Sustainable Development

This course focuses on sustainable development and global changes - vital issues for humanity. There is specific attention paid to the challenges in developed and developing countries and their transition from unsustainable to sustainable practices. The course is an introduction to sustainable development and its relation to the Water-Energy-Food Nexus. This connection between three critical resources offers a conceptual tool for achieving sustainable development. It has become increasingly important to understand the interdependencies and interrelationships between the three resources. Finding new approaches to manage the nexus could contribute significantly to achieving the Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  Topics of this course include:

Finding new ways to face water challenges and opportunities

Renewable energies

Energy efficiency

Sustainable agriculture

Climate change

Rethinking established ways of resources management

Types of virtual water

The interrelationship between local and global challenges and economic as well as population growth

The role of technology in the WEF nexus as well as managing the nexus at local, regional, and global levels.

This course gives you a solid understanding of the connection between water, energy, and food, and enables you to manage resources in a sustainable and effective way. You’ll build skills and knowledge that are key for sustainable development into the future.

What you'll learn

• Global challenges and their limited resources
• How human activities can affect the climate change
• The concept of sustainable development and global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Water scarcity, virtual water, and water footprint
• How to deal with energy challenges and opportunities
• The 'nexus' between water, energy, and food (WEF) and their security
• Desalination in the framework of the WEF nexus
• Dealing with the WEF nexus at local and regional levels