Sustainability (SUST1-GC)

This course will cover the practice of sustainability performance metrics methodologies and datasets to underpin assessments from corporate and urban perspectives. The course will begin with a review of the theoretical concepts around which sustainability data practices and policies are built, including environmental economics. Students will learn how to consider the selection of appropriate indicators for sustainability performance depending on the kind of organization and values that have been selected to prioritize and identify the data sets and relevant indicators to use in fashioning sustainability performance evaluation and reporting. Students will be introduced to the array of data sources that are used by practitioners and learn to process these data through widely used methodologies in sustainability practice to assess the environmental and social footprints of corporations and cities. Emphasis will be placed on a reporting process that taps concepts of data robustness, materiality of performance metrics to the particular entity, forward looking scenario analysis, and stakeholder engagement. Consideration will be given to reporting differences generated by investor led initiatives, regulatory aspects, and public and consumer pressure to create sustainability solutions. Through a combination of lectures, active discussions, problem sets, case studies, small group projects, and multi-media students will master widely accepted sustainability performance assessment and evaluation techniques.

Energy is a central to our daily lives and understanding energy systems is critical to addressing major challenges of the 21st century including climate change, economic and social development, and global security. Access to modern, clean affordable energy is an essential building block to poverty alleviation and sustainable human development. A fundamental transformation of the current energy system will be required over the coming decades to reduce the risks of catastrophic climate change and ensure the world’s population can be sustained at adequate levels of economic welfare without damaging the wellbeing of future generations. The United Nations offers a shared blueprint for sustainability and prosperity for all peoples and the planet. This agenda centers on 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) that define the fundamental goals for sustainability. But driving concerted action to radically restructure the global energy system and to achieve the goals for global sustainable development requires a massive mobilization of peoples, policies and practice. In this course, students will be introduced to foundational knowledge needed to understand the policies and frameworks that can deliver sustainability solutions and promote the energy transition. The course will begin with an overview of energy systems and sustainability policy to elucidate how sustainability and energy transition concepts and targets are determined by governments, stakeholders, and private industry for different sectors and then offer a deeper dive into specific policy levers that can be used to drive new technologies, system transformation, and radically different pathways for economic development that are informed by sustainability.

How do we utilize resources productively and manage the conservation of nature in our daily lives today in a manner that also ensures the well-being of future generations? This is the challenge and practice of sustainability. The United Nations offers a shared blueprint for sustainability and prosperity for all peoples and the planet. This agenda centers on 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) that define the fundamental goals for sustainability, such as ending poverty and hunger, reducing inequalities and promoting gender equality, providing access to clean and affordable energy, clean water and sanitation, and availability of quality education and decent work opportunity, while combatting climate change and acting to preserve the natural world in ocean and other waterways and on land. This course will introduce students to the theoretical principals of sustainability and basic concepts related to sustainability and sustainability management. The course will begin with the history of sustainability and the evolution of related concepts and practices and introduce how sustainability concepts and targets are implemented by public institutions, private industry, and financial organizations.

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our lifetime. If and how individuals choose to act, or not, relies on how experts communicate the topic. This course will equip students with the essential skills for crafting effective climate communications strategies. Through a blend of theory and practical tools, students will explore strategic messaging, storytelling, and communication psychology, enabling them to learn the skills to influence diverse audiences. Topics include multimedia campaigns, press releases, social media strategies, as well as communicating complex data such as climate performance metrics. By the end of this course, students will be prepared to enter the working world as a climate communicator, ready to apply these skills in various climate-related fields.

This course will cover practical carbon accounting methodologies and datasets for corporate carbon accounting and for calculating the carbon footprint of products (CFP) and prepare students for professional work on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Environmental Social Governance (ESG) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Emphasis will be placed on accepted carbon accounting frameworks for the business sector to participate in both voluntary and regulated carbon markets. We will review the differences between different carbon markets and evaluate best practices for reporting GHG emissions and carbon intensity assessments. Through a combination of lectures, active discussions, problem sets, case studies, small group projects, and multi-media students will master widely accepted environmental accounting techniques for measuring and reporting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Students in this course will gain practical, applied experience working on a real-world sustainability project of critical importance for a high-profile client to tackling a sustainability issue. In this course, students will work as external consultants to an industry or government partner who will provide them with a question or challenge. Topics to be covered include developing a scope of work, preparing a proposal, identifying sources of direct data, including conducting literature reviews and external data sets used by leading consultancies, assessing data reliability and validity, preparing deliverables, and reporting results. The Sustainability Consulting Practicum allows students to work closely with a leading company or government agency on actionable research that benefits the company/agency, the students, and society alike. Students work together with the faculty directors of the Sustainability Master’s program to conduct significant academic research with the deliverables in the form of a report or white paper, including a set of practical recommendations. The project culminates with a presentation to the client summarizing the key findings.

The dynamic nature of sustainability means that innovations, policies, and technologies will emerge that are unexpected and cross conventional boundaries, which do not fit within existing courses and deserve specific and detailed study. This 'special topics' course will explore a particular breaking development or theme relating to Sustainability and Global Energy Practice. As such, it will only be offered occasionally, when circumstances demand. Students taking an Advanced Colloquium, though, can expect not just to grapple with contemporary events but also to engage actively in conversations both outside as well as within the class and play a role in furthering the common understanding of the world around us.

This course provides students with the opportunity to conduct independent research and apply their knowledge to address contemporary challenges in sustainability and global energy practice. Students will develop and execute a comprehensive research project under the guidance of a faculty advisor. The course will emphasize critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication skills. Students will use research design to develop a well-defined research question and design a rigorous research methodology. Students will engage in data analysis by collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data using appropriate quantitative and qualitative methods. Through literature reviews and other methods, they will critically evaluate existing research and develop innovative solutions to complex problems. This course is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to become leaders in the field of sustainability and global energy practice. By completing this course, students will be prepared to address the complex challenges facing our planet and contribute to a more sustainable future.