This MSc in Urban Environment, Sustainability & Climate Change Master track directly contributes to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). As a prospective student, you'll delve into a curriculum tailored to address the urgent challenges of our changing world. Join us in fostering a sustainable urban future, where your education directly contributes to achieving these vital global goals.
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
Environmental pollution (of air, water, and soils) is caused by unsustainable development practices and inadequate regulation and/or enforcement. These problems threaten natural ecosystems and human health. As part of the programme, you will learn about sustainable development approaches, better stewardship of natural resources, nature-based solutions, and circularity that can help mitigate collateral damage from exploiting natural resources.
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene is the most basic human need for health and well-being. Decades of misuse, poor management, over-extraction of groundwater and contamination of freshwater supplies have exacerbated water stress. The module on the land-water nexus approach can help to promote better stewardship of water resources.
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
Goal 7 is about ensuring access to clean and affordable energy, as renewable energy plays a central role in the sustainable transition process, leading to a climate-neutral economy. Students will learn more about energy transitions during Module 4 on sustainable transitions that create valuable opportunities to realize fair and affordable energy systems.
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
Goal 9 seeks to build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. Innovation plays a significant role in transitioning to climate-neutral cities. Modules on nature-based solutions and climate mitigation will explore various concepts and theories demonstrating how the overarching idea of urban climate resilience can be transformed into an operational framework.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
Goal 10 is about reducing inequality that threatens long-term social and economic development and harms poverty reduction. The course looks at how climate change mitigation and adaptation will eventually reduce threats and risks to nature and humanity by paying special attention to vulnerable groups to understand and take into account their needs and circumstances in maintaining social welfare in a more sustainable and equitable world.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Goal 11 is about making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. By exploring the underlying challenges to the goal of climate neutrality and sustainable development, the course introduces the environmental and social. and institutional background knowledge related to climate change and resilient cities which is required to better understand social inequalities. regional risks, and climate extremes.
SDG 13: Climate Action
Goal 13 aims to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. This programme is built around theories, frameworks and methods that can lead to safer metropolitan agglomerations with fewer environmental and climate risks. In several ways, students will be given the opportunity to relate theories to practices and learn from practitioners how to act in the field and transform knowledge into realistic approaches.
SDG 15: Life on Land
Goal 15 is about conserving life on land. This goal goes to the heart of the sustainable development challenge in the Master track, namely, to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage natural resources and public goods, and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss. "Business as usual" land development, in the name of "land to the highest bidder", is a threat to all these goals and poses unacceptable climate risk.