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2,440 ratings

Dr. Jonathan Tomkin

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Introduction to Sustainability

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

About this Course

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This course introduces the academic approach of Sustainability and explores how today’s human societies can endure in the face of global change, ecosystem degradation and resource limitations. The course focuses on key knowledge areas of sustainability theory and practice, including population, ecosystems, global change, energy, agriculture, water, environmental economics and policy, ethics, and cultural history.
This subject is of vital importance, seeking as it does to uncover the principles of the long-term welfare of all the peoples of the planet. As sustainability is a cross-disciplinary field of study, this foundation requires intellectual breadth: as I describe it in the class text, understanding our motivations requires the humanities, measuring the challenges of sustainability requires knowledge of the sciences (both natural and social), and building solutions requires technical insight into systems (such as provided by engineering, planning, and management).

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Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

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Approx. 25 hours to complete

English

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Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Approx. 25 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.83/5 (610 Ratings)

Dr. Jonathan Tomkin

Associate Director

School of Earth, Society and Environment

136,752 Learners

1 Course

Offered by

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating96%(18,499 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

3 hours to complete

Orientation and Introduction

3 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 37 min), 5 readings, 3 quizzes

Week2

Week 2

3 hours to complete

Population

3 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 49 min), 1 reading, 4 quizzes

Week3

Week 3

4 hours to complete

Ecosystems and Climate Change

4 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 78 min), 1 reading, 5 quizzes

8 videos

Ecosystems and Climate Change Introduction55sTragedy of the Commons10mTragedy of the Commons: Solutions14mEcosystems and Extinctions6mWeather vs. Climate3mClimate Changes in the Past10mModern Climate Change14m[OPTIONAL] Climate Processes16m

1 reading

Module 3 Overview and Readings10m

4 practice exercises

Ecosystems, Extinction, and Tragedy of the Commons Practice Quiz30mClimate Change Practice Quiz30mClimate Change Interactive Homework10mModule 3 Quiz30m

Week4

Week 4

3 hours to complete

Energy

3 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 58 min), 1 reading, 4 quizzes

Week5

Week 5

3 hours to complete

Water and Agriculture

3 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 68 min), 1 reading, 3 quizzes

Week6

Week 6

4 hours to complete

Environmental Policy

4 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 94 min), 1 reading, 4 quizzes

9 videos

Environmental Economics and Policy Introduction1mNegative Externalities14mEnvironmental Policy11mEnvironmental Policy Assessment14m[OPTIONAL] Environmental Economics17m[OPTIONAL] Application of Environmental Economics and Policy, Part 111m[OPTIONAL] Application of Environmental Economics and Policy, Part 213m[OPTIONAL] Application of Environmental Economics and Policy, Part 38mEnvironmental Policy Examples: "Biofuels"3m

1 reading

Module 6 Overview and Readings10m

3 practice exercises

Environmental Policy Practice Quiz30mEnvironmental Policy Examples Homework30mModule 6 Quiz30m

Week7

Week 7

4 hours to complete

Measuring Sustainability

4 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 68 min), 1 reading, 4 quizzes

7 videos

Measuring Sustainability Introduction1mBiodiversity and Ecosystems10mSustainability Metrics, Part 112mSustainability Metrics, Part 28mFood Miles9mMeasuring Sustainability: The Future, Part 112mMeasuring Sustainability: The Future, Part 212m

1 reading

Module 7 Overview and Readings10m

3 practice exercises

Measuring Sustainability Practice Quiz30mSustainable Future Practice Quiz30mModule 7 Quiz30m

Week8

Week 8

1 hour to complete

Conclusion

1 hour to complete

1 reading

Reviews

4.8

769 reviews

5 stars
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4 stars
16.33%
3 stars
1.63%
2 stars
0.40%
1 star
0.94%

TOP REVIEWS FROM INTRODUCTION TO SUSTAINABILITY

by ESAug 25, 2020

I learned a lot of great information but the lectures and videos are kind of outdated. It would be great to have some more information on sustainability from the most recent decade.

by YUMar 4, 2021

Fantastic course and a great lecturer. Highly recommend it. This topic should be studied by many and I encourage people to explore it. There is so much that can be learnt in this course.

by SDMay 12, 2020

A very good course to have basic understanding of sustainable development. A learner from different background like me would find it much helpful in exploring a new field of interest.

by BLOct 30, 2020

Professor Tomkins is fantastic and an excellent instructor! The course was was well structured and really gave me such a solid foundational understanding of sustainability topics. Thanks!

View all reviews

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Introduction to Sustainability

Introduction to Sustainability

About this Course