Profile Topic Sustainability

Research at Leuphana‘s School of Sustainability is dedicated to conducting rigorous analyses and developing innovative solutions to address complex environmental, social and economic problems challenges. Sustainability science research is about shaping our future based on understanding how the world is and how the world ought to be. Our aim is to make significant contributions to sustainable development by creating cutting-edge knowledge. Achieving sustainable development requires fundamental transformations at individual, organizational and societal levels. Sustainability transformations are essential for humanity to operate within planetary boundaries and thrive within intact, biodiverse ecosystems and societies.

Key Topics

The research focuses of the Faculty of Sustainability can be divided into two natural science and two social science areas:

Living and inanimate nature: Humanity's ecological limits

What are the scientific limits of humanity and how can they be respected? From a scientific point of view, achieving sustainable development depends on remaining within planetary boundaries. This requires a sustainable (re)design of resource use, materials and their flows as well as the regeneration of ecosystems and biodiversity.

Sustainability transformations at the individual, organizational and societal level

How can sustainability transformations be achieved at an individual, organizational, country and societal level? From a social science perspective, sustainability transformations are essential both at the macro level of state and society and at the micro level of the behavior of organizations and individuals in order to achieve sustainable development.

Inter- and transdisciplinary approach to developing effective solutions

Through collaboration between the natural and social sciences, our research promotes problem- and solution-oriented analysis. Our inter- and transdisciplinary approach builds on disciplinary foundations and enables us to analyze the complex causes, dynamics and impacts of key sustainability issues.

We are engaged in the development of cross-spatial and cross-societal analyses and solutions that support sustainability transformations both at the macro level of governments and regions and at the micro level of organizations and individuals. Our goal is to contribute to the creation of a society and economy that operates within planetary boundaries and ensures the well-being and protection of living and inanimate nature.

Overview of the work areas

RationaleResearch fieldsDisciplines
Safe operating space 1: Living nature Ecosystems, biodiversity, society-ecosystem Interaction, ecological properties

Biology, Ecology

Safe operating space 2: Inanimate nature Resources, material substances and flows, physical and chemical propertiesChemistry, Physics 
Sustainability transformation 1: Micro/Meso level (individual/organizational)Sustainability management, sustainable entrepreneurship, sustainability agency & leadershipPsychology, Business Administration
Sustainability transformation 2: Meso/Macro level (institutional, system)Sustainability governance, sustainability law, sustainability economicsPolitical Science, Sociology, Law, Economics

 

Professorships

School of Sustainability

Contact

Dean

  • Prof. Dr. Jens Newig

Dean of Research

  • Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Stefan Schaltegger