MICRO-CREDENTIAL: CLIMATE ACTION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Changes to the physical and biotic environment are both natural and arise because of human activity. Recently these changes have been so significant that we now clearly recognise planetary scale change e.g. biodiversity loss and climate change derived directly from human actions rather than natural processes. The scale of these climatic and environmental changes is becoming ever more evident and urgent, as droughts, floods, species loss, and viral pandemics occur with increasing frequency and intensity. At the same time, the fall-out of these overlapping ongoing crises are not experienced equally across society. Responding to these pressing challenges requires a critical and interdisciplinary understanding of how social and physical processes interact in a complex, unequal world by being informed about earth systems science and how the environment is changing and national and international governance and policy landscapes. 

In this 5 ECT micro-credential, students will gain a broad, critical understanding of approaches to studying environmental change, the nature and scale of that change, as well as reflecting on their own place within a changing world. The module will introduce students to key debates and approaches to sustainability and climate action. Students will interrogate different approaches to sustainable development and climate action through an examination of key sectors, such as agri-food production, energy, flood risk and decarbonisation. Students will also gain a critical understanding of key concepts such as climate justice, degrowth, circular economy and the just transition. The module will require students to reflect upon different scales of action and their impact and effectiveness in achieving transformative change – from their own individual behaviour to workplaces, national policies and global political and economic systems. The module will equip students with the foundational knowledge to understand and think critically about how we currently approach sustainability and climate action and how we might into the future.

On successful completion of the module, participants should be able to: 

• Explain the Earth systems and the interconnections between global ecosystems 
• Demonstrate, using various lines of evidence, how humans are contributing to climate change 
• Explain key means of measuring and monitoring environmental systems and processes 
• Understand the root causes of environmental change 
• Design and deliver a climate or sustainability action in a school-based or local setting ranging from school to community, county, or province  
• Describe and provide examples of climate mitigation and adaptation in Ireland 
• Explain the demands and achievements of climate justice movements, including their role in shaping climate policy 
• Describe the origin, implementation, and limitations of the Sustainable Development paradigm

Level: Aligned to NFQ Level 9

ECTS: 5

Fee: 500 EUR