School of Sustainability
Organisational unit: Research School
- Centre for Sustainability Management (CSM)
- Institute of Ecology
- Institute of Ethics and Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research
- Institute of Sustainability Governance
- Institute of Sustainability Material Flows and Circularity
- Institute of Sustainability Psychology
- Institute of Sustainable Chemistry
- Social-Ecological Systems Institute (SESI)
- Sustainability Education and Transdisciplinary Research Institute
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.
- 2025
- Published
Locked in a fossil-centric system paradigm: LNG expansion impedes socio-ecological transition toward a just and renewable energy future
Kemfert, C., Präger, F., Hoffart, F. M. & von Hirschhausen, C., 22.08.2025, In: Cell Reports Sustainability. 2, 8, 11 p., 100464.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
- Published
Scaling-Up Behavior Settings: An Ecological Approach to Cognitive Institutions
Bammel, M. & Sanches de Oliveira, G., 22.08.2025, In: Topoi.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Whole-school sustainability at the core of quality education: Wished for by principals but requiring collective and structural action
Holst, J., Brock, A., Grund, J., Schlieszus, A. K. & Singer-Brodowski, M., 10.08.2025, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 519, 11 p., 145897.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Brazil's dangerous environmental licensing bill
Weidlich, E. W. A., 07.08.2025, In: Science (New York, N.Y.). 389, 6760, p. 583-584 2 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
- Published
Multilayer Material System Analysis of wind turbines: correlation of stocks and flows in the EU of six metals and two drivetrain technologies
Godoy León, M. F., Balsells Llort, C., Demuytere, C., Bobba, S., Tazi, N. & Dewulf, J., 01.08.2025, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 518, 15 p., 145794.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Artificial intelligence in sustainable development research
Gohr, C., Rodríguez Aboytes, J. G., Belomestnykh, S., Berg-Moelleken, D., Chauhan, N., Engler, J.-O., von Heydebreck, L., Hintz, M. J., Kretschmer, M.-F., Krügermeier, C., Meinberg, J., Rau, A.-L., Schwenck, C., Aoulkadi, I., Poll, S., Frank, E., Creutzig, F., Lemke, O., Maushart, M., Pfendtner-Heise, J., Rathgens, J. & von Wehrden, H., 08.2025, In: Nature Sustainability. 8, 8, p. 970-978 9 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Contributions of Net-Map to sustainability action research
Cortés-Calderón, S. V., López-Rodríguez, M. D., Jiménez-Aceituno, A., Castro, A. J. & Mancilla-García, M., 08.2025, In: Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. 75, 101542.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
- Published
Design principles for social-ecological research at the landscape scale applied to western Rwanda
Baumann, M., Duguma, D., Vögele, S., Wollni, M., Sun, P., Ndayizeye, G. & Fischer, J., 08.2025, In: PLoS ONE. 20, 8, 11 p., e0330704.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Ecological assessment of forest management approaches to develop resilient forests in the face of global change in Central Europe
Huth, F., Tischer, A., Nikolova, P., Feldhaar, H., Wehnert, A., Hülsmann, L., Bauhus, J., Heer, K., Vogt, J., Ammer, C., Berger, U., Bernhardt-Römermann, M., Böhme, M., Bugmann, H., Demant, L., Buse, J., Dörfler, I., Ewald, J., Feldmann, E., Fichtner, A., Gossner, M. M., Grams, T. E. E., Häberle, K.-H., Hagge, J., Hartmann, H., Herzog, S., Kahmen, A., Kohnle, U., Krabel, D., Krämer-Klement, K., Kreyling, J., Manthey, M., Mellert, K., Meyer, P., Mölder, A., Muffler-Weigel, L., Ohse, B., Opgenoorth, L., Rewald, B., Rothe, A., Ruehr, N., Scharnweber, T., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Schmeddes, J., Schmerbeck, J., Schmidt, M., Seidel, D., Thomas, F. M., Tiebel, M., von Oheimb, G., Wagner, S., Weigel, R., Wilmking, M., Zang, C. & Schuldt, B., 08.2025, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 86, p. 66-100 35 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
- Published
Framing the relationship between justice and ecosystem services: A systematic review
Locatelli, B., Benra, F., Geneletti, D., Loft, L., Loos, J., Schröter, B., Winkler, K. & Zoderer, B. M., 08.2025, In: Ecosystem Services. 74, 14 p., 101755.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review