Open for the Climate

Nuclear power technology has been a major asset since the mid-70s for decarbonizing electricity generation and for decreasing our reliance on fossil fuel. With more than 400 nuclear reactors currently in operation worldwide (more than 90 being in Western Europe) and more than 50 under construction, nuclear reactors will play a significant role for many years to come. By following this course, you will be able to understand the development of this technology from its early days, how it works, its advantages, disadvantages, limitations, and how it may contribute to climate-change mitigation. This course provides a holistic perspective and increased knowledge in nuclear reactor technology.   Topics Part 1: Nuclear power: an old story...: 3 chapters detailing the underlying principles of nuclear reactors for the purpose of understanding the history of the development of nuclear power: Elementary concepts in nuclear physics. Working principles of nuclear reactors. History of world nuclear power development. Part 2: Nuclear reactor technology: 11 chapters focusing on how a nuclear reactor works, with emphasis on Light Water Reactor (LWR) technology. Both the phenomenological and engineering aspects of nuclear reactors are covered. Electricity production. Reactor generations. Light Water Reactor (LWR) technology. Thermodynamic analysis of LWRs. Neutron cycle. Fuel depletion. Reactor control. Reactor dynamics. Reactor operation. Fundamental principles of reactor safety. Nuclear fuel. Part 3: Nuclear power, saving the world? 5 chapters explaining the aspects of nuclear power to be considered in a climate mitigation perspective, and the advantages/disadvantages/limitations of this technology. Nuclear fuel, waste and resources. Proliferation risks. Risks. Cost of electricity. Conclusions.   Course structure and set-up This is a self-paced course made of video lectures and interactive quizzes, which means that you can start and finish the course whenever you want. The course is free of charge and is given in English. The resources need to be studied sequentially. You cannot bypass given resources unless all previous learning activities were taken: For the video lectures, this means watching the video recording. For the quizzes, this means correctly answering the quiz questions, for which an unlimited number of attempts is allowed. For a few quizzes slightly more involved, you will be able to access the following resources even if you fail to find the correct answer. After completing the course, you will be issued a course certificate. Completing the course means reaching the end of the course, for which you need to have watched all video lectures and attempted all quizzes (the vast majority of the quizzes also require to have found the correct answer to the quiz questions).   Expected amount of work Completing the entire course takes about 40 hours of work. Level of the course Basic. A BSc in Engineering or similar knowledge is required. As all principles presented in the course are derived from scratch, any participant with an engineering background will be able to comprehend the course.

In this course package you will get a basic introduction to the concept of sustainable development. Among other things, we will discuss: The three pillars of sustainability (economic, social and ecological sustainability) Planetary boundaries Resource management  You will also learn about key competences for sustainability such as systems thinking and values thinking, and get an overview of the basic mechanisms of Earth’s climate and climate change. See all free online courses that KTH offers

This course is taught in Swedish. This course is an extension to the course Introduction to materials in a circular society. The course gives you basic insights into the circular economy and the recycling of metals. You will also gain an understanding of the recycling of the most common metals and their role in a sustainable society in a circular economy. During the course we will review: The basics of the properties of the most common metals and their different uses The basics of the production of the most common metallic materials Recycling of metals and their environmental footprint The basics of the circular economy The course is completely free of charge, taught online with no scheduled sessions, and can be followed at your own pace. You can take the course without subject-specific prior knowledge. The course consists of five parts: Introduction to metals Properties of metals Classification of major metals Preparation of the most common metals Recycling and environmental perspectives  You will be examined continuously by answering questions related to each part. The examination is based on questions that are automatically corrected. To pass, you must answer all questions correctly. There is no limit to the number of times you can answer the questions. After passing the course you will have learned to: Explain the characteristics of metallic materials and describe the properties, uses and production processes of the most common metallic materials. Reason insightfully about the strengths and weaknesses of different metallic materials from both a user and sustainability perspective. Explain the process for recycling different metals in a circular economy with low environmental impact. Explain what a circular economy is and explain key circular economy concepts. Other courses about the circular economy: Introduction to materials in a circular society Materials in a circular society - Recycling See all free online courses that KTH offers

This course is taught in Swedish. This course is an extension to the course Introduction to materials in a circular society. The course summarises the state of the art in circular economy and recycling of materials. The course includes the following elements: What is recycling? Different materials and processes for recycling Open and closed systems for recycling Standards and recycling in a circular society The course is completely free of charge, taught online with no scheduled meetings, and can be followed at your own pace. You can take the course without subject-specific prior knowledge. You will be continuously examined by answering questions related to each part. Examination is by automatically corrected questions and reflection tasks. To pass, you must answer all questions correctly. There is no limit to the number of times you can answer the questions. The reflection questions allow you to stop and give answers from your own perspective. These are not graded.  Other courses about the circular economy: Introduction to materials in a circular society Materials in a circular society - Metals See all free online courses that KTH offers

Miljö, klimat och hälsa Kursen ger en fördjupad förståelse för hur hälsa samspelar med globalisering och miljö- och klimatförändringar, och hur hållbara lösningar kan utvecklas på lokal och global nivå för att möta framtidens utmaningar.   Kursens innehåll Globala processer såsom miljö- och klimatförändringarDe globala hållbarhetsmålen / Agenda 2030HälsokonsekvensanalysKlimatanpassningRamverk inom miljö- och klimatpolitik.  Vidare behandlar kursen specifikt klimatförändringar och deras effekter på hälsa i vårt nordeuropeiska klimatområde. I det sammanhanget behandlas också särskilt utsatta miljöer respektive känsliga patientgrupper och individer. Även värmens effekter vid arbete samt klimatanpassning och förebyggande av väderrelaterade risker för boende och inom hälso- och sjukvård ingår. Larmkedjor, handlingsplaner och beredskapsfrågor inom vård- och omsorg tas upp, och effektiviteten av förebyggande åtgärder inom vård- och omsorg.   Omfattning Kursen är uppdelad i tre delar, med totalt 15 filmade föreläsningar.   Medverkande Christofer Åström (Medicine doktor, Folkhälsa och klinisk medicin, Umeå universitet) Maria Nilsson (Professor, Epidemiologi och global hälsa, Umeå universitet) Chris Ebi (Professor, Center for Health and the Global Environment, University of Washington) Eva-Lotta Glader (Docent, överläkare, Folkhälsa och klinisk medicin, Umeå universitet) Gustav Strandberg (Filosofie doktor, SMHI)

Arbetar du med offentliga upphandlingar? Du kan spela en viktig roll i Sveriges strävan mot att bli mer hållbart och cirkulärt. I den här kursen får du lära dig mer om hur du genom upphandling kan bidra till att driva fram mer innovativa och hållbara lösningar.  Om den här kursen Offentlig upphandling kan spela en viktig roll för att nå ett mer hållbart och cirkulärt samhälle. I Sverige motsvarar den idag snart 1 000 miljarder kr per år och rätt använd kan den, genom sin enorma omfattning, driva fram nydanande mer hållbara lösningar. Lösningar som har potential att skapa mer värde och minskade kostnader för offentligheten. För att lyckas krävs dock ny kunskap, t ex kopplat till teknik, ekonomi och juridik, om hur man på bästa sätt upphandlar dessa mer cirkulära och hållbara lösningar.  Det här får du lära dig När du har gått kursen kommer du att ha lärt dig: olika koncept och strategier kopplat till cirkulär ekonomi vilka hinder och drivkrafter som finns för implementering av cirkulära strategier vid offentlig upphandling vilka rättsliga normer som möjliggör, begränsar eller förhindrar upphandling av cirkulära lösningar grundläggande principer för kravhantering och uppföljning Vem kan gå kursen? Alla som har ett intresse för upphandling av cirkulära lösningar. Kursen riktar sig främst till yrkesverksamma personer inom näringsliv och organisationer som arbetar med offentlig upphandling, eller personer som studerar upphandling. Kursen är öppen för alla och gratis. Det finns inga krav på förkunskaper eller särskild behörighet för att delta i kursen. Upplägg Kursen ges online och på distans, och du kan följa kursen i din egen takt. Kursmaterialet bygger på inspelade föreläsningar och läsanvisningar.

Society is transitioning from oil dependency to metal dependency as we are turning to fossil-free alternatives in the energy and transport sectors. Today, many more metals in the periodic table are used in our daily lives compared to only a few decades ago and many metals that previously had marginal applications are today central to achieving the climate goals. But where do these metals come from and how are they linked to geology?In this course, you will explore the basics of geology and understand how geology controls where critical metals are in the earth’s crust. You will gain insight into what it takes to mine an ore body and broaden your perspective on what risks and challenges we are facing when it comes to the raw material supply that drives the fossil-free energy transition. This course covers the role of ore geology in the transition to fossil-free energy and transport systems, which means that we are moving from oil dependency to metal dependency. Geological processes throughout the earth’s history are responsible for the current distribution of ore deposits. By understanding how these ore forming processes work, we can better explain why certain metals occur in extractable amounts in one place while being almost absent in another. To meet the global demand of metals needed in, for example, solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries, a thorough understanding of how geological processes work is fundamental. In this course, you will be introduced to the fantastic world of the subsurface that made all the technology you take for granted possible.    You will explore: What critical metals are, where they are produced today, and what risks and challenges are involved in the supply of raw materials that drives the fossil-free energy transition. Basic geology – minerals, rock types, geological structures and why they matter. What an ore is and the natural processes that accumulate metals in the earth’s crust.  This course is designed for people that would like to gain knowledge about the role of geology in the transition to fossil-free energy systems. The course is for those who want to know more about what critical metals are, how an ore is formed, and about risks and challenges coupled to the supply of raw materials that drive the energy transition. This may include politicians and other authorities, teachers and students in elementary and high school that want to know more about subjects critical to the energy transition. It may also include university students within the social sciences, and many more. The course will also be useful for anyone who is employed and wishes to upskill within the area of societal challenges coupled to the supply of raw materials and the need for metals in modern society. The course will be given in english.

A thriving global society relies on the stability of the Earth and its resilience across oceans, forests, waterways, biodiversity, the atmosphere and more. So how do we shape sustainability at a global scale? The boundaries set by the planet’s natural resources, the resilience of those resources, and the human activities that impact sustainability all come into play. In this massive open online course, see the rapidly evolving trends in global environmental change and the responses aimed at slowing or eliminating these changes. Get an overview of what is seen by some scientists as our current geological epoch – the Anthropocene, or an age of global change driven most significantly by humans. Learn how unsustainable patterns of production, consumption and population growth have challenge planetary resilience, all in support of human activity – and how our societies can develop in a just and safe way within the planet’s boundaries. This course is for: * Anyone new to the concept of sustainable development who wants to understand the interplay between human actions and what the planet can support.* Graduate students and advanced undergraduate students interested in the key concepts and practices of sustainability, environmental science, responsible consumption and related topics* Sustainable development practitioners – as well as private-sector actors, such as those who work in corporate sustainability and responsibility – who want a concise overview of the latest developments in the field

The course is given by Chalmers University of Technology. VIDEOCLIP - TEASER: Take two min to get a sense of the course and hear why you should take it: https://play.chalmers.se/embed/secure/iframe/entryId/0_wvsk9cji/uiConfId/23450493/st/0 FOR WHO: The course aims at professionals working with or affected by ongoing sustainability transitions. For example, the course targets professionals such as: Those who work with environmental policy related business development and sustainability practice in larger corporations. Examples of typical sectors include transport, energy, food and manufacturing. Civil servants within authorities or municipal operations who are responsible for issues with climate relevance or circular economy. Professionals working with development cooperations, or in intergovernmental organizations with related issues. Applied researchers who want to get an introduction to the subjects. WHAT AND WHY: In this course your invited to learn from the experience and knowledge of a world-leading expert in environmental policy instruments (Thomas Sterner) who, with the help of pedagogical experts, has cherry-picked content from a master's course at Chalmers and tailored the course structure for you as a professional. In the wake of the increased pace of ongoing sustainability transitions, environmental policies are becoming more comprehensive, complex and stringent. The purpose of this course is to give professionals an introduction to the portfolio of environmental policy instruments and equip them with tools to understand the mechanisms of the respective instruments and learn to work strategically with them in their own practice. The course will focus on topics such as climate change, the circular economy, and the energy crisis. To learn from the experience of thought leaders from several major industries, you will be able to view interviews with experts who talk about the role and implications of policies to their work and the sustainability transitions of their industry. WHEN AND HOW: All parts of the course are free of charge, and you choose when and at what pace you want to complete the course elements. The course will be given in English, and the estimated time spent is 35-50 hours, depending on how much of the optional material you chose to study. The course offers you the possibility to tailor the learning experience as it fits best with your professional development. Therefore, it is recommended to read the course together with colleagues, to share joint learning and anchor it in your daily work. However, this is not a requirement. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: The course gives a broad overview of the economic concepts underlying environmental policymaking. You will get insights into the practicalities of environmental and climate policies, both from the perspectives of those implementing the policy and of those facing new regulations. On completion of the course, you will for example be able to: describe and recognize how environmental policy instruments work. identify and relate to which environmental policy instruments are key to climate action and circular economy efforts in one's own sector and organization. The course offers a dynamic learning environment with short videos, quizzes, exercises, and resources.