Environment and Sustainable Development

Gaining an in-depth understanding of the Earth system requires integrated obser­vation of its subsystems. This is why the section also studies the interactions between the hydrosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere.

The key areas of research are:

• In the hydrosphere: Coastal waters and shelf seas, inland waters and groundwater
• In the atmosphere (particularly troposphere)
• In the lithosphere: Agricultural systems and geotechnically exploitable subsurface
• As a cross-sectional task: Research on climate change and climate impacts

The institutes conduct research on the basis of laboratory and field experiments, some of them on large scales. Long-term observations of living and inanimate matter along all spatio-temporal scales identify fundamental patterns and record global change. A multidisciplinary approach is taken that also draws on expertise in the social sciences and economics. In doing so, solutions are sought to ensure a sustainable use of the natural resources and manage competing uses. Models and scenarios developed by the section serve as a basis to recommend actions and innovative solution strategies to policy makers and society.