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The ABC of sustainability
  • Level Foundation
  • Duration 12 hours
  • Course by Campus BBVA
  • Offered by

About

The sustainability agenda is currently key to companies, governments and citizens. It’s vital for people to have first-hand knowledge of the basic concepts in order to understand all issues related to sustainability as a vector of systemic change in the economy, society, companies and our lives. The course is an introduction to sustainability, regarded as a cross-cutting discipline in our society (in the public and private international spheres) that’s based on the most updated public information on economic, social and environmental issues. It outlines how sustainability is holistically applicable to everyday situations in the population, natural resource use and the global economy and in its interaction with the biosphere, as well as social factors such as a fair transition, equity, equality, diversity, human rights, education and health. By the end of this course you’ll have obtained a broad overview of the key challenges and potential solutions to achieve sustainable, socially just and environmentally possible development while respecting the planetary boundaries.

Modules

Definition and global context

    • 4 Videos
    • 8 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Show what you have learned

4 Videos

  • Welcome to the course
  • What’s sustainability?
  • Other meanings of sustainability
  • Sustainability vis-à-vis the five current crises

8 Readings

  • Why is sustainability important?
  • Concept and chronology
  • Would you like to learn more about sustainability?
  • Effects of the pandemic: Health crisis
  • Effects of the pandemic: Economic crisis
  • Effects of the pandemic: Social crisis
  • Effects of the pandemic: Environmental crisis
  • Effects of the pandemic: Political crisis

International frameworks

    • 4 Videos
    • 9 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Show what you have learned

4 Videos

  • Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
  • Major challenges
  • Another way of viewing the SDGs
  • How did the Paris Agreement come about?

9 Readings

  • Would you like to learn more about the SDGs?
  • The role of companies in the 2030 Agenda
  • The role of SMEs in the 2030 Agenda
  • The five steps of the SDG Compass
  • Let’s take a look at an example: Upcycling the Ocean
  • How are the countries doing?
  • A global agreement on climate action
  • Climate change mitigation and adaptation
  • What can companies do?

Actors of change

    • 4 Videos
    • 3 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Show what you have learned

4 Videos

  • The Stakeholder Radar
  • Actors of change towards a just and regenerative society (I)
  • Actors of change towards a just and regenerative society (II)
  • Actors of change towards a just and regenerative society (III)

3 Readings

  • Actors of change
  • Would you like to learn more about the Stakeholder Radar?
  • How can we secure their engagement?

Ecosystems, climate change and planetary boundaries

    • 9 Videos
    • 12 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Show what you have learned

9 Videos

  • The tragedy of the commons
  • Human exploitation and the effects of climate change
  • What do the experts think?
  • Energy use and the energy transition
  • Water and agriculture: Two interrelated systems
  • A brief introduction to environmental policies
  • Terrestrial ecosystems: why are they important?
  • Marine ecosystems: why are they important?
  • The impact of climate change on people, society and companies

12 Readings

  • Let’s take a look at an example: Self-regulation of water resources
  • Goals, scenarios and situations
  • The transition towards a more sustainable energy model (I)
  • The transition towards a more sustainable energy model (II)
  • Sustainability-related challenges
  • Greenhouse gas emissions
  • The environmental impact of agriculture and food
  • Let’s take a look at an example: pollution in cities
  • Biodiversity, forests and species
  • Human rights and biodiversity
  • Ocean conservation
  • What can companies do?

Inclusive economic growth and growth of the world’s population

    • 3 Videos
    • 8 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Show what you have learned

3 Videos

  • The economic and social context
  • Population growth
  • Human rights and equality

8 Readings

  • Economic growth
  • Let’s take a look at an example: China
  • Historical growth of the world’s population
  • Causes and consequences of population growth
  • Projections and trends in the evolution of the world population
  • The protect, respect and remedy framework
  • What can companies do?
  • The Corporate Human Rights Benchmark (CHRB) Report

Sustainability and finance

    • 1 Videos
    • 3 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Show what you have learned

1 Videos

  • The role of finance in sustainable development

3 Readings

  • Why is the financial sector important in the transition towards a sustainable future?
  • The key role of regulation in the sustainable transition
  • Challenges and opportunities

Sustainability measurement and reporting

    • 2 Videos
    • 5 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Show what you have learned

2 Videos

  • Tools for measuring sustainability
  • Measuring what really matters

5 Readings

  • Why are sustainability reports important?
  • The benefits of disclosure and transparency
  • BBVA’s materiality matrix
  • How to measure biodiversity and the ecosystems
  • Sustainability report

Conclusions

    • 1 Videos
    • 4 Readings
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • What have you learned?

4 Readings

  • Would you like to find out more about Week 1?
  • Would you like to find out more about Week 2?
  • Would you like to find out more about Week 3?
  • Would you like to find out more about Week 4?

Auto Summary

"The ABC of Sustainability" is a foundational course in Science & Engineering offered by Coursera. It provides an essential introduction to sustainability, emphasizing its impact on the economy, society, and environment. Learners will explore key concepts and practical applications, addressing issues like natural resource use, social equity, and global economic interactions. This 720-minute course is ideal for anyone seeking to understand sustainability's role in systemic change and is available with a Starter subscription.

Campus BBVA
Instructor

Campus BBVA