The ABC of sustainability

The ABC of sustainability

Instructor: Campus BBVA

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What you'll learn

Understanding sustainability, learning about the use of natural resources and forming opinions about social and environmental issues.

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Assessments

7 assignments

Taught in English

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There are 4 modules in this course

The sustainability agenda is currently key to companies, governments and citizens. It’s vital for people to have first-hand knowledge of the basic concepts in order to understand all issues related to sustainability as a vector of systemic change in the economy, society, companies and our lives.

The course is an introduction to sustainability, regarded as a cross-cutting discipline in our society (in the public and private international spheres) that’s based on the most updated public information on economic, social and environmental issues. It outlines how sustainability is holistically applicable to everyday situations in the population, natural resource use and the global economy and in its interaction with the biosphere, as well as social factors such as a fair transition, equity, equality, diversity, human rights, education and health. By the end of this course you’ll have obtained a broad overview of the key challenges and potential solutions to achieve sustainable, socially just and environmentally possible development while respecting the planetary boundaries.

This module introduces the definitions of sustainability within a global context of permanent change affecting the current and future generations. The international sustainability reference frameworks are also presented.

What's included

8 videos17 readings2 assignments

8 videosTotal 13 minutes

Welcome to the course 1 minutePreview module
What’s sustainability? 1 minute
Other meanings of sustainability 2 minutes
Sustainability vis-à-vis the five current crises 2 minutes
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)1 minute
Major challenges1 minute
Another way of viewing the SDGs1 minute
How did the Paris Agreement come about?1 minute

17 readingsTotal 167 minutes

Why is sustainability important?5 minutes
Concept and chronology10 minutes
Would you like to learn more about sustainability? 5 minutes
Effects of the pandemic: Health crisis5 minutes
Effects of the pandemic: Economic crisis5 minutes
Effects of the pandemic: Social crisis 20 minutes
Effects of the pandemic: Environmental crisis 15 minutes
Effects of the pandemic: Political crisis5 minutes
Would you like to learn more about the SDGs?20 minutes
The role of companies in the 2030 Agenda10 minutes
The role of SMEs in the 2030 Agenda5 minutes
The five steps of the SDG Compass20 minutes
Let’s take a look at an example: Upcycling the Ocean2 minutes
How are the countries doing?10 minutes
A global agreement on climate action 10 minutes
Climate change mitigation and adaptation10 minutes
What can companies do?10 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 15 minutes

Show what you have learned5 minutes
Show what you have learned10 minutes

Stakeholders are key to the sustainability of organizations. Throughout this module we’ll seek to understand the role of each of them and their expectations when it comes to creating economic, social and environmental value in the short, mid and long terms. We’ll also explore the concepts and definitions of the first sustainability pillar: “Environment”.

What's included

13 videos15 readings2 assignments

13 videosTotal 38 minutes

The Stakeholder Radar1 minutePreview module
Actors of change towards a just and regenerative society (I)10 minutes
Actors of change towards a just and regenerative society (II)9 minutes
Actors of change towards a just and regenerative society (III)5 minutes
The tragedy of the commons 1 minute
Human exploitation and the effects of climate change 2 minutes
What do the experts think?1 minute
Energy use and the energy transition 1 minute
Water and agriculture: Two interrelated systems 1 minute
A brief introduction to environmental policies 1 minute
Terrestrial ecosystems: why are they important? 1 minute
Marine ecosystems: why are they important? 1 minute
The impact of climate change on people, society and companies1 minute

15 readingsTotal 145 minutes

Actors of change 10 minutes
Would you like to learn more about the Stakeholder Radar? 5 minutes
How can we secure their engagement? 15 minutes
Let’s take a look at an example: Self-regulation of water resources 5 minutes
Goals, scenarios and situations5 minutes
The transition towards a more sustainable energy model (I) 15 minutes
The transition towards a more sustainable energy model (II)15 minutes
Sustainability-related challenges 5 minutes
Greenhouse gas emissions 10 minutes
The environmental impact of agriculture and food10 minutes
Let’s take a look at an example: pollution in cities5 minutes
Biodiversity, forests and species20 minutes
Human rights and biodiversity 5 minutes
Ocean conservation 10 minutes
What can companies do?10 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 10 minutes

Show what you have learned5 minutes
Show what you have learned5 minutes

In this module we’ll learn some concepts related to the other two sustainability pillars: “Economic” and “Social”. The concept of inclusive and population growth within the framework of limited resources will be further explored. Human rights, gender equality and the relationship between the socio-economic SDGs and sustainable development will be covered in a cross-cutting manner.

What's included

4 videos11 readings2 assignments

4 videosTotal 5 minutes

The economic and social context 1 minutePreview module
Population growth 0 minutes
Human rights and equality1 minute
The role of finance in sustainable development 1 minute

11 readingsTotal 140 minutes

Economic growth10 minutes
Let’s take a look at an example: China20 minutes
Historical growth of the world’s population 10 minutes
Causes and consequences of population growth 10 minutes
Projections and trends in the evolution of the world population10 minutes
The protect, respect and remedy framework10 minutes
What can companies do?25 minutes
The Corporate Human Rights Benchmark (CHRB) Report15 minutes
Why is the financial sector important in the transition towards a sustainable future? 10 minutes
The key role of regulation in the sustainable transition10 minutes
Challenges and opportunities10 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 10 minutes

Show what you have learned5 minutes
Show what you have learned5 minutes

In this final module we’ll examine the tools available for measuring and reporting sustainability. We’ll also summarize the previous modules to pool some conclusions and a vision of the global sustainability trends for the forthcoming decades of the 21st century.