The main objective of this course is to understand the principles of sustainable development by understanding the possibilities, constraints and interactions of its academic definitions, decision-making tools and practices. Students will gain familiarity with applying tools and methodologies in a variety of settings (e.g. fieldwork and modelling). The course will use a social-cultural, ecological and economic perspective on the concept of Sustainable Development, at different spatial and temporal scales, and in different contexts (e.g. climate change, health, food forest, business models). The course will consist of lectures, practical sessions, the discussion of assigned reading materials in small groups, and case studies to review the application of particular concepts and methods in a private, public or scientific setting.
By the end of the course students will:
* have grasped the historical, socio-economic, political and environmental fundamentals of the concept of sustainable development;
* appreciate the contested meaning of sustainable development from a variety of perspectives;
* be able to translate the general concept of sustainable development to a range of business, topical and spatial contexts;
* appreciate the use of the selected approaches in implementing and measuring sustainable development;
* be able to work as a team member on the practical implementation of sustainable development strategies.

Sustainable development means different things to different people, but the most frequently quoted definition is from the report Our Common Future (the Brundtland Report):
"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
Sustainable development focuses on improving the quality of life for all of the Earth's citizens without increasing the use of natural resources beyond the capacity of the environment to supply them indefinitely. It requires an understanding that inaction has consequences and that we must find innovative ways to change institutional structures and influence individual behaviour. It is about taking action, changing policy and practice at all levels, from the individual to the international. A wide variety of groups—ranging from businesses to municipal governments to international organizations such as the World Bank—have adopted the concept and given it their own particular interpretations. These initiatives have increased our understanding of what sustainable development means within many different contexts.

Students are not required to buy a specific book