Sustainability research

Laos: researchers gather data on land, labour, incomes, and quality of life
Laos: researchers gather data on land, labour, incomes, and quality of life. Their aim is to assess how commercial coffee cultivation impacts people’s prospects for the future. Photo: Sabin Bieri

Our topics

What we want to achieve

“The future is now”: reflecting the motto of the 2030 Agenda, our research shows how interactions between people and the environment can be shaped sustainably. We look for solutions that are socially just and economically viable without exceeding planetary boundaries.

How we get involved

We research, teach, and provide services in the spirit of engaged and transformative science. In so doing, we deliberately work at the nexus of science and policymaking. By combining traditional scientific tools with practical implementation, we contribute to sound solutions that are innovative, concrete, anchored in specific contexts, and supported by local actors.

What we research

Our research centres on the complex structure of global change processes and their consequences. We focus on the interplay of natural resources, land use systems, and ecosystems, their political regulation, and the living conditions and lifestyles of diverse population groups.

How we work

Our approach is interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary. We work together in dialogue with representatives from politics, civil society, and the private sector, jointly defining our research agenda with our partners in focus regions located in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Switzerland, and Europe.