Concepts in Sustainable Development

Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more This course is open to anyone interested in exploring the general technical and social issues around the concept of sustainability and sustainable development. The course explores the theoretical basis of sustainability from the natural sciences, political and economic perspective. This course is aimed at learners who wish to engage with the challenges and potential solutions to sustainability at a conceptual level. You can use the hashtag #FLsustainability to talk about this course on social media.

• Week 1: Sustainable development and complexity
• Week 2: The economy and ecology as a metabolic system
• Week 3: Economic growth and inequality
• Week 4: The importance of geography, history and culture and the impact of human activity on the environment
• Week 5: The problem of collective action
• Week 6: Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats