POLICIES FOR CLIMATE ACTION AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY

This course looks at where important materials in products we use every day come from and how these materials can be used more efficiently, longer, and in closed loops. This is the aim of the Circular Economy, but it doesn’t happen on its own. It is the result of choices and strategies by suppliers, designers, businesses, policymakers and all of us as consumers. In addition to providing many cases of managing materials for sustainability, the course also teaches skills and tools for analyzing circular business models and promotes development of your own ideas to become more involved in the transition to a Circular Economy. You will learn from expert researchers and practitioners from around Europe as they explain core elements and challenges in the transition to a circular economy over the course of 5 modules: Module 1: Materials. This module explores where materials come from, and builds a rationale for why society needs more circularity. Module 2: Circular Business Models. In this module circular business models are explored in-depth and a range of ways for business to create economic and social value are discussed. Module 3: Circular Design, Innovation and Assessment. This module presents topics like functional materials and eco-design as well as methods to assess environmental impacts. Module 4: Policies and Networks. This module explores the role of governments and networks and how policies and sharing best practices can enable the circular economy. Module 5: Circular Societies. This module examines new norms, forms of engagement, social systems, and institutions, needed by the circular economy and how we, as individuals, can help society become more circular.

Materials are all around us, in your house, in your phone and in the air you breathe. But what is material and why is it so important? Right now, the green transition is underway, but how do we create a more sustainable world - from raw material to product? It's all about materials. How does material feel? How are materials chosen? What are the materials of the future? Join us and discover our world of materials! The course containsIn this course we go through the basics of what materials are and why they are so important. You get to discover materials, get to know materials and be inspired by the materials of the future. The following areas are included in the course: What is material? How does material feel? How are materials chosen? How are materials recycled? What are the materials of the future? You will learnAt the end of the course you should be able to: Discover and reflect on the world and meaning of materials Get a feel for different materials Discover and analyze materials in your vicinity Understand that different materials are chosen based on the area of use Understand and reflect on the possibilities of materials and their role in the green transition Who is the course for?This is a course suitable for EVERYONE who is curious about the materials in their surroundings, regardless of background and age. The course requires no prior knowledge. It is for those of you who have an interest in a sustainable future and who wonder what role materials have in the green transition. The course is given in Swedish.

Funderar du över vad en cirkulär ekonomi innebär och hur den påverkar dig som privatperson och i ditt yrkesliv? Då ska du ta del den här korta grundkursen, som bygger på kunskaper och erfarenheter från de främsta forskarna och pionjärerna inom akademin och näringslivet. Utbildningen lyfter fram några grundläggande koncept och strategier som du kan dra praktisk nytta av såväl i ditt yrkesliv som privatliv.Om den här kursenHållbarhet är högaktuellt, för individer, företag och samhället i stort. Det är inte längre en fråga om vi har miljöproblem eller inte. Cirkulär ekonomi har lyfts fram som en ekonomisk modell och policylösning på miljöfrågor, en lösning som också hanterar sociala och ekonomiska utmaningar. Det är en ekonomi som grundas på cirkulära resurskretslopp istället för de linjära processer som hittills är dominerande. En nyckel till en mer cirkulär ekonomi är att vända resursutmaningar till möjligheter till förändring och innovation. Ökad cirkulär och effektiv resursanvändning gynnar företagens konkurrenskraft och gör samhället mer hållbart genom t ex minskad resursanvändning, minskad miljöpåverkan och ökad social rättvisa. Gör dig redo för en cirkulär och hållbar framtid! Kursen är en kort snabbkurs i cirkulär ekonomi. Du lär dig om grundläggande koncept och strategier för utvecklingen av en cirkulär och hållbar ekonomi byggd på cirkulära flöden av resurser. Kursen bygger på kunskaper och erfarenheter från de främsta forskarna och pionjärerna inom akademin och näringslivet. Kunskaper du kommer att ha praktisk nytta av i ditt fortsatta yrkesliv och privat. Det här får du lära digNär du har gått kursen kommer du att:- kunna övergripande redogöra för vad cirkulär ekonomi är- ha förståelse för grundläggande koncept kopplat till cirkulär ekonomi Vem riktar sig kursen mot?Alla som har ett intresse för cirkulär ekonomi. Målgruppen är personer som vill få en grundkunskap om cirkulär ekonomi, exempelvis:- lärare- ingenjörer- politiker- beslutsfattareKursen är öppen för alla och gratis. Det finns inga krav på förkunskaper eller särskild behörighet för att delta i kursen. UppläggKursen består av sju moduler, som sätter cirkulär ekonomi i ett historiskt perspektiv, förklarar begreppet och ställer frågan vad cirkulär ekonomi är för dig. Denna kurs kan du också läsa via vår samarbetspartner Nitus lokala lärcentra, som finns på ett flertal platser i Sverige. Läs mer via denna länk.

Opens in May 2025. The Swedish version of the course, namely ”Varför välja trä vid nästa byggprojekt?” is already open. For more iformation contact course coordinator dimitris.athanassiadis@slu.seCourse DescriptionDifferent types of biomaterials (e.g., wood) are crucial in the challenge of decarbonizing the built environment and reducing the carbon footprint of buildings and infrastructure by replacing materials like steel and cement, which have high carbon dioxide emissions. At the same time, we must not forget that it is important to preserve biodiversity and the social values of our forests. The 13 modules of the course cover many forestry related subjects, including harvesting methods, biodiversity, forest management, logistics, the role of forests in the climate transition, carbon storage, environmental benefits of multi-story buildings with wood, and more. The goal is that participants will gain a shared understanding of Swedish forestry so that they can make well-informed decisions about material choices for their next construction project. Course PeriodThe course will be active for 3 years. Content Forest history: The utilization of forests in Sweden throughout the past years Forestry methods and forest management Forest regeneration Wood properties Forest mensuration Forest tree breeding The forest's carbon balance Business models and market development: Focus on wood high rises Nature conservation and biodiversity in the forest Course StructureThe course is fully digital with pre-recorded lectures. You can participate in the course at your own pace. Modules conclude with quizzes where you can test how much you have learned. You will learn aboutUpon completion of the course, you will have learned more about various forest-related concepts, acquired knowledge of forest utilization in Sweden throughout the past years, increased your understanding of forest management and how different management methods affect biodiversity in the forest, and learned about the forestry cycle—from regeneration to final harvesting, etc. Who is this course for?This course is designed for professionals such as architects, municipal employees working with urban planning and construction, individuals in the construction and civil engineering sector, and those in other related fields. This is an introductory course and will contribute to upskilling of the entire construction sector, thereby increasing the industry's international competitiveness while also providing important prerequisites for the development of future sustainable, beautiful, and inclusive cities. Since the course is open to everyone, we hope that more groups, such as students, doctoral candidates, forest owners, and others with an interest in forestry, will take the course and engage with inspiring lectures where scientific knowledge primarily produced within SLU (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences) is presented.

  About the courseRenewable hydrogen stands out as a highly promising solution to decarbonize heavy industries and transportation sector, helping to achieve the climate goals of Sweden- reaching net zero emissions by 2045. The terms renewable hydrogen, clean hydrogen or green hydrogen refers to hydrogen produced from renewable energy or raw material. The utilization of renewable hydrogen for industrial applications necessitates the development of the entire value chain, from generation and storage to transport and final applications. Unlocking the potential of hydrogen economy in Sweden involves not only technological advancements and infrastructure development but also a skilled workforce. This course offers an introduction of renewable hydrogen as a pivotal component for industrial applications, focusing on its generation, storage, transport, and utilization within industrial contexts. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the technical, economic, and environmental aspects of renewable hydrogen technologies, such as electrolysis, fuel cell, and hydrogen storage and distribution solutions, preparing them with essential knowledge and foundational insights for advancing the decarbonization of industrial processes through the adoption of hydrogen-based energy solutions. Aim and Learning OutcomesThe goal of this course is to develop a basic understanding of renewable hydrogen as a pivotal component for industrial applications, focusing on its generation, storage, transport, and utilization within industrial contexts.The learning outcomes of the course are to be able to: Explain the fundamental knowledge and theories behind electrolysis and fuel cell technologies. Compare and describe the differences of existing renewable hydrogen generation technologies (PEM, AE, AEM, SOE, etc.), and existing fuel cell technologies (PEMFC, MSFC, SOFC, etc.. Describe the principles of hydrogen storage, including gas phase, liquid phase, and material-based storage and thermal management of storage systems. Identify the challenges of hydrogen transportation and be able to describe relevant solutions. Examples of professional roles that will benefit from this course are energy and chemical engineers, renewable and energy transition specialists, policy makers and energy analysts. This course will also support the decarbonization of hard-to-abate industries, such as metallurgical industry and oil refinery industry, by using renewable hydrogen. This course is given by Mälardalen university in cooperation with Luleå University of Technology. You may join the course from March 17 until the middle of April, 2025. Scheduled online seminars April 22nd, 2025May 19th, 2025 Study effort: 80 hours  

Målet med kursen är att ge lärare fortbildning inom ämnet djurvälfärd och hållbarhet. Kursens mål är också att ge lärare inspiration att designa sin egen undervisning, att ge lärare möjlighet att ta till sig ny forskning och att dela med sig av läraktiviteter som kan användas av fler.