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The Great Sustainability Transition: Global challenges, Local actions
  • Level Foundation
  • Duration 26 hours
  • Course by Universiteit Leiden
  • Offered by

About

Drastic shifts are needed. Get the knowledge and skills to take local action. Setting the stage: Why do we care? Learn about sustainability and staying with the environmental boundaries of our planet. Understand the effects of growing affluence and population growth, and the key challenges we are facing. By participating in the local action exercises you learn how to influence your direct environment. The activities are diverse, from participating in a citizen science project to having discussions with people on climate change. From determining biodiversity around you, to understanding the environmental impacts of one of your meals. Week 1: Biodiversity How much land do we use for feed humanity? And how does meat consumption impact energy flows on the planet? In this first week we will explore how humans have transformed the world around them, and how this impacts other living organisms. We discuss key challenges which drive biodiversity decline, and focus on ways to preserve our biodiversity. As a Local Action, you will explore your local biodiversity and ways to improve and protect it. Week 2: Climate breakdown Why is climate change such an urgent crisis? What are current climate impacts and how much more can we expect? In this second week we will understand the mechanics of climate change and grasp the enormity of the changes being wrought on the planet. We will describe the different gases that contribute to climate change, and which sector they come from across energy and food systems. We will talk about how to address climate change including mitigation, adaptation, and suffering. As a local action, you will discuss climate change openly, constructively and acceptingly with a friend or family member. Week 3: Pollution Pollution is everywhere, from air to water, from soils to our bodies. We’ll explore the impacts different pollutants have on the environment and on human health. We will also focus on some of the unexpected effects related to pollution. As a Local Action you will be collecting trash around your home. Week 4: The great transitions Why are we continuing to overexploit crucial resources even though we know the devastating long term consequences for our planet? And why don’t we transition our energy and food systems, even though we know they drive climate breakdown? Explore why collective action is so difficult on environmental challenges, but also provide examples were changes were successful. We will discuss fear and hope at a unique time of human civilization. As a Local Action you will analyse the footprint of one of your meals.

Modules

Course Introduction

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
Show info about module content

1 Discussions

  • Introduce yourself!

2 Videos

  • Introduction to the course
  • How to succeed in your online class

1 Readings

  • Your instructors

Planetary boundaries

    • 1 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
Show info about module content

1 Discussions

  • The Anthropocene?

1 Videos

  • An introduction to sustainability and planetary boundaries

2 Readings

  • Introduction week 1
  • A local environmental issue in your community - Assignment

Biodiversity, its value and threats

    • 4 Videos
    • 3 Discussion
Show info about module content

3 Discussions

  • How has land use changed around you?
  • On the value of biodiversity
  • Human-Wildlife conflicts

4 Videos

  • Big Picture
  • Why do we care?
  • What are the drivers and threats?
  • What can we do?

Local Actions

    • 1 Videos
    • 3 Readings
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • Local Action

3 Readings

  • Introducing Local Actions
  • Biodiversity in your community
  • Promoting biodiversity in your community

Summary and Review

    • 1 Readings
    • 2 Assignment
Show info about module content

2 Assignment

  • Reviewing the week
  • What have you learned?

1 Readings

  • Further reading

Introduction week 2

    • 1 Videos
    • 2 Readings
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • Connecting the Weeks

2 Readings

  • Introduction week 2
  • We are Humanity

Why we care and what to do

    • 4 Videos
    • 3 Discussion
Show info about module content

3 Discussions

  • Climate change near you
  • Discourses of Delay - Readings
  • Debunking climate misinformation

4 Videos

  • The Big picture
  • Why do we care?
  • What are the drivers/threats?
  • What can we do?

Local Action

    • 1 Discussion
Show info about module content

1 Discussions

  • Climate talk

Summary and review

    • 1 Readings
    • 2 Assignment
Show info about module content

2 Assignment

  • Reviewing the week
  • What have you learned

1 Readings

  • Further reading

Introduction week 3

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • Connecting the Weeks

1 Readings

  • Introduction week 3

The Risk of Pollution

    • 3 Videos
    • 1 Discussion
Show info about module content

1 Discussions

  • Unexpected Effects - Discussion

3 Videos

  • Big picture
  • Unexpected Effects
  • How to assess risks

Local Action

    • 1 Readings
Show info about module content

1 Readings

  • Collecting trash around your home

Plastic

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Discussion
Show info about module content

1 Discussions

  • Should we worry about plastic pollution?

1 Videos

  • Plastic Fantastic

Summary and Review

    • 1 Readings
    • 2 Assignment
Show info about module content

2 Assignment

  • Reviewing the Week
  • What have you learned?

1 Readings

  • Further reading

Introduction week 4

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • Connecting the weeks

1 Readings

  • Introduction week 4

Global and Local Transitions

    • 3 Videos
    • 3 Discussion
Show info about module content

3 Discussions

  • Collective Action - Discussion
  • Vision for the future - Assignment
  • Global vs. Local - Discussion

3 Videos

  • Big Picture
  • Collective action
  • Global vs. local

Local Action

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • What can we do?

1 Readings

  • What's for dinner? - Assignment

Review week 4 and Conclusion to the course

    • 1 Readings
    • 2 Assignment
Show info about module content

2 Assignment

  • Practice quiz
  • What have you learned?

1 Readings

  • Final Assignment: linking knowledge and local issues

Engaging with the Future

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
Show info about module content

1 Discussions

  • Facing the Future

1 Videos

  • Engaging with the future

1 Readings

  • Further reading

Auto Summary

"The Great Sustainability Transition: Global Challenges, Local Actions" is a foundational course in Science & Engineering led by Coursera. It equips learners with essential knowledge and skills to address sustainability by taking impactful local actions. Participants will explore critical topics such as biodiversity, climate change, pollution, and resource overexploitation through interactive activities. The course spans 1560 minutes and offers both Starter and Professional subscription options. Ideal for those passionate about environmental issues and eager to make a difference in their communities.

Paul Behrens
Instructors

Paul Behrens

Thijs Bosker
Instructors

Thijs Bosker