The IOER is a non-university research centre and a member of the Leibniz Association. It investigates the sustainable development and transformation of cities and regions in the context of the global human-ecological crisis, focusing on the dynamic interactions between ecosystems and society at and across multiple spatial scales, as well as options for responsible stewardship.
Research at the IOER is both disciplinary and interdisciplinary, working across the environmental, social, and engineering sciences. It is also transdisciplinary, collaborating closely with stakeholders in the public, private and civil society sectors. The IOER aims to foster environmentally just urban and regional transformations that enable humanity to thrive within a safe ecological operating space.