International security in the 21st century is not feasible in only military and state-centric terms. While the risk of conventional large-scale wars has declined substantially, new threats from ecological disasters to state fragility have risen on the horizon. Combined with an enlarged group of actors besides nation states, a comprehensive approach of security should be used as a theoretical basis for academic security studies for better understanding regional security complexes and related phenomena, but also as a contemporary strategic concept connecting multinational and multilateral cooperation in domestic and external security.

In an interdependent and globalized world, one cannot discharge the weight of global threats like climate change or pandemics for German, European or Transatlantic security. This interdisciplinary research project analyzes the role of global sustainability for not only military, but social, economic, ecological and cultural aspects of comprehensive security. Multi-method research shall help to develop valid strategic scenarios and options to promote effective and sustainable cooperation of most if not all relevant actors.