Greening the Economy: Lessons from Scandinavia
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Greening the Economy: Lessons from Scandinavia
Lund University
About this Course
4.7
338 ratings
How can we live a good life on one planet with over seven billion people?
This course will explore greening the economy on four levels – individual, business, city, and nation. We will look at the relationships between these levels and give many practical examples of the complexities and solutions across the levels. Scandinavia, a pioneering place advancing sustainability and combating climate change, is a unique starting point for learning about greening the economy. We will learn from many initiatives attempted in Scandinavia since the 1970s, which are all potentially helpful and useful for other countries and contexts.
The International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE) at Lund University is an international centre of excellence on strategies for sustainable solutions. The IIIEE is ideally suited to understand and explain the interdisciplinary issues in green economies utilising the diverse disciplinary backgrounds of its international staff. The IIIEE has been researching and teaching on sustainability and greener economies since the 1990s and it has extensive international networks connecting with a variety of organizations.
5-8 hours/week
5 weeks duration
40 films
20 teachers
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week
1Introduction: what is a green economy and why is it important?
We start the course by looking at the key issues that a green economy seeks to address and the underlying concepts and definitions of a greener economy. In this module, we will describe problems arising from the interaction of the economy and the environment; we will state some of the aims of greening the economy and look into the multitude of definitions; we will use tools to measure and assess a green economy; and we will discuss concepts and indicators related to the green economy.
10 videos (Total 65 min), 8 readings, 1 quiz
10 videos
What is a Green Economy4m
Little Actions and Big Challenges5m
Why Scandinavia5m
Cleaner and Greener production7m
Evolution of the concept of green economy9m
Interview: An Economist's Take on GtE4m
Interview: A Politician's Take on GtE6m
Interview: A Global Green Growth Perspective12m
"Meet the Parkers, Part I"3m
8 readings
Introduction10m
Timeline and Syllabus10m
Course Details10m
Grading10m
About us10m
Hangouts10m
Course Assignment: Greener Product, Greener Business, and Greener City10m
Readings week 110m
1 practice exercise
Introduction20m
Week
2Individual choices
Here in Module 2 we look at the individual level and how individual choices can help or hinder progress towards a green economy. This module offers an increased understanding of patterns and levels of consumption; we will look at the drivers and theories of consumer behaviour and the limitations of working with consumer choice in isolation (e.g. rebound effect); and develop an understanding of how to measure the impact of consumption (e.g. carbon footprint).
8 videos (Total 51 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes
8 videos
Consumers and Eco-labeling6m
Myths of Consumption7m
Mind the Gap6m
Living Green in Practice7m
Interview: Green Economy in Sweden & Europe5m
Interview: Building a Green Online Community6m
"Meet the Parkers, Part II"4m
1 reading
Readings week 210m
1 practice exercise
Individual Choices20m
Week
3Business strategies
In the third module, we look at the business level, focusing on how companies and organisations choose strategies that can help transitions to a green economy. In this module, the aim is to understand the changes relevant to the business level for a greener economy. You will be presented to some solutions and concepts that companies use to deal with complex problems encountered in their sustainability work. We will discuss the challenges facing companies that want to take a lead in the transition to a greener economy, and reflect on strategies for green business in different contexts.
11 videos (Total 69 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes
11 videos
Greening Upstream7m
Greening Downstream8m
Green Processes6m
Green Business Strategies5m
Virtual Mobility and e-Materialisation8m
Eco-Design5m
Interview: Sustainability at IKEA5m
Interview: Green Strategy of a Restaurant5m
Interview: Transition Towards Renewable Energy5m
"Meet the Parkers, Part III"4m
1 reading
Readings week 310m
1 practice exercise
Business Strategies20m
Week
4Sustainable cities
In Module 4, we look at how planning and designing cities can help achieve a green economy and underpin sustainable development. The aim this week is to understand the role of cities for experimentation, planning, collaboration and providing visions for a greener economy. We will use tools to measure and critically assess green economy indicators at the city level and discuss whether city level policies and actions in Scandinavia can work around the world.
8 videos (Total 56 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes
8 videos
Climate Governance and Urban Experiments7m
Urban Infrastructure and Planning6m
Visioning for Cities of the Future7m
Sustainable Neighbourhoods4m
Green Lifestyles and Cities9m
"Meet the Parkers, Part IV"4m
Municipal Waste Management10m
1 reading
Readings week 410m
1 practice exercise
Sustainable Cities20m
4.7
43%
83%
Top Reviews
By MF•Oct 10th 2015
amazing course, recomendable to anybody interested in sustainable development. The people taking the course are from all over the world and we share ideas or help each other on specific topics.
By MM•Oct 6th 2015
Amazing and inspiring. Especially love the interviews at the end of each week. Very good pace and amount of information. Teacher are experts in their field. Love every minute of the lecturers!
Instructors
Dr. Kes McCormick
Associate Professor and Assistant HeadInternational Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics
Dr. Luis Mundaca
ProfessorInternational Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics
Prof. Oksana Mont
ProfessorInternational Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics
Prof. Lena Neij
Professor and DirectorInternational Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics
Dr. Thomas Lindhqvist
Associate ProfessorInternational Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics
Dr. Håkan Rodhe
Associate ProfessorInternational Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics
Dr. Peter Arnfalk
Associate ProfessorThe International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics
Dr. Charlotte Leire
LecturerInternational Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics
About Lund University
Lund University was founded in 1666 and has for a number of years been ranked among the world’s top 100 universities. The University has 47 700 students and 7 500 staff based in Lund, Sweden. Lund University unites tradition with a modern, dynamic, and highly international profile. With eight different faculties and numerous research centres and specialized institutes, Lund is the strongest research university in Sweden and one of Scandinavia's largest institutions for education and research. The university annually attracts a large number of international students and offers a wide range of courses and programmes taught in English.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
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