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Research Unit
Sustainable Society
Resource-intensive consumption patterns cannot be sustained within planetary boundaries. But technological innovations alone are not enough to bring about the necessary changes. Social innovations that could reduce resource consumption are not yet being sufficiently utilized since these innovations require far-reaching changes in everyday practices, infrastructures and institutions.
In the Research Unit “Sustainable Society”, we analyze how changes in the areas of housing, transportation, recreation and nutrition are promoted or hindered. We investigate blockages caused by different needs, conflicts of interest and unequal power relations. We develop concepts and experimental spaces to identify unsustainable practices and to test new, sustainable approaches.
Our research focuses on three research strands:
Transformation of settlement areas for improved quality of life, climate adaptation and biodiversity
The challenges of urbanization, societal change, global warming and biodiversity loss are particularly evident in urban areas. In our research we investigate how cities can contribute to biodiversity and an improved quality of life through green infrastructures. We analyze how traffic and settlement areas can be converted into nature spaces and how conflicts of use can be constructively resolved. In addition, we investigate how cities can enable experiences of nature and implement nature-based solutions effectively and in a participatory manner.
Post-fossil mobility cultures
Motorized traffic causes significant environmental damage, global warming and health risks. The necessary “mobility transition” is faltering and leads to conflicts, for example over the use of road space. In our research, we investigate how environmentally friendly and climate-neutral means of transportation can be established to reduce the dependence on private cars and to promote the combination of different mobility options. Our focus here is on a just and participatory development and the broad implementation of such options.
Sufficiency in everyday life and in companies
Sufficiency of action makes it possible to satisfy needs with fewer natural resources being consumed, thus ensuring a good life within planetary boundaries. We develop concepts for resource-efficient living, consumption and nutrition and investigate how everyday practices and value chains can be shaped to be efficient and needs-oriented . In social learning processes, we test how institutional and political frameworks for sufficiency can be created and how the relevant skills can be acquired.
Contact
Team
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Dr. Michael Kreß-Ludwig
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Dr. Michael Kreß-Ludwig
Head of Research Unit Transdisciplinarity
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Dr. Marion Mehring
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Dr. Marion Mehring
Head of the Research Unit Biodiversity and People
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Dr. Immanuel Stieß
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Dr. Immanuel Stieß
Member of the Executive Board, Head of the Practices and Infrastructures Hub
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Projects
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Repack-network: sustainable food packaging ![]()
Chemical RisksRepack-network: sustainable food packaging
Go to ProjectThe project accompanies, supports and evaluates fourteen research projects that deal with measures to reduce plastic in food packaging. Social impact potentials are explored in particular.
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transform-R – Shaping the energy and mobility transition as a socio-ecological transformation in the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region ![]()
Sufficiency Mobility Transformationtransform-R – Shaping the energy and mobility transition as a socio-ecological transformation in the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region
Go to ProjectThe mobility transition requires cooperation between political, civil society and economic players. Innovative measures and social innovations are being tested in real-world laboratories.
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Train station of the future – sustainable mobility hub and a place with quality of stay ![]()
MobilityTrain station of the future – sustainable mobility hub and a place with quality of stay
Go to ProjectISOE is researching how train stations can become attractive, sustainable mobility hubs and lively places to spend time. It is developing a modular catalog of measures for their design.
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KomKlAn – Status and Progress of Municipal Climate Adaptation in Germany ![]()
Climate AdaptationKomKlAn – Status and Progress of Municipal Climate Adaptation in Germany
Go to ProjectKomKlAn creates an improved knowledge base for municipal climate adaptation and aims to strengthen the municipalities' adaptation activities.
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SuPraStadt II – Quality of life, participation and resource conservation through social diffusion of sufficiency practices in urban neighbourhoods ![]()
Sufficiency TransformationSuPraStadt II – Quality of life, participation and resource conservation through social diffusion of sufficiency practices in urban neighbourhoods
Go to ProjectIn three real-world laboratories, SuPraStadt II is investigating how the needs of residents in the fields of housing, open space and mobility can be reconciled with the ecological requirements of sustainability.
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Social aspects of environmental policy ![]()
TransformationSocial aspects of environmental policy
Go to ProjectThe project analyzes conflicting goals and synergies of socially just environmental policy and develops recommendations for sustainable and accepted measures.
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CommuterLab – paths towards sustainable urban-suburban mobility based on the Frankfurt Rhein-Main region ![]()
MobilityCommuterLab – paths towards sustainable urban-suburban mobility based on the Frankfurt Rhein-Main region
Go to ProjectThe PendelLabor research project is investigating how commuting between the city and the region can be made more sustainable.
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PlaNE – Planetary Health and Sustainable Nutrition ![]()
TransformationPlaNE – Planetary Health and Sustainable Nutrition
Go to ProjectThe PlaNE project is developing practical approaches for municipalities such as Frankfurt and Marburg to sustainably transform food systems according to planetary health criteria.
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Everyday life in the neighborhood 4.0 ![]()
TransformationEveryday life in the neighborhood 4.0
Go to ProjectThe project develops points of reference for those involved in neighbourhood development in order to better consider the opportunities and risks of the increasing digitalization of everyday life in planning processes.
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ENGAGE – Commitment to sustainable public welfare ![]()
TransformationENGAGE – Commitment to sustainable public welfare
Go to ProjectThe ENGAGE project investigates the conditions under which the participation and commitment of citizens to sustainability can lead to “sustainable public welfare”.
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NaKoDi – Sustainable consumption and social participation TransformationNaKoDi – Sustainable consumption and social participation
Go to ProjectThe project empirically investigates how the social participation of different population groups can be improved through sustainable consumption.
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Kommunikationskampagnen für nachhaltigen Konsum und gesellschaftliche Teilhabe Transformation SufficiencyKommunikationskampagnen für nachhaltigen Konsum und gesellschaftliche Teilhabe
Go to ProjectIn collaboration with students and lecturers from the Master's degree course in Communication Design at Mainz University of Applied Sciences, six communication campaigns were created to appeal to young people for sustainable consumption.
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The Blue Angel – Environmental Communication for Children and Young People TransformationThe Blue Angel – Environmental Communication for Children and Young People
Go to ProjectThe research project aims to position the “Blue Angel” ecolabel among children and young people as a trustworthy source for sustainable consumption.
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“LebensWert” – Development Management for Maintaining the Quality of Life in small towns Facing Demographic Change Transformation“LebensWert” – Development Management for Maintaining the Quality of Life in small towns Facing Demographic Change
Go to ProjectThe LebensWert project is developing a management concept that helps small towns to secure their quality of life through improved infrastructure and quality of living.
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Mobile Living – Innovative Housing and Mobility Services Transformation MobilityMobile Living – Innovative Housing and Mobility Services
Go to ProjectWohnMobil develops models for the planning and implementation of communal mobility and housing services as well as land use.
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Ecodesign – ecological design as purchase criterion TransformationEcodesign – ecological design as purchase criterion
Go to ProjectThe project investigates how consumers perceive sustainable product characteristics and how companies can better design and communicate products.
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Modernization of “Blue Angel” TransformationModernization of “Blue Angel”
On behalf of the UBA (Umweltbundesamt) the ISOE is developing a strategy to update the label with the aim to make the eco-label more modern and increase its attractiveness. The focus is on the renewal of the logo.Go to Project -
KlimaAlltag – low carbon lifestyles in the zero emissions city SufficiencyKlimaAlltag – low carbon lifestyles in the zero emissions city
The 'KlimaAlltag' project is investigating low carbon lifestyles in different social strata. The focus is on mobility, nutrition, home living and household energy consumption.Go to Project -
Perception and Acceptance of the Ecolabel “Blue Angel” SufficiencyPerception and Acceptance of the Ecolabel “Blue Angel”
ISOE has been commissioned by the Federal Environmental Agency (UBA) to examine perception and acceptance of the 'Blue Angel' eco-label.Go to Project -
NaHa – Sustainable Practices in the Workplace and in Everyday Life SufficiencyNaHa – Sustainable Practices in the Workplace and in Everyday Life
The team of NaHa ("Nachhaltig Handeln" - Sustainable Practices) looked at how experiences and routines in working life can help promote sustainable behaviour in the private sphere.Go to Project -
EUPOPP - Political Strategies and Tools to Promote Sustainable Consumption TransformationEUPOPP - Political Strategies and Tools to Promote Sustainable Consumption
In the EU project EUPOPP, seven research institutions are examining and evaluating political strategies and tools for sustainable consumption.Go to Project -
Hertie-Studie FrankfurtRheinMain MobilityHertie-Studie FrankfurtRheinMain
The Hertie Study for FrankfurtRheinMain explored attitudes towards life in the region.Go to Project -
Demand-driven Life Cycle Management MobilityDemand-driven Life Cycle Management
The demand-driven scheme for life-cycle management was developed and tested for municipalities on the basis of a target group model and other analysis tools.Go to Project -
Motives of Residential Mobility in Braunschweig MobilityMotives of Residential Mobility in Braunschweig
In collaboration with ISOE, the city of Braunschweig asked inhabitants about their motives for relocating.Go to Project -
EcoTopTen - Ecological Product Innovation and Sustainable Consumption EcoTopTen - Ecological Product Innovation and Sustainable Consumption
With EcoTopTen, the project partners have developed an information platform that helps consumers to make sustainable purchase decisions.Go to Project -
Gender Mainstreaming in the National Park Eifel Gender Mainstreaming in the National Park Eifel
The team provided scientific support and advice to the forestry commission in the Eifel National Park with introducing gender mainstreaming into its work.Go to Project -
Food Change Food Change
In this project, ISOE developed a typology of nutritional habits. From this it was possible to ascertain the need for action with regard to a "Food Change".Go to Project -
Bio+pro – Target Groups in the Market of Organic Foods Bio+pro – Target Groups in the Market of Organic Foods
Within the scope of this project, scientists developed a target group model for the organic foods market.Go to Project -
Knowledge Transfer for Ecological Innovations Knowledge Transfer for Ecological Innovations
During the two years of research, a consumption-related "innovation probe" was developed, with which to utilise consumers' demands for ecologically innovative products and services. The "knowledge transfer" between consumer and manufacturer so far has to pass between the bottleneck of market research. A broader approach is called for if ecological aspects of relevance to everyday life are to be identified alongside purchase behaviour and market preferences.Go to Project -
Consumption Styles - Sustainable Consumer Behaviour Consumption Styles - Sustainable Consumer Behaviour
In this project the team developed a typology of relevant consumer styles in Germany.Go to Project
