Beyond the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Addressing Sustainability and Development (FutureLearn)

This four-week course from the University of Michigan explains how societies can tackle and even go beyond the SDGs, by looking at sustainability and development as two equally important ideas rather than a single concept. The result is an in-depth exploration of how all the factors related to Global Goals influence each other.
Explore interrelated fields to find SDG connections

Over the duration of this course, you’ll get the chance to look at how investigation and action into climate change, biodiversity loss, and other key issues can build bridges between different fields.

As you compare the impact SDG solutions have on natural, social, and applied sciences, as well as humanities, you’ll gain insights into the synergies and tradeoffs between these areas.
Go beyond Global Goals for sustainable solutions

Once you’ve seen how the Sustainable Development Goals are connected to different fields, you’ll start on the ultimate goal of this course; to understand and address sustainability and development as equally important, coexisting issues.

Through in-depth analysis of each SDG, how it is being achieved, and how it relates to the world’s most pressing problems, you’ll learn how to best develop and apply solutions to global concerns.
Look to the future with SDG experts

The University of Michigan is one of the best places to learn not only about the current state of the Sustainable Development Goals, but also about how to go beyond them. With such a wealth of experience and learner support, the insightful ideas in this course are easy to grasp.

What topics will you cover?

During this engaging course, you will:

- Explore theoretical currents in Sustainability and Development

- Develop an in-depth understanding of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

- Learn the methods and skills necessary for designing innovative solutions to sustainability and development problems through the emerging field of Sustainability Science.

- Explore three of the most pressing challenges undergirding the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including climate change, poverty and inequality, and ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss.

- Compare and contrast the trade-offs, co-benefits and synergies between these challenges, especially as they relate to designing innovative solutions for achieving our sustainability and development goals.

Learning on this course

You can take this self-guided course and learn at your own pace. On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

- Assess and analyze the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their relationship to the world's most pressing problems.

- Apply frameworks and evidence necessary to develop solutions

- Describe the world's most pressing problems with a specific focus on poverty & inequality, ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss, and climate change.

- Apply skills learned to implement solutions

- Assess relevant solutions that would help realize the SDGs and at the same time, solve pressing problems.

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone interested in solutions for climate change and biodiversity loss. Individuals studying or considering a career in sustainability, environmental science, or any other related fields will find it especially valuable.