Age of Sustainable Development online course by Columbia University

The Age of Sustainable Development gives students an understanding of the key challenges and pathways to sustainable development - that is, economic development that is also socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable.

About the course
This course provides an introduction to the interdisciplinary field of sustainable development, drawing on the most recent developments in the social, policy, and physical sciences. Sustainable development is the most urgent challenge facing humanity. The fundamental question is how the world economy can continue to develop in a way that is socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable. The course describes the complex interactions between the world economy and the Earth's physical environment.

Course Syllabus
Lecture 1: What is Sustainable Development?
Lecture 2: Economic Development - How we measure it, how it varies around the world
Lecture 3: A Short History of Economic Development
Lecture 4: Why Did Some Countries Advance While Others Remained in Poverty?
Lecture 5: The MDGs and the End of Extreme Poverty
Lecture 6: Growth within Planetary Boundaries
Lecture 7: Human Rights and Gender Equality
Lecture 8: Education
Lecture 9: Universal Health Coverage
Lecture 10: Sustainable Food Supply and the End of Hunger
Lecture 11: Sustainable Cities
Lecture 12: Curbing Climate Change
Lecture 13: Saving Biodiversity
Lecture 14: The Sustainable Development Goals