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. 2022
  2. Published

    Institutional entrepreneurship for responsible digital innovation: The case of corporate digital responsibility

    Trittin-Ulbrich, H. & Böckel, A., 01.09.2022, In: Creativity and Innovation Management. 31, 3, p. 447-459 13 p., 3.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published
  4. Published

    Land-use change differentially affects endemic, forest andopen-land butterflies in Madagascar

    Wurz, A., Grass, I., Lees, D. C., Rakotomalala, A. A. N. A., Sáfián, S., Martin, D. A., Osen, K., Loos, J., Benasoavina, E., Alexis, T. & Tscharntke, T., 01.09.2022, In: Insect Conservation and Diversity. 15, 5, p. 606-620 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Placing Brazil's grasslands and savannas on the map of science and conservation

    Overbeck, G. E., Vélez-Martin, E., Menezes, L. D. S., Anand, M., Baeza, S., Carlucci, M. B., Dechoum, M. S., Durigan, G., Fidelis, A., Guido, A., Moro, M. F., Munhoz, C. B. R., Reginato, M., Rodrigues, R. S., Rosenfield, M. F., Sampaio, A. B., Barbosa da Silva, F. H., Silveira, F. A. O., Sosinski, Ê. E., Staude, I. R., Temperton, V. M., Turchetto, C., Veldman, J. W., Viana, P. L., Zappi, D. C. & Müller, S. C., 01.09.2022, In: Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics. 56, 125687.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  6. 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

  7. Published

    Scoping Review of Existing Evaluations of Smokeless Tobacco Control Policies: What Is Known About Countries Covered, Level of Jurisdictions, Target Groups Studied, and Instruments Evaluated?

    Forberger, S., Khan, Z., Ahmad, F., Frense, J., Kampfmann, T., Ahmad, F., Ullah, S., Dogar, O., Siddiqi, K. & Zeeb, H., 01.09.2022, In: Nicotine and Tobacco Research. 24, 9, p. 1344-1354 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  8. Published

    Systemic Risks from Different Perspectives

    Renn, O., Laubichler, M., Lucas, K., Kröger, W., Schanze, J., Scholz, R. W. & Schweizer, P., 01.09.2022, In: Risk Analysis. 42, 9, p. 1902-1920 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    The effects of visual sustainability labels on consumer perception and behavior: A systematic review of the empirical literature

    Majer, J. M., Henscher, H. A., Reuber, P., Fischer-Kreer, D. & Fischer, D., 01.09.2022, In: Sustainable Production and Consumption. 33, p. 1-14 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  10. Published

    Transformation archetypes in global food systems

    Dornelles, A. Z., Boonstra, W. J., Delabre, I., Denney, J. M., Nunes, R. J., Jentsch, A., Nicholas, K. A., Schröter, M., Seppelt, R., Settele, J., Shackelford, N., Standish, R. J. & Oliver, T. H., 01.09.2022, In: Sustainability Science. 17, 5, p. 1827-1840 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Climate Change Law in Germany - Legislation, Iurisdiction, and Governmental Ambitions

    Schomerus, T., 09.2022, In: Public law. 2, p. 1-21 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  12. Published

    Sustainable lifestyles: towards a relational approach

    Böhme, J., Walsh, Z. & Wamsler, C., 09.2022, In: Sustainability Science. 17, 5, p. 2063-2076 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  13. Published

    Trade Wars: Past and Present

    Oermann, N. O. & Wolff, H.-J., 25.08.2022, 1 ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 316 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesBook

  14. Published

    Curriculum Hannover – webbasierte vs. analoge Durchführung der psychosomatischen Nachsorge und vs. Care as usual

    Dahmen, A., Gao, L., Keller, F. M., Lehr, D., Becker, P. & Lippke, S., 22.08.2022, In: Die Rehabilitation. 61, 4, p. 287-296 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  15. Published
  16. Published

    Effects of tree diversity on canopy space occupation vary with tree size and canopy space definition in a mature broad-leaved forest

    Georgi, L., Kunz, M., Fichtner, A., Bienert, A., Maas, H.-G. & von Oheimb, G., 15.08.2022, In: Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 323, 109055.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  17. Published

    Environmental management accounting: development, context, contribution and outlook

    Schaltegger, S., Burritt, R. & Christ, K. L., 04.08.2022, Handbook of Accounting and Sustainability. Adams, C. (ed.). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing, p. 260-278 19 p. (Research handbooks in accounting).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapter

  18. Published

    Sustainable Statehood: Reflections on Critical (Pre-)Conditions, Requirements and Design Options

    Heinrichs, H., 02.08.2022, In: Sustainability. 14, 15, 14 p., 9461.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransferpeer-review

  19. Published

    Comparative effectiveness of three versions of a stepped care model for insomnia differing in the amount of therapist support in internet-delivered treatment: study protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial (GET Sleep)

    Spiegelhalder, K., Baumeister, H., Al-Kamaly, A., Bader, M., Bauereiss, N., Benz, F., Braun, L., Buntrock, C., Burkhardt, M., Cuijpers, P., Domschke, K., Dülsen, P., Franke, M., Frase, L., Heber, E., Helm, K., Jentsch, T., Johann, A., Küchler, A. M., Kuhn, M., Lehr, D., Maun, A., Morin, C. M., Moshagen, M., Richter, K., Schiel, J., Simon, L., Spille, L., Weeß, H. G., Riemann, D. & Ebert, D. D., 01.08.2022, In: BMJ Open. 12, 8, 11 p., e058212.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  20. Published

    Environmental governance in globally telecoupled systems: Mapping the terrain towards an integrated research agenda

    Cotta, B., Coenen, J., Challies, E., Newig, J., Lenschow, A. & Schilling-Vacaflor, A., 01.08.2022, In: Earth System Governance. 13, 16 p., 100142.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  21. Published

    Environmental governance of a Belt and Road project in Montenegro – National agency and external influences

    Coenen, J., Newig, J. & Meyfroidt, P., 01.08.2022, In: Land Use Policy. 119, 14 p., 106136.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review