701-0900-00L The UN Sustainable Development Goals in Context
| Semester | Spring Semester 2020 |
| Lecturers | B. Wehrli, O. Kassab |
| Periodicity | yearly recurring course |
| Language of instruction | English |
Catalogue data
| Abstract | The United Nations Agenda 2030 and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide an opportunity for the international community to shape the course of sustainable development. With their range of expertise, universities can develop the science to help achieving the SDGs. The lectures center on sustainability challenges and provide context from academics and societal actors. |
| Objective | 1. Students know important dimensions of sustainable development and the discourses in the context of the SDGs 2. Students get an overview how ETH Zurich contributes to sustainable development and the achievement of the SDGs 3. The lecture series enables students to contribute to sustainable development during their studies and research, as graduates on the job market, and as members of the society 4. Writing and reviewing a short blog post trains students to communicate acquired knowledge effectively for a broader audience. |
| Content | Kick-Off: Introduction to the SDGs: 1 – Education, gender and inequality 2 – Health, well-being and demography 3 – Climate change, decarbonization and sustainable industry 4 – Sustainable food, land, water and oceans 5 – Sustainable cities and communities 6 – Digital revolution for sustainable development Conclusion: Student inputs: Wrap up and synthesis |
| Lecture notes | 1-2 short papers will be posted on the Moodle each weak. |
| Literature | Selected scientific articles: Sachs, J. D. (2019). Six Transformations to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Nature Sustainability, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0352-9 Schwan, G. (2019): Sustainable Development Goals: A call for global partnership and cooperation. GAIA 28/2, 73, DOI: https://doi.org/10.14512/gaia.28.2.1 |
| Prerequisites / Notice | Open to advanced Bachelor and all Master level students enrolled at ETH Zurich |
Performance assessment
| Performance assessment information (valid until the course unit is held again) | |
Performance assessment as a semester course | |
| ECTS credits | 2 credits |
| Examiners | B. Wehrli, O. Kassab |
| Type | ungraded semester performance |
| Language of examination | English |
| Repetition | Repetition only possible after re-enrolling for the course unit. |
| Additional information on mode of examination | Students write a short blog post on one of the six themes and constructively review two other blog posts. Length: 3000-4000 characters. |
Learning materials
| No public learning materials available. | |
| Only public learning materials are listed. |
Courses
| Number | Title | Hours | Lecturers | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 701-0900-00 G | The UN Sustainable Development Goals in Context | 2 hrs |
| B. Wehrli, O. Kassab |
Groups
| No information on groups available. |
Restrictions
| There are no additional restrictions for the registration. |
Offered in
| Programme | Section | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agroecosystem Sciences Master | Electives Courses | W+ |  |
| Environmental Sciences Bachelor | Environmental Planning | W | |