Program Overview

Green Futures (BPLN0079)

Key Information

• Faculty: UCL Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment
• Teaching department: Bartlett School of Planning
• Credit value: 15
• Restrictions: This module is only available to Bartlett School of Planning undergraduate students.

Alternative Credit Options

There are no alternative credit options available for this module.

Description

Content

The module's overall aim is to develop the students' understanding of how to design, plan, and implement low carbon and climate-adapted cities, drawing on international examples. First, it teaches the students to identify key greenhouse gas emitting activities; the potential opportunities for and threats to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in cities. Second, it helps students to understand the ways in which cities might adapt to climate change. During the module, students will be taught about the role of municipalities in creating low carbon and climate-adapted cities and the range of instruments which can be used to enable this. We will also discuss how urban socio-technical systems must alter in order to reduce emissions and enable cities to adapt to climate change. A mixture of reading, lectures, and weekly workshops will help to build student knowledge in this area. This knowledge will then be applied to analyzing the climate mitigation and adaptation strategies for existing cities and develop strategies for improvement.

Teaching Delivery

This module is taught in 10 weekly lectures followed by group workshops.

Indicative Topics

• Climate mitigation & adaptation in cities
• The role for municipalities in addressing climate change
• Instruments for addressing climate change
• The role of regulation in addressing climate change
• The role of spatial planning in addressing climate change
• The role of Economic and fiscal instruments in addressing climate change
• Co-evolution of socio-technical systems, changing social practices & lifestyles
• Technology and design for addressing climate change
• Smart cities, data, and knowledge for addressing climate change

Additional Costs

There are no anticipated additional costs for this module.

Module Deliveries for 2026/27 Academic Year

Intended Teaching Term: Term 2

• Undergraduate (FHEQ Level 5)

Teaching and Assessment

Mode of Study

• In person

Methods of Assessment

• 100% Coursework

Mark Scheme

• Numeric Marks

Other Information

Number of Students on Module in Previous Year

• 64

Module Leader

• Professor Joanna Williams

Last Updated

This module description was last updated on 10th March 2026.