Nature Ecology and Evolution. 8, 10, p. 2003 1 p.

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

  48. Published

    Digitale Kontaktnachverfolgung bei Infektionskrankheiten: Projektstudie ZIL-Kontakt

    Drews, P., Funk, B., Heger, J., Lehr, D., Zimmer, M. P. & Lemmer, K., 22.08.2024, Lüneburg: Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, 25 p.

    Research output: Working paperProject reportsTransfer

  49. Published

    The effect of neighbor species' phylogenetic and trait difference on tree growth in subtropical forests

    Klipel, J., Bergamin, R. S., Bordin, K. M., Picolotto, R. C., Müller, S. C. & de Bello, F., 01.07.2024, In: Journal of Vegetation Science. 35, 4, 11 p., e13296.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  50. Published

    Ecological features facilitating spread of alien plants along Mediterranean mountain roads

    Santoianni, L. A., Innangi, M., Varricchione, M., Carboni, M., La Bella, G., Haider, S. & Stanisci, A., 11.2024, In: Biological Invasions. 26, 11, p. 3879-3899 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

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