The Age of Sustainable Development (Coursera)

Syllabus

WEEK 1

Course Materials

Information about the general course structure and reading list can be found here.

What is Sustainable Development?

Professor Sachs provides an overview of the challenges the world faces, and introduces the topic of sustainable development.

WEEK 2

Inequality Around the World

Professor Sachs delves into the reasons for and the measurements of inequality between and within countries.

WEEK 3

A Short History of Economic Development

Professor Sachs provides a history of economic development, starting with the Industrial Revolution and ending with the current state of modern economic growth.

WEEK 4

The History of Inequality

Professor Sachs analyzes the intersecting roles of various factors that contribute to some countries advancing while others do not.

WEEK 5

The MDGs and the End of Extreme Poverty

Professor Sachs outlines the pathways for achieving the end of extreme poverty.

WEEK 6

Growth within Planetary Boundaries

Professor Sachs details the various planetary boundaries and their implications for growth dynamics.

WEEK 7

Human Rights and Gender Equality

Professor Sachs delves into the ethics of wealth, poverty and inequality as well as the forces that widen inequalities.

WEEK 8

Education

Professor Sachs provides an overview of the state of modern education, and what needs to be achieved for sustainable development.

WEEK 9

Universal Health Coverage

Professor Sachs provides an overview of the challenges and pathways to achieving universal health coverage.

WEEK 10

Sustainable Food Supply and the End of Hunger

Professor Sachs provides an overview of food security, farm systems, and ecology and reviews what can be done to achieve a sustainable global food supply.

WEEK 11

Sustainable Cities

Professor Sachs looks into what makes a city sustainable, the patterns of urbanization, and pathways for urban resilience around the world.

WEEK 12

Curbing Climate Change

Professor Sachs provides an introduction to the science behind climate change, and describes the negotiations and policies that are necessary to mitigate and prevent the consequences.

WEEK 13

Saving Biodiversity

Professor Sachs reviews the various threats to the world's ecosystem and biodiversity.

WEEK 14

The SDGs

Professor Sachs recounts the history of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and describes what is necessary to achieve them.