University of Colorado Boulder - The Sustainability Imperative
- Offered byCoursera
- Public/Government Institute
The Sustainability Imperative at Coursera Overview
Duration | 17 hours |
Total fee | Free |
Mode of learning | Online |
Difficulty level | Beginner |
Official Website | Explore Free Course  |
Credential | Certificate |
The Sustainability Imperative at Coursera Highlights
- Flexible deadlines Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
- Shareable Certificate Earn a Certificate upon completion
- 100% online Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
- Beginner Level No preqequisite knowledge is required.
- Approx. 17 hours to complete
- English Subtitles: English
The Sustainability Imperative at Coursera Course details
- In this course, learners begin with a macro-level view of the current state of the world and touch upon topics such as climate change, plastic pollution, social inequity, and the economic systems that got us to where we are today. Learners investigate how such an economy cannot sustain itself and the need for a rapid transition to something different. We define sustainability, the meaning of sustainable development, and the United Nations' Sustainability Goals.
- Recognizing that change is imperative, we begin looking at energy, and more specifically, power generation as this is widely understood as the leading cause of climate change today. We show why this is the case and explore pathways to reduce carbon emissions, such as through the transition from coal and natural gas to renewables such as wind and solar. The concept of the carbon footprint and how it is determined is introduced. Learners have the opportunity to calculate their own personal carbon footprint under a variety of power source options (coal, natural gas, or renewable), and discover what would happen to their personal carbon footprint if they moved toward renewable energies.
The Sustainability Imperative at Coursera Curriculum
Setting the Stage: The Sustainability Imperative
Course Welcome
Climate Change: The Existential Threat
Consequences of a Warming Planet
Ocean Acidification
Our Living Planet: Biodiversity on the Brink
Plastic Planet
Enter the Anthropocene
The Challenge of Social Inequity and Economic Inequality
And finally, some good news!
Climate Change: Evidence and Causes
Planetary Boundaries: Guiding Human Development on a Changing planet
Climate Change Consequences
How did we get here?
Global Warming and the Greenhouse Effect
Greenhouse Gases are Increasing
GHGs are Increasing... Because of Us
GHGs: Not Just Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Albedo and Other Self-Reinforcing Impacts
GHGs and Where They Come From
The Paris Climate Agreement and the Need to Reduce GHGs by 2030
The Greenhouse Effect
Sustainability, Social Equity, and Economics
Carbon Equity
Business Growth and the Product Lifecycle
Doughnut Economics
Defining Sustainability and Sustainable Development
The IPAT Equation and What It Tells Us
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Fossil Fuels and the Need for Change
Fossil Fuels: Coal, Natural Gas, and Oil
Fossil Fuels: Heat and Getting Our Units Right
Power Generation Basics
GHGs from Coal and Natural Gas Plants
What about Nuclear Power?
Power Generation: Pathways to Net Zero Carbon
Fossil Fuels and the Need for Change
Renewable Energy: Technologies and Economics
Hydroelectricity
Wind Power
Solar Energy
Energy Storage
Renewable Energy Technologies on the Horizon
Transitioning to Renewable Energy: How are we doing?
Renewable Energy
What's my Carbon Footprint?
My Energy Consumption: Understanding My Utility Bill
My Electricity and Where It Comes From
My Carbon Footprint: Using the EPA's eGRID Tool
My Carbon Footprint from Natural Gas Use
My CO2 Equivalent (CO2e) Footprint
An Example: Noelle's Residential Carbon Footprint
Comparing My Carbon Footprint to Others
Course Wrap-Up
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Student Forum
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