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. 2025
  2. Published

    Self-consumption and self-sufficiency in energy sharing communities in Germany: What is the impact of wind energy?

    Wiesenthal, J., 2025, In: IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 1532, 1, 012002.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference article in journalResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Structure and dynamics of secondary and mature rainforests: insights from South Asian long-term monitoring plots

    Murali, A., Kasinathan, S., Bhat, K., Ratnam, J., Sankaran, M., Mudappa, D., Raman, T. R. S. & Osuri, A. M., 2025, In: Plant Ecology and Diversity. 18, 1-2, p. 55-67 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Accepted/In press

    The tree growth–herbivory relationship depends on functional traits across forest biodiversity experiments

    Li, Y., Schuldt, A., Bauhus, J., Belluau, M., Berthelot, S., Burghardt, K. T., Bruelheide, H., Castagneyrol, B., Chu, C., Eisenhauer, N., Ferlian, O., Fründ, J., Gebauer, T., Gravel, D., Jactel, H., Li, S., Liang, Y., Parker, J. D., Parker, W. C., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Staab, M., Verheyen, K., Schmid, B., Ma, K. & Liu, X., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Nature Ecology and Evolution.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Accepted/In press

    Thinking Beyond the Bargaining Table: Negotiators’ Perceptions, Behaviours and Outcomes in Negotiations Affecting External Parties

    Zhang, K., Zhang, H., Aaldering, H., Majer, J. M. & Trötschel, R., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: European Journal of Social Psychology. 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Accepted/In press

    Towards Authentic Engagement with Indigenous Peoples: Lessons from Negotiated Agreements in the Pilbara, Western Australia

    Benkert, J., Eversole, R. & Dembek, K., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Business and Society. 32 p., 00076503251376892.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Accepted/In press

    Towards self-sufficiency: a socio-technical model to identify the transition pathways to flexible prosumers and the role of policy mixes

    van der Kam, M., Lagomarsino, M., Parra, D. & Hahnel, U. J. J., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Sustainability Science. 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. 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

  9. Accepted/In press

    Unravelling deep roots in drylands: A systems thinking participatory approach to the SDGs

    Aguiar, A. P. D., Collste, D., Cortés-Calderón, S., Sonetti-González, T., Alves-Martins, M., Castro, A. J., Diallo, A., Eriksson, K. M., Goffner, D., Harmáčková, Z. V., Jiménez-Aceituno, A., López-Rodríguez, M. D., Mancilla-García, M., Olofsson, V., Perez-Marin, A., Silva-Bezerra, F. G., Sinare, H. & Stragier, C., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Global Sustainability. 8

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Wie kann die Nationale Strategie zur biologischen Vielfalt 2030 zu einem transformativen Wandel beitragen?

    Zinngrebe, Y., Cardona Santos, E. M., Brand, U., Hauck, J., Hickmann, T., Hagedorn, G., Henn, E. V., Lakner, S., Lam, D. P. M., Mehring, M., Paulsch, A., Schmid, S., Tschersich, J., Zedda, L. & Wittmer, H., 2025, In: Natur und Landschaft. 100, 1, p. 16-25 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Zur völker- und verwaltungsrechtlichen Einordnung der zivilen Seenotrettung

    Schatz, V. J. & Epik, A., 2025, Archiv des Völkerrechts. Vol. 62. p. 445-465

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapter

  12. 2024
  13. Published

    Transformational ethics to bridge the void between facts and truths

    von Wehrden, H. & Wäger, P., 30.12.2024, In: GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society. 33, 4, p. 333 1 p.

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

  14. E-pub ahead of print

    Can we represent future generations in myopic democracies? Analyzing the design, feasibility and viability of institutional guardians of future generations

    Rose, M., 26.12.2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Policy Studies. 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  15. Published

    Greene’s dual-process moral psychology and the modularity of mind

    Bammel, M., 20.12.2024, In: Philosophical Psychology. 24 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  16. Published

    Kommunales Nachhaltigkeitsbarometer Niedersachsen 2024: Eine Erhebung zum Stand von Nachhaltigkeit in niedersächsischen Landkreisen, Städten und Gemeinden

    Redenius, P. & Heinrichs, H., 17.12.2024, Lüneburg: Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, 36 p. (Schriftenreihe Nachhaltigkeit, Politik, Gesellschaft; no. 8).

    Research output: Working paperResearch communication reportsResearch

  17. Published
  18. E-pub ahead of print

    Students’ Beliefs About Trigger Warnings

    Sevincer, A. T., Tenbrueggen, L. & Sokolis, M., 13.12.2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Psychological Reports. 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  19. Published

    Genome size influences plant growth and biodiversity responses to nutrient fertilization in diverse grassland communities

    Morton, J. A., Arnillas, C. A., Biedermann, L., Borer, E. T., Brudvig, L. A., Buckley, Y. M., Cadotte, M. W., Davies, K., Donohue, I., Ebeling, A., Eisenhauer, N., Estrada, C., Haider, S., Hautier, Y., Jentsch, A., Martinson, H., McCulley, R. L., Raynaud, X., Roscher, C., Seabloom, E. W., Stevens, C. J., Vesela, K., Wallace, A., Leitch, I. J., Leitch, A. R. & Hersch-Green, E. I., 11.12.2024, In: PLoS Biology. 22, 12, 21 p., e3002927.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  20. Published

    Sufficiency as relations of enoughness

    Hartmann, E., 06.12.2024, In: Sustainable Development. 32, 6, p. 7201-7214 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  21. Published

    Orte zum Wohlfühlen: Ein Reiseführer zur kreativen Gestaltung zukunftsfähiger Städte und Gemeinden

    Heinrichs, H., Redenius, P. & Hoernemann, D., 05.12.2024, München: Oekom Verlag. 94 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesBook

  22. Published

    Failed mobility transition in an ideal setting and implications for building a green city

    Andert, M. & Nagel, M., 02.12.2024, In: Npj Climate Action. 3, 1, 15 p., 114.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

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