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. 2016
  2. Published

    Vom Umwelt- zum Nachhaltigkeitsjournalismus? Die Initiative "Nachhaltigkeit und Journalismus"

    Michelsen, G. & Fischer, D., 03.2016, Nachhaltigkeit und Journalismus: Erkenntnisse und Impulse aus Wissenschaft und Praxis. Michelsen, G. & Fischer, D. (eds.). Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 9-19 11 p. (Innovation in den Hochschulen ‐ Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 12).

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

  3. Published

    Wie kommt Nachhaltigkeit in die Medien? Nachrichtenfaktoren und Frames im Nachhaltigkeitsjournalismus

    Fischer, D., Haucke, F. & Humburg, A., 03.2016, Nachhaltigkeit und Journalismus : Erkenntnisse und Impulse aus Wissenschaft und Praxis. Michelsen, G. & Fischer, D. (eds.). Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 39-54 16 p. (Innovation in den Hochschulen ‐ Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 12).

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

  4. Published

    The tyranny of coarse scales in sustainability science and policy

    Fischer, J., 15.02.2016

    Research output: other publicationsArticles in scientific forums or blogsResearch

  5. Published

    “Re-connecting people and nature”: wrong term, wrong goal?

    Fischer, J., 09.02.2016

    Research output: other publicationsArticles in scientific forums or blogsResearch

  6. Published

    Why protect nature? Rethinking values and the environment

    Chan, K. M. A., Balvanera, P., Benessaiah, K., Chapman, M., Díaz, S., Gómez-Baggethun, E., Gould, R., Hannahs, N., Jax, K., Klain, S., Luck, G. W., Martín-López, B., Muraca, B., Norton, B., Ott, K., Pascual, U., Satterfield, T., Tadaki, M., Taggart, J. & Turner, N., 09.02.2016, In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA). 113, 6, p. 1462-1465 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  7. Published

    Turning hurt into impact (?)

    Fischer, J., 02.02.2016, 1 p.

    Research output: other publicationsArticles in scientific forums or blogsResearch

  8. Published

    Novel flame retardants: Estimating the physical-chemical properties and environmental fate of 94 halogenated and organophosphate PBDE replacements

    Zhang, X., Sühring, R., Serodio, D., Bonnell, M., Sundin, N. & Diamond, M. L., 01.02.2016, In: Chemosphere. 144, p. 2401-2407 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Participatory energy scenario development as dramatic scripting: A structural narrative analysis

    Upham, P., Klapper, R. & Carney, S., 01.02.2016, In: Technological Forecasting and Social Change. 103, p. 47-56 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Perceptions of cultural ecosystem services from urban green

    Riechers, M., Barkmann, J. & Tscharntke, T., 01.02.2016, In: Ecosystem Services. 17, p. 33-39 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Spatial patterns of cultural ecosystem services provision in Southern Patagonia

    Martínez Pastur, G., Peri, P. L., Lencinas, M. V., García-Llorente, M. & Martín-López, B., 01.02.2016, In: Landscape Ecology. 31, 2, p. 383-399 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  12. Published

    A coastal and an interior Douglas fir provenance exhibit different metabolic strategies to deal with drought stress

    Du, B., Jansen, K., Kleiber, A., Eiblmeier, M., Kammerer, B., Ensminger, I., Gessler, A., Rennenberg, H. & Kreuzwieser, J., 02.2016, In: Tree Physiology. 36, 2, p. 148–163 16 p., tpv105.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  13. Published

    A Synthesis is Emerging between Biodiversity-Ecosystem Function and Ecological Resilience Research: Reply to Mori

    Oliver, T. H., Heard, M. S., Isaac, N. J. B., Roy, D. B., Procter, D., Eigenbrod, F., Freckleton, R., Hector, A., Orme, C. D. L., Petchey, O. L., Proença, V., Raffaelli, D., Blake Suttle, K., Mace, G. M., Martín-López, B., Woodcock, B. A. & Bullock, J. M., 02.2016, In: Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 31, 2, p. 89-92 4 p.

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

  14. Published

    Tree species and functional traits but not species richness affect interrill erosion processes in young subtropical forests

    Seitz, S., Goebes, P., Song, Z., Bruehlheide, H., Härdtle, W., Kühn, P., Li, Y. & Scholten, T., 21.01.2016, In: SOIL. 2, 1, p. 49-61 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  15. Published

    Distribution of brominated flame retardants and dechloranes between sediments and benthic fish - A comparison of a freshwater and marine habitat

    Sühring, R., Busch, F., Fricke, N., Kötke, D., Wolschke, H. & Ebinghaus, R., 15.01.2016, In: The Science of The Total Environment. 542, p. 578-585 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  16. Published

    Sorption and thermal characterization of composite materials based on chlorides for thermal energy storage

    Korhammer, K., Druske, M.-M., Fopah Lele, A., Rammelberg, H., Wegscheider, N., Opel, O., Osterland, T. & Ruck, W., 15.01.2016, In: Applied Energy. 162, p. 1462-1472 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  17. Published

    Other spaces: Parks as societal mirrors

    Vilsmaier, U., 14.01.2016, Parks of the Future: Protected Areas in Europe Challenging Regional and Global Change. Hammer, T., Mose, I., Siegrist, D. & Weixlbaumer, N. (eds.). 1 ed. München: Oekom Verlag, p. 113-121 9 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  18. Published

    Thinking about climate change: Young people from Ladakh responding to global warming: An explorative study

    Getzin, S., 13.01.2016, Exploring Alterity in a Globalized World. Wulf, C. (ed.). Taylor and Francis Inc., p. 454-467 14 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  19. Published

    Transnational governance towards sustainable biofuels: Exploring a polycentric view

    Moser, C. & Bailis, R., 13.01.2016, Environmental Politics and Governance in the Anthropocene: Institutions and legitimacy in a complex world. Pattberg, P. & Zelli, F. (eds.). London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 103-126 24 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  20. Published

    Globalization’s limits to the environmental state? Integrating telecoupling into global environmental governance

    Lenschow, A., Newig, J. & Challies, E., 02.01.2016, In: Environmental Politics. 25, 1, p. 136-159 24 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  21. Published

    Transdisciplinarity in a messy world

    Fischer, J., 02.01.2016, Lüneburg

    Research output: other publicationsArticles in scientific forums or blogsResearch