Skip to main content

Prof. Dr. Harald Heinrichs

21335 Lüneburg, Universitätsallee 1, C11.226
Fon +49.4131.677-2931, harald.heinrichs@leuphana.de
Professor, Professorship of Sustainability and Politics

Table of contents for this page

Vita

  • Professor of Sustainability and Politics at the Institute of Sustainability Governance at the Leuphana University Lüneburg (since October 2009)
  • Dean of Studies, Vice Dean, Dean (2010-2016; 2023-2026)
  • Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at the accounting and consulting firm KPMG (07.2008 – 09.2009)
  • Associate Professor for Participation and Sustainable Development at the Institute for Environmental and Sustainability Communication (10.2004 – 06.2008)
  • Post-doctoral researcher at the Jülich Research Centre, Research Group: People, Environment, Technology (06.2001 – 09.2004)
  • Adjunct faculty member for Sociology of Technology and Environment at the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (2002 – 2004)
  • Doctoral degree awarded in Sociology by the University of Stuttgart in cooperation with the Jülich Research Centre (06.1998 – 04.2002)
  • Undergraduate and graduate studies in Sociology, Political Science and Economic Policy at the University of Münster

Projects

  1. Relationality in urban SETS: An investigation of urban climate change adaptation in Germany
    Julian Trutz Müller (Project manager, academic) , Harald Heinrichs (Project staff)

    Project: Dissertation project

  2. The UN Climate Narrative in the Post-2030 Agenda: Strategic Communication as a Response to Legitimacy Contestation in Times of Climate Change Denial
    Harald Heinrichs (Project staff)
    →

    Project: Dissertation project

  3. Nachhaltige Entwicklung nach der Zeitenwende
    Harald Heinrichs (Project staff)
    →

    Project: Research

  4. Embracing Transformation: Toward a Regenerative Society
    Joern Fischer (Project manager, academic) , Steffen Farny (Co-Projectmanager, academic) , Maria Wolters (Project staff) , Rowan Alden Hull (Coordination) , David Abson (Affiliated Researcher) , Ann-Kathrin Amsel (Affiliated Researcher) , Jelena Bäumler (Affiliated Researcher) , Daniel Fischer (Affiliated Researcher) , Ulf Hahnel (Affiliated Researcher) , Sylvia Haider (Affiliated Researcher) , Harald Heinrichs (Affiliated Researcher) , Jacob Hörisch (Affiliated Researcher) , Astrid Kause (Affiliated Researcher) , Klaus Kümmerer (Affiliated Researcher) , Dirk Lehr (Affiliated Researcher) , Berta Martín-López (Affiliated Researcher) , Jens Newig (Affiliated Researcher) , Oliver Olsson (Affiliated Researcher) , Maria Salisch (Affiliated Researcher) , Stefan Schaltegger (Affiliated Researcher) , Thomas Schomerus (Affiliated Researcher) , A. Timur Sevincer (Affiliated Researcher) , Alexander Stark (Affiliated Researcher) , Vicky Temperton (Affiliated Researcher) , Matthias Wenzel (Affiliated Researcher) , Henrik von Wehrden (Affiliated Researcher) , Vânia G. Zuin (Affiliated Researcher)
    →

    Project: Research

  5. Water reuse for green hydrogen production (WtR4GH2)
    Thomas Adisorn (Project manager, academic) , Harald Heinrichs (Project staff)

    Project: Dissertation project

View all projects

Publications

Books and anthologies

  1. Umwelt- und Nachhaltigkeitspolitik: Eine kompakte Einführung
    Matthias Fischer (Author) , Harald Heinrichs (Author) , 2026 1 ed. Wiesbaden , 53 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Book › Research

  2. Orte zum Wohlfühlen: Ein Reiseführer zur kreativen Gestaltung zukunftsfähiger Städte und Gemeinden
    Harald Heinrichs (Author) , Daniel Hoernemann (Author) , Pia Redenius (Author) , 2024 München , 94 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Book › Research

  3. Sustainable Public Administration, Special Issue in Sustainability
    Harald Heinrichs (Editor) , Norman Laws (Editor) , 2021 Basel

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Special Journal issue › Transfer

  4. Gutes Leben vor Ort
    Harald Heinrichs (Editor) , Ev Kirst (Editor) , Jule Plawitzki (Editor) , 2017 Berlin , 253 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Collected editions and anthologies › Research

  5. Sustainability Science: An Introduction
    Harald Heinrichs (Editor) , Willem Jozef Meine Martens (Editor) , Gerd Michelsen (Editor) , Arnim Wiek (Editor) , 2016 Dordrecht , 367 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Collected editions and anthologies › Education

View all publications

Journal contributions

  1. Promoting neighbourhood sharing: infrastructures of convenience and community
    Andreas Huber (Author) , Harald Heinrichs (Author) , Melanie Jäger-Erben (Author) , 22.08.2024 , in: Buildings and Cities, 5, 1 , p. 349-367 , 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Transfer › peer-review

  2. Sustainable development through aesthetic expertise?: Results and reflection of an experimental case study on arts-science policy intervention.
    Harald Heinrichs (Author) , Daniel Hoernemann (Author) , 06.03.2023 , in: Visions for Sustainability, 19 , p. 125-151 , 27 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Transfer › peer-review

  3. Collaborative governance or state regulation?: Endless efforts but little capacity for sustainability transformation of the German textile sector
    Julia Leventon (Author) , Harald Heinrichs (Author) , Felix Beyers (Author) , 01.02.2023 , in: Environmental Policy and Governance, 33, 1 , p. 56-77 , 22 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

  4. Sustainable Statehood: Reflections on Critical (Pre-)Conditions, Requirements and Design Options
    Harald Heinrichs (Author) , 02.08.2022 , in: Sustainability, 14, 15 , 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Transfer › peer-review

  5. Teaching Sustainable Development in a Sensory and Artful Way — Concepts, Methods, and Examples
    Harald Heinrichs (Author) , 01.12.2021 , in: Sustainability, 13, 24 , 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

View all publications

Contributions to collected editions/anthologies

  1. Nachhaltigkeit in Kommunen – von einer reinen Managementaufgabe zum ganzheitlichen Ansatz
    Harald Heinrichs (Author) , Marc Groß (Author) , Oliver Haubner (Author) , Hendrik Riedel (Author) , Nadia Rinawi-Molnar (Author) , Henrik Scheller (Author) , 29.07.2025 1 ed. Heidelberg , p. 93-132 , 139 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Transfer

  2. Sensorische Umweltsoziologie
    Harald Heinrichs (Author) , 13.01.2024 2 ed. Wiesbaden , p. 687-698 , 12 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Chapter › Research › peer-review

  3. Kommunen als Adressat und Träger der Nachhaltigkeit
    Harald Heinrichs (Author) , Pia Redenius (Author) , 01.01.2024 1 ed. , p. 41-62 , 22 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research › peer-review

  4. Nachhaltige Verwaltung
    Harald Heinrichs (Author) , Ferdinand Schuster (Author) , 11.01.2019 Wiesbaden , p. 1-11 , 11 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research › peer-review

  5. Klimawandel, Nachhaltigkeit und Transformationsgestaltung
    Harald Heinrichs (Author) , 01.01.2018 Berlin, Heidelberg , p. 293-302 , 10 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research

View all publications

Courses

Doctoral Colloquium Sustainability and Politics
Harald Heinrichs
Im Promotionskolloquium präsentieren PromovendInnen der Nachhaltigkeitspolitik den jeweiligen Stand Ihrer Forschung. Inhaltliche und organisatorische Aspekte der Promotionsarbeit werden dann im Rundgespräch diskutiert.
Next appointment:
Thursday, 2027-01-21 at 09:00
Room: C 7.307 Seminarraum
Environment, Sustainaiblity, and Policy: Case Studies
Harald Heinrichs
Kleidung, Künstliche Intelligenz und Soziale Medien, Ernährungsgewohnheiten, Freizeitaktivitäten oder Mobilitätsroutinen – menschliches Handeln wirkt vielfältig auf die natürlichen Lebensgrundlagen ein und führt zur Klimakrise, Artenverlust, Boden-, Luft- und Wasserverschmutzung. Die Regulierung und Gestaltung gesellschaftlicher Umweltverhältnisse mit dem Ziel der Erhaltung oder Wiederherstellung natürlicher Lebensgrundlagen ist Aufgabe der Umweltpolitik. Nachhaltigkeitspolitik geht darüber hinaus: zum einen werden soziale und ökonomische Entwicklungen stärker einbezogen, zum anderen rücken Querschnitts-, Langfrist- und Gerechtigkeitsperspektiven in den Fokus. In der Lehrveranstaltung werden Projekte zu (aktuellen) Themen der Umwelt- und Nachhaltigkeitspolitik aus politikwissenschaftlicher und soziologischer Perspektive und mit unterschiedlichen methodischen Zugängen - quantitativ, qualitativ, kunstbasiert - bearbeitet und mittels interventionistischer Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation aufbereitet.
Next appointment:
Monday, 2026-11-16 at 10:15
Room: C 12.009 Seminarraum
Foundations of Environmental and Sustainability Politics
Harald Heinrichs
Klimakrise, Artenverlust, Meeresverschmutzung, städtische Luftqualität, Energie-, Mobilitäts- und Agrarwende - die Liste an umweltpolitischen Herausforderungen ist lang. Und die Situation wird noch komplizierter, wenn man soziale und ökonomische Entwicklungen, wie beispielsweise soziale Ungleichheit oder ökonomische Globalisierung, die häufig eng mit ökologischen Problemen verknüpft sind, in eine nachhaltigkeitspolitische Perspektive einbezieht. In Anbetracht dieser unübersichtlichen Gemengelage wird der Blick im Seminar gerichtet auf politisch-administrative Institutionen, gesellschaftspolitische Akteure, Instrumente und Handlungsfelder, um Strukturen, Prozesse, Voraussetzungen und Wirkungen der deutschen Umwelt- und Nachhaltigkeitspolitik im europäischen und internationalen Kontext differenziert zu verstehen.

Next appointment:
Monday, 2026-11-16 at 14:15
Room: C 14.201 Seminarraum
Master Forum SGAL
Harald Heinrichs
Within the master forum exposés for the master thesis will be prepared, presented and discussed, and the study of sustainability science regarding (professional) praxis after graduation will be reflected.
Next appointment:
Wednesday, 2026-11-18 at 14:15
Room: C 14.102 a Seminarraum
Sustainable Statehood
Harald Heinrichs
Global sustainability governance takes place in inter-, trans- and national political, socio-cultural and economic contexts and dynamics. In order to better understand opportunities and challenges of sustainable development it is essential to identify and analyze key contextual conditions. In this perspective the seminar aims at developing an embedded understanding of global sustainability governance based on theoretical literature and empirical information in the first part of the semester followed by comparative country studies in order to analyze the sustainability performance of selected states.
Next appointment:
Wednesday, 2026-11-18 at 12:15
Room: C 11.319 Seminarraum