Why Move Towards Cleaner Power from edX

This course looks at how increasing greenhouse gases are warming the climate and what it means to decarbonise - reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of - the power sector. It will also provide a range of arguments in favour of decarbonisation, including consideration of ease of access to a secure and affordable energy supply and improvements to health and the environment.

This course gathers together information about these different motivating factors for building a lower carbon power sector in one place, and includes a careful consideration of the importance of the political context. This course will challenge you to critically analyse your own political context.

We would welcome advisors to senior decision makers in government, civil society activists and others interested in understanding and promoting renewable electricity to take this course. This course will help you develop a better understanding of the different dimensions of a move towards a cleaner power sector and develop more nuanced and detailed arguments.

What you'll learn

Improved understanding of the key drivers behind decarbonising the economy in general and the power sector in particular; including an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of action
Empowerment to make decisions and develop policies that deliver a low-carbon power system that is relevant to their local context.
Enabling presentation of the arguments in favour of their approach confidently, and relevant to their local circumstances.
Preparation for a more detailed course on the policies needed to support a low-carbon power sector.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Improved understanding of the key drivers behind decarbonising the economy in general and the power sector in particular; including an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of action
Empowerment to make decisions and develop policies that deliver a low-carbon power system that is relevant to their local context.

Enabling presentation of the arguments in favour of their approach confidently, and relevant to their local circumstances.
Preparation for a more detailed course on the policies needed to support a low-carbon power sector.

Improved understanding of the key drivers behind decarbonising the economy in general and the power sector in particular; including an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of action
Empowerment to make decisions and develop policies that deliver a low-carbon power system that is relevant to their local context.
Enabling presentation of the arguments in favour of their approach confidently, and relevant to their local circumstances.
Preparation for a more detailed course on the policies needed to support a low-carbon power sector.

Syllabus

Introduction: Why Decarbonise?

Module1: Political Economy Shane Tomlinson, Director, E3G

Module2: Climate Change Professor Joanna Haigh, Co-Director, Grantham Institute, Imperial College London

Module3: Energy Policy Professor Richard Green, Professor of Sustainable Energy Business, Imperial College London

Module4: Energy Access Dr Clementine Chambon, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Oorja; Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Imperial College London

Module5: Climate Change And Health Dr Kris Murray, Lecturer, School of Public Health, Imperial College London

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Introduces learners to decarbonizing energy sources and the future of clean energy

Provides a solid basis for moving towards a sustainable energy sector

Suited for those seeking knowledge on energy access and affordability issues

Provides knowledge on the political economy of climate change and its impact on energy policy

Exploration of the relationship between climate change, health and the energy sector

Course may require some foundational knowledge in climate change and energy policy

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Why Move Towards Cleaner Power with these activities:

Review Climate Change: The Facts

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This book outlines the basics of climate change and the scientific consensus. This will help you better grasp the arguments presented in this course.

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Read Chapter 1: The Basics
Read chapters 2-4
Read the rest of the book (chapters 5-10)

TEDx Talk: The Climate Change Challenge

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This TEDx talk offers a concise and accessible overview of the challenges posed by climate change, which will complement the course material.

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Watch the TEDx talk
Reflect on the key points

Review of Basic Climate Science

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Reviewing climate science will ensure you have a strong foundation for understanding the arguments and evidence presented in this course.

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Read the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report
Watch videos from reputable sources
Attend a webinar or lecture on climate science

Five other activities

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Resource Compilation: Best Practices in Decarbonizing the Power Sector

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This activity will help you develop a comprehensive understanding of the best practices for decarbonizing the power sector and make them easily accessible.

Browse courses on Energy Policy

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Research and gather resources
Organize and categorize the resources
Share your compilation with others

Energy Sector Decarbonization Discussion Group

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Engaging in discussions with peers will allow you to exchange ideas, deepen your understanding, and develop more nuanced arguments for decarbonization.

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Join or create a discussion group
Prepare talking points
Participate in group discussions

Energy Decarbonization Workshop

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Attending a workshop will expose you to a variety of perspectives, best practices, and tools for decarbonizing the power sector.

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Identify and register for a workshop
Prepare for the workshop
Attend the workshop and participate actively

Policy Brief on Decarbonizing the Power Sector

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Creating a policy brief will help you synthesize your knowledge, develop concrete recommendations, and prepare you for advising policymakers on decarbonization.

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Research and gather data
Write the policy brief
Get feedback and revise

Contribute to an Open-Source Project on Energy Decarbonization

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Contributing to open-source projects allows you to engage with the community, gain hands-on experience, and help advance decarbonization efforts.

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Identify a suitable open-source project
Start contributing to the project

Career center

Learners who complete Why Move Towards Cleaner Power will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Energy Policy Advisor

Energy Policy Advisors analyze and advise on energy policy. This course would be perfect for someone working in the energy policy field who wants to develop a deeper understanding of the environmental policy considerations of energy policy, with a particular focus on decarbonization. The syllabus covers the political economy of the decarbonization of the power sector, as well as climate change and energy policy.

See salaries and explore the career path for Energy Policy Advisor

Climate Change Policy Analyst

Climate Change Policy Analysts study, develop, and implement policies to mitigate or adapt to climate change. This course would provide a solid foundation for someone in this field. The syllabus covers climate change, energy policy, and climate change and health, which are all important considerations for climate change policy.

See salaries and explore the career path for Climate Change Policy Analyst

Energy Consultant

Energy Consultants advise organizations on energy policy and strategy. This course would be helpful to an Energy Consultant who wants to specialize in the decarbonization of the power sector. The course covers the political economy of the decarbonization of the power sector, as well as the policy and economic implications of decarbonization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Energy Consultant

Renewable Energy Engineer

Renewable Energy Engineers design, install, and maintain renewable energy systems. This course could help build a foundation in the environmental and energy policy considerations in the field. A Renewable Energy Engineer, especially in leadership, could benefit most from this course, as it covers developing arguments and policies relevant to their local context.

See salaries and explore the career path for Renewable Energy Engineer

Climate Change Scientist

Climate Change Scientists study the science of climate change. This course could be helpful to someone in this field who wants to develop a deeper understanding of the policy and economic implications of climate change. The course covers the science of climate change, as well as the policy and economic implications of decarbonization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Climate Change Scientist

Energy Economist

Energy Economists work across a variety of industries to study and analyze the energy industry. This course could be helpful to someone who wants to specialize in the decarbonization of the power sector. The syllabus covers the political economy of the decarbonization of the power sector, and the content covers climate change and energy policy.

See salaries and explore the career path for Energy Economist

Environmental Economist

Environmental Economists study the economic implications of environmental issues. This course could be useful to someone who wants to specialize in the economics of decarbonization. The course covers the economic implications of climate change, as well as the policy and economic implications of decarbonization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Environmental Economist

Environmental Scientist

Environmental Scientists study the environment and how it is affected by human activity. This course could be useful to an Environmental Scientist who wants to work on the decarbonization of the power sector. The course discusses the science of climate change, as well as the policy and economic implications of decarbonization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Environmental Scientist

Energy Efficiency Consultant

Energy Efficiency Consultants help organizations reduce their energy consumption. This course could be useful to an Energy Efficiency Consultant who wants to specialize in the decarbonization of the power sector. The course discusses the policy and economic implications of decarbonization, as well as the different technologies that can be used to reduce energy consumption.

See salaries and explore the career path for Energy Efficiency Consultant

Public Health Analyst

Public Health Analysts study and analyze public health issues. This course could be useful to someone who wants to specialize in the health impacts of air pollution and climate change. The course discusses the health impacts of climate change, and offers a broad perspective on the importance of decarbonizing the power sector.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public Health Analyst

Environmental Policy Analyst

Environmental Policy Analysts study, develop, and analyze environmental policies. As environmental policies are essentially about making societal shifts towards cleaner energy and other environmentally-friendly practices, this course can help build a foundation in this field. This course may also be particularly useful to someone working in more local environmental policy who wants to develop a more global perspective.

See salaries and explore the career path for Environmental Policy Analyst

Environmental Lawyer

Environmental Lawyers focus on the legal aspects of environmental issues. This course could be useful to someone working in environmental law who wants to specialize in the decarbonization of the power sector. The course covers the political economy of the decarbonization of the power sector, as well as the legal implications of decarbonization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Environmental Lawyer

Environmental Engineer

Environmental Engineers design, build, and maintain systems to protect the environment. This course may be particularly useful for Environmental Engineers who work in the field of energy. The course covers the political economy and energy policy of the decarbonization of the power sector. Understanding the policy considerations of decarbonization can help an Environmental Engineer build and maintain systems that facilitate decarbonization.

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Sustainability Consultant

Sustainability Consultants analyze organizations' environmental performance and advise on ways to improve it. This course could help prepare someone to advise organizations on policies to decarbonize their power supply. This course focuses on why decarbonizing the power sector is important, as well as the political economy of decarbonization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sustainability Consultant

Climate Change Activist

Climate Change Activists work to raise awareness about climate change and advocate for policies to mitigate or adapt to climate change. This course could help prepare someone to be a more effective climate change activist. The course covers the science of climate change, as well as the policy and economic implications of decarbonization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Climate Change Activist