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Policy, Technology, and Carbon Free Cities

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Policy, Technology, and Carbon Free Cities

Included with

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • Understand the role and authority of local government and citizens in making sustainability decisions and ways to engage the public more effectively.

  • Evaluate the strategies and opportunities for carbon-neutral cities, and weigh these costs and benefits against carbon-intensive cities.

  • Evaluate key technologies and design innovations driving resilience and sustainability programs and policies.

  • Analyze the effect of local policies on density, transit, public health, and climate.

Details to know

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Assessments

14 assignments¹

AI Graded see disclaimer
Taught in English

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Building Sustainable Cities Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
  • Learn new concepts from industry experts
  • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
  • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
  • Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 5 modules in this course

Welcome to Policy, Technology, and Carbon Free Cities, the second course in the Building Sustainable Cities Specialization. This course is intended to build upon foundational concepts introduced in the first course, Climate Resilience and Urban Sustainability.

Through Policy, Technology, and Carbon Free Cities, you will gain the ability to apply a comprehensive toolkit of policy and technology innovations to bolster community resilience. You will develop strategies to implement urban sustainability and climate resilience policies effectively and evaluate opportunities to enhance your community through innovative approaches. You will benefit from an in-depth understanding of sustainability practices through case studies and learn how these can be scaled to larger communities. The course uniquely emphasizes the role and authority of local governments and citizens in decision-making processes, equipping you with the skills to engage the public effectively. Policy, Technology, and Carbon Free Cities stands out by offering insights into cutting-edge and traditional technologies that drive sustainability and resilience. Through interviews with experts and real-world examples, you will explore diverse strategies, including carbon removal and smart city innovations. Additionally, the course examines the impact of local policies on urban development and public health, providing a holistic view of sustainable urban planning. By the end, you will be prepared to create a vision for future cities, leveraging smart technologies and policy innovations to address climate challenges.

Welcome to the Policy, Technology, and Carbon Free Cities course. Get started by meeting the instructors, reviewing expectations for the specialization and course, and introducing yourself to the class.

What's included

2 videos3 readings1 discussion prompt

2 videosTotal 7 minutes
  • Meet the Instructor: William Shutkin4 minutes
  • Meet the Instructor: Shane Casey3 minutes
3 readingsTotal 21 minutes
  • Course Updates and Accessibility Support1 minute
  • About this Specialization10 minutes
  • About this Course10 minutes
1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes
  • Introduce Yourself10 minutes

This module explores sustainability practices in Boulder, Colorado, and examines how these can be scaled to larger communities. It covers the roles of local governments and citizens in sustainability decision-making and strategies for effective public engagement. Through case studies, quizzes, and discussions, you will gain insights into the dynamics of urban resilience and community involvement.

What's included

10 videos11 readings4 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

10 videosTotal 60 minutes
  • Welcome to Module 12 minutes
  • Sustainability In Practice8 minutes
  • Interview with Susie Strife "What are Some of the Most Exciting Sustainability Practices in Boulder Today?"12 minutes
  • How to Scale Impact7 minutes
  • Interview with Susie Strife "How Can a Community Exert Impact at Scale?"4 minutes
  • Role of Local Government7 minutes
  • Interview with Jonathan Koehn "How is Your Role Most Effective in Implementing Sustainability Initiatives?"6 minutes
  • Community Decision-making6 minutes
  • Interview with Susie Strife "How Does Boulder County Support Residents Overcoming Barriers to Policy?"1 minute
  • Interview with Jonathan Koehn "What Has Been Your Experience Engaging With the Public on Sustainability Issues?"6 minutes
11 readingsTotal 118 minutes
  • What is a Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Why is it Important?10 minutes
  • Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Boulder County, CO (2021)15 minutes
  • Boulder County Announces 2024 Climate Innovation Fund Recipients10 minutes
  • Boulder is one big step closer to putting Exxon and Suncor on trial for climate change10 minutes
  • Innovation Grants Awarded to Four Projects that Will Transform Waste to Reduce Wildfire Risk, Lock Away Climate Pollution10 minutes
  • As Federal Climate-Fighting Tools Are Taken Away, Cities and States Step Up10 minutes
  • Supporting Local Governments as Climate Change Threatens Their Communities10 minutes
  • Boulder's Climate Action15 minutes
  • Your Power as a Citizen10 minutes
  • 5 Reasons to Include Community in Decision-Making10 minutes
  • Community connectors plug residents into Boulder’s civic engagement process8 minutes
4 assignmentsTotal 40 minutes
  • Sustainability In Practice Quiz10 minutes
  • How to Scale Impact Quiz10 minutes
  • Role of Local Government Quiz10 minutes
  • Community Decision-making Quiz10 minutes
1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes
  • Benefits and Challenges of Community Engagement60 minutes
1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes
  • Key Takeaways10 minutes

This module provides an in-depth analysis of sustainability practices in cities worldwide, focusing on strategies for achieving carbon neutrality. Students will evaluate the costs and benefits of carbon-free versus carbon-intensive cities, utilizing case studies and quizzes to understand the implications of different urban sustainability approaches. The module aims to equip participants with the knowledge to advocate for sustainable city planning in their communities.

What's included

7 videos9 readings3 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

7 videosTotal 50 minutes
  • Welcome to Module 22 minutes
  • Carbon-Free Strategies9 minutes
  • Carbon-Free Cities Handbook, Rocky Mountain Institute6 minutes
  • Sustainability Practices6 minutes
  • Interview with Korkut Onaran "What Is the Thesis of Your Book "Urbanism for a Difficult Future"?14 minutes
  • Interview with Korkut Onaran "What Is a Hyperlocal Community, and What Sustainability Benefits Does This Model Provide?"9 minutes
  • Costs and Benefits4 minutes
9 readingsTotal 95 minutes
  • Clearing the Air: Why Low-Carbon Transportation is Critical for Cities 10 minutes
  • The Health, Economic and Community Benefits of Zero-carbon Buildings10 minutes
  • How much clean energy does it take to make green steel?10 minutes
  • The Clean Energy Future Is Arriving Faster Than You Think10 minutes
  • The City Where Cars Are Not Welcome10 minutes
  • How Heidelberg built one of the world’s largest carbon-neutral districts10 minutes
  • The Climate Impact of Your Neighborhood, Mapped10 minutes
  • Climate Emergency, Urban Opportunity15 minutes
  • How Oslo Learned to Fight Climate Change10 minutes
3 assignmentsTotal 30 minutes
  • Carbon-Free Strategies Quiz10 minutes
  • Sustainability Practices Quiz10 minutes
  • Costs and Benefits Quiz10 minutes
1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes
  • Sustainability Strategies60 minutes
1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes
  • Key Takeaways10 minutes

This module explores the technologies and design innovations that drive resilience and sustainability in urban environments. It examines the benefits of both modern and pre-modern technologies as preferred solutions for urban sustainability. Participants will create a vision for future cities using smart city technologies and policy innovations, integrating historical insights with new advancements to address contemporary sustainability challenges.

What's included

6 videos15 readings4 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

6 videosTotal 34 minutes
  • Welcome to Module 32 minutes
  • Innovations5 minutes
  • Interview with Paul Lander "What Are Some of the Key Technologies, Policies, and Innovations to Address Water Resilience Challenges?7 minutes
  • Ancient Technologies6 minutes
  • New Technologies5 minutes
  • Smart City9 minutes
15 readingsTotal 130 minutes
  • Barcelona bets on ‘digital twin’ as future of city planning10 minutes
  • Fast-Growing Mini Forests Help Cool Down a Desert City10 minutes
  • Ecosystems as Infrastructure: A New Way of Looking at Climate Resilience10 minutes
  • Lawns Draw Scorn, but Some See Room for Compromise10 minutes
  • Riding a wave of innovation: These 10 start-ups are securing the world's freshwater10 minutes
  • Facing a Future of Drought, Spain Turns to Medieval Solutions and ‘Ancient Wisdom’10 minutes
  • As Heat Waves Intensify, Europe’s Cities Rely on Age-Old Ways to Stay Cool5 minutes
  • One of Europe’s Hottest Cities Rediscovers an Old Cooling Technique10 minutes
  • How to Adapt Home Design for Extreme Heat10 minutes
  • As Climate Shocks Multiply, Designers Seek Holy Grail: Disaster-Proof Homes10 minutes
  • AC is hard on the planet. This building has a sustainable solution5 minutes
  • A New Job for Electric Vehicles: Powering Homes During Blackouts10 minutes
  • A New City, Built Upon Data, Takes Shape in South Korea10 minutes
  • What a Smart City Is… and Is Not5 minutes
  • Smile, Your City Is Watching You5 minutes
4 assignmentsTotal 40 minutes
  • Innovations Quiz10 minutes
  • Ancient Technologies Quiz10 minutes
  • New Technologies Quiz10 minutes
  • Smart City Quiz10 minutes
1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes
  • Smart Cities and New Technologies60 minutes
1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes
  • Key Takeaways10 minutes

This module examines policy innovations in sustainable urban development, focusing on best practices in resilience and sustainability policy. It evaluates opportunities for urban sustainability offered by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act and related programs. Participants will analyze the impact of local policies on urban density, transportation, public health, and climate, using case studies to illustrate effective strategies and outcomes.

What's included

5 videos9 readings3 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

5 videosTotal 26 minutes
  • Welcome to Module 41 minute
  • Best Practices7 minutes
  • Inflation Reduction Act8 minutes
  • Interview with Jonathan Koehn "How Has the Inflation Reduction Act Changed the Way Sustainability is Done in Local Government?5 minutes
  • Local Policies5 minutes
9 readingsTotal 105 minutes
  • In Search of Cool Green Spaces, Paris Turns to an Old Rail Line10 minutes
  • Beyond GDP: How your city can use alternative measures of social, environmental and economic progress15 minutes
  • Triple Bottom Line10 minutes
  • The IRA Is Our Best Shot at Tackling Climate Change—But Only If We Don't Squander It10 minutes
  • Cities Advancing Climate Action: Unlocking the Potential of the Inflation Reduction Act25 minutes
  • Vermont Utility Plans to End Outages by Giving Customers Batteries10 minutes
  • Community Resilience Hubs5 minutes
  • London Is Now the World’s Largest Low-Emissions Zone. Was the Fight Worth It?10 minutes
  • Congratulations and Next Steps10 minutes
3 assignmentsTotal 30 minutes
  • Best Practices Quiz10 minutes
  • Inflation Reduction Act Quiz 10 minutes
  • Local Policies Quiz10 minutes
1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes
  • Local Policies in the Built Environment60 minutes
1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes
  • Key Takeaways10 minutes

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Instructors

University of Colorado Boulder
3 Courses2,384 learners
University of Colorado Boulder
3 Courses2,384 learners

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Frequently asked questions

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¹ Some assignments in this course are AI-graded. For these assignments, your data will be used in accordance with Coursera's Privacy Notice.