Program Overview

Introduction to Sustainable Cities

The Sustainable Cities program is part of the greening the economy series, exploring how to shape urban development towards sustainable and prosperous futures. This course examines sustainable cities as engines for greening the economy, placing cities in the context of sustainable urban transformation and climate change.

Program Overview

Sustainable urban transformation refers to structural transformation processes multi-dimensional and radical change that can effectively direct urban development towards ambitious sustainability and climate goals. The course connects the key trends of urbanization, decarbonisation, and sustainability, and examines visions, experiments, and innovations in urban areas.

Course Structure

The course is built on a collection of diverse short films and key short readings on sustainable cities, as well as interactive forums and a practical assignment to create an online learning community. The program provides key examples of activities to promote sustainable cities in Scandinavia, Europe, and around the world, showcasing films and reports by various organizations.

Weekly Modules

• Week 1: Sustainable Urban Transformation
  • This week explains why cities are strategically important to sustainable development, climate change, and greening the economy.
  • The concept of sustainable urban transformation is presented as a foundation for understanding urban change processes.
  • Special focus is given to activities related to energy, mobility, and buildings.
• Week 2: Infrastructure and Planning
  • This week covers the role of urban infrastructure and planning in creating sustainable cities and greening the economy.
  • The role of building standards in shaping sustainable cities is discussed, along with the business, technical, and social implications of sustainable urban development.
• Week 3: Urban Living Labs
  • This week presents urban living labs, including engagement, exploration, experiments, evaluation, and entrepreneurs.
  • Examples are presented on international collaboration between local governments and urban experiments on decarbonisation.
• Week 4: Future Urban Visions
  • This week examines how visioning processes can shape policies and plans for sustainable cities, both among individuals and organisations.
• Week 5: Sustainable Urban Lifestyles
  • This week discusses how local governments can influence urban lifestyles and the creation of sustainable cities.
  • The sharing economy practices and organisations, as well as the emerging concept of smart sustainable cities, are explored.

Program Details

• The course is produced by Lund University in cooperation with WWF and ICLEI.
• The program consists of 30 films and 4 instructors.
• The duration of the course is 5 weeks, with approximately 5 hours of course work per week.
• Participants may transfer to later sessions to extend the course.