Open for the Climate

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.

Learn about remanufacturing in this short introduction course. After you have completed this course you will be able to define what remanufacturing is and explain its drivers and challenges. The course also brings up industrial remanufacturing examples from all around the world.About the courseThis course describe what remanufacturing is by defining it and showing existing industrial remanufacturing examples. It also brings up drivers and challenges to remanufacturing and what the economic and environmental aspects that are connected to remanufacturing. Topic covered by the courseWhen you have passed this MOOC you will be able to: - define remanufacturing- give industrial examples of remanufacturing- explain drivers and challenges to remanufacturing- connect economic and environmental aspects to remanufacturingWho can take the course?The course is open to everyone and free. There are no requirements for prior knowledge or special qualifications to participate in the course. Course structureThe course is an online course where teaching is completely by remote methods, using a web-based platform. It consists of several pre-recorded lectures, readings and exercises.

This is a course for professionals and PhD students seeking a wider understanding of our current global predicaments, how to make sense of them, and how to respond. The first module introduces the Anthropocene, The Great Acceleration, Planetary Boundaries along with causal relationships between energy, technology, economy, values and the human and more-than-human experience. The second module explores how our own cognition, values, norms and emotions guide our responses to the crises of our time, and how we can formulate coherent responses based on our experiences. The third introduces a way of reasoning about the world in terms of interconnected systems instead of independent problems, and explores what such a view means for us. The course is run online with 2h highly interactive seminars connected to each module along with recorded material, readings and exercises.

Cities around the world are facing the challenge of dealing with stormwater to protect against flooding caused by heavy rainfall. Future climate change will make this even more difficult. This course gives an introduction to how can we manage stormwater in a sustainable way in the coming decades.The course containsThe course covers the hydrological cycle and how this is affected by urbanization, as well as rainfall and how this is affected by climate change. The problems with traditional pipe-based drainage systems are discussed before looking at green stormwater infrastructure as a sustainable alternative. Finally, the course looks at how stormwater can be integrated into urban planning. What are you learning?How urbanization affects the water cycle.How rainfall is affected by future climate change.What facilities can be used to manage stormwater in a sustainable way.The role that stormwater plays in urban planning. Who is the course for?This course is designed for anyone who may encounter stormwater in their work, as well as anyone who wants to know more about how we can build a society that is prepared for the effects of future climate change. The course will be given in English.

An introduction to the challenges that both public leadership and governance face in an increasingly digital and globalized world. The content is based on theories and models with global applicability, and uses examples on how Swedish public leadership and governance have met real crises. About the course This course is an accessible introduction to the challenges that both public leadership and governance face in an increasingly digital and globalized world. The content is based on theories and models with global applicability, and uses examples on how Swedish public leadership and governance have met real crises such as climate change, COVID-19, migration crisis, ageing population. The course provides an understanding of how public leadership and governance can address digitalization in sustainable ways building on Swedish illustrations. Topic covered by the course You will get an comprehensive introduction to the challenges that public leadership and governance structure will face through digitalization process.Engage with the topic through your own work and reflection and practice on peer-review on a particular topic.Engage with a selection of relevant and up-to date literature that will be accessible through the course.Who can take the course?The course is open to everyone and free. There are no requirements for prior knowledge or special qualifications to participate in the course. Course structure The course is web-based and is conducted entirely remotely via a web-based course platform. It is divided into four modules: First module will give an overarching introduction to the overall concepts of sustainability, digitalization and democracy. We will be staying mostly conceptual and theoretical in the first week. At the end of the week there will be a digital quiz and an scrapbook assignment. Second module there will be a discussion around institutions and what digitalization has meant looking at practical examples such as Transportation agency and the Linköping Municipality. At the end of the week there will be a digital quiz and an scrapbook assignment. Third week will delve more into the practical implications of diglitalisation for areas such as E-government, social services and health care. At the end of the week there will be a digital quiz and an scrapbook assignment. The last module will be based around self-study and the compilation of a scrapbook that will be uploaded to Lisam and then discussed and reviewed in an online forum setting. Each participant will produce one scrapbook and review three different scrapbooks during the last module.

WHat you will learn Increased knowledge on sustainable cities and communities. Deeper understanding of the relationship between urbanization, decarbonisation and sustainability. Improved critical thinking on the opportunities and challenges for sustainable cities and communities as engines for greening the economy. Expanded ability to use systems thinking to assess sustainable cities and communities.   About this SpecializationIn this specialization you will learn how to drive change in cities and communities towards sustainable, climate friendly, just, healthy and prosperous futures, and you will boost your career with new knowledge, understanding and skills for navigating urban transformations. This specialisation brings together a series of cutting-edge courses with world-leading teachers on cities, communities, sustainability, governance and innovation. This specialization is offered by the IIIEE at Lund University and the City Futures Academy – an online learning community on urban transformations. Our flagship course, Greening the Economy: Sustainable Cities, is ranked in the Best Online Courses of All Time by Class Central. The ranking by Class Central contains 250 courses from 100 universities based on 170,000 reviews. Our specialisation builds on the success of the Greening the Economy: Sustainable Cities course.  A key approach embedded in the courses in this specialisation is the role of experimentation in urban transformations. In particular, urban living labs are highlighted as a means for catalysing change in cities and communities towards sustainable, climate friendly, just, healthy and prosperous futures. The experimentation within urban living labs offers the potential for accelerating transformations and systematic learning across urban and national contexts. Applied Learning Project Learners are introduced to key facts and insights about sustainable cities and communities as engines for greening the economy, then tasked with developing this understanding through readings and practice exercises that highlight the role of urban living labs in creating sustainable cities and communities. Specifically, you will learn: how to work with greening the economy through cities and communities; how to design and implement urban living labs for accelerating change in cities and communities; how to build resilience and create a host of benefits from nature-based solutions in cities and communities; and how to influence consumption patterns in cities and communities through sharing practices . Further documentaries and quizzes will provide you with critical thinking and a broader and deeper perspective that are essential to understanding and creating sustainable cities and communities. 

This is an introductory course on the history, social, economic, and ecological aspects of food production in the Baltic Sea Region. The course  also focuses on future challenges, such as food security and climate change. The course consists of four parts. -The history of agriculture in the Baltic Sea Region -Ecological, economic and social aspects of food systems -The challenges of sustainable food systems - now and tomorrow -Examples from the region Upon completion of the course, students can request a digital certificate by contacting pontus.ambros@balticuniv.uu.se

The Course Sustainable Tourism in the Baltic Sea Region aims to provide a basic but comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the origins, applications, analyses and examples of Sustainable Tourism with a specific regional focus on the Baltic Sea. The course has both an interdisciplinary and interregional focus and is designed to give the learner a broad but still focused introduction to the topic with socio-political, economic and environmental viewpoints. The topics that will be covered in this course include the introduction of sustainable tourism, its stakeholders, challenges and theories. Numerous examples will be given, including cases and specific aspects of the topic. The course is a regional cooperation between many researchers across the Baltic Sea Region, including those from Sweden, Finland, Ukraine and Poland.  The course consists of four modules: -An introduction to Sustainable Tourism -Aspects of sustainable tourism -Sustainable spatial planning of tourism destinations -Examples from the field Upon completion of the course, students can request a digital certificate by contacting pontus.ambros@balticuniv.uu.se