The Best Online Courses About Environmental and Sustainability

With so many courses available online, it can be difficult to make the right choice on which ones to take on Coursera or EDX.  That's why we break down some of the most fruitful and engaging courses concerning sustainability and environmental matters.

One of the greatest challenges during the Coronavirus pandemic has been seen in global education. Millions of students had to leave their classrooms to enter virtual education as a way to combat the virus spread. By mid-june 2020, more than 160 countries closed schools and almost 220 million students have been affected by these policies according to UNESCO. 

By mid-march 2020, as the pandemic was beginning to impact universities around the world, Coursera launched the Campus Response Initiative, providing every university in the world, free access to their course catalog through Coursera for Campus.  

On the other hand, Anant Awargal EDX founder and CEO announced the launching of a Workforce Acceleration Recovery Program, designed to aid all employees who were negatively affected by the pandemic, “by providing them an opportunity to earn a MicroMasters® Programs, Professional Certificate Programs or MicroBachelors® Programs credential at a 30% discount,” according to the organization.  

The good news is that there is a great volume of courses in online platforms that environmental and sustainability enthusiasts can take, given that the pandemic seems a great time to reflect upon the impact of human actions on the environment. With so many courses available online, it can be difficult to make the right choice on which ones to take on Coursera or EDX. That's why we break down some of the most fruitful and engaging courses concerning sustainability and environmental matters.

The Age of Sustainable Development

Offered by Columbia University and Professor Jeffrey Sachs, this course is suitable for beginners and it tackles the most urgent challenges and pathways to sustainable development. It takes 14 weeks to complete and the participants complete the course with good knowledge on the topics of economic development, inequality, the MDGs and growth within planetary boundaries. You can join the course by clicking here.

Greening the Economy: Lessons from Scandinavia

Offered by Lund University, the course explores the topic of greening the economy at various levels including, individual, business, city and Nation. It takes 4 weeks to complete and it provides great understanding of how individual choices and city planning can help to achieve a greener economy. You can join the course by clicking here.

Also read: Female Leadership in Biden's Climate Cabinet

The Health Effects of Climate Change

Offered by Harvard University, the course explores the impact of climate change on nutrition, migration, and infectious diseases and provides useful information, concerning the strategies to mitigate and adapt to the health impacts of climate change. It lasts 7 weeks, in which students have access to several key readings which explain how to address the health effects of global warming. You can join the course by clicking here. 

Our Energy Future

Offered by  UC San Diego,  this course provides an introduction to the issues of energy in the 21st century, including food and fuels. It also provides a complete introduction to finite energy sources as biological energy sources including jatropha biodiesel and corn ethanol. The course has a section on social issues, economics and policy which examines how energy impacts the poorest communities and how to promote renewable energy. You can join the course by clicking here. 

Act on Climate: Steps to Individual, Community, and Political Action

Offered by the University of Michigan, the course helps students identify political actions in which they can engage  to effectively respond to climate change. It provides great tips for making sustainable food choices and teaches several actions that can be taken at the individual level to reduce energy consumption at home and to better understand the impacts of transport on greenhouse gas emissions. You can join the course by clicking here.