Course Syllabus

Course Description

Sustainable development has emerged as one of the most important discourses of the 21^st century. It is a multi-dimensional concept, which aims to integrate environmental, social, and economic objectives, and no single academic discipline definitively addresses its problems or solutions. This course explores some of the key issues and themes of sustainable development, as well as pragmatic and practical strategies for promoting a more sustainable society.

Learning Objectives

• Critically examine key concepts, debates, and contested meanings of sustainable development.
• Assess the roles of government, civil society, and business in shaping sustainability transitions.
• Connect academic knowledge with practical sustainability action and real-world change strategies.
• Compare sustainability discourses, stakeholders, and practices across Denmark, Europe, and the student’s home context.
• Develop critical reflection on sustainability challenges, including tensions between economic growth and environmental degradation, and articulate informed values for a more sustainable society.

Faculty: Emmanuel Gentil

Ph.D. in environmental engineering, DTU, Denmark, 2011. Independent environmental consultant. Senior Consultant at Copenhagen Resource Institute, for the European Environment Agency and for the European Commission on waste management policy in EU. Ph.D. School Manager and Ph.D. researcher at DTU, Denmark 2006-2011. Master of business strategy and environmental management, Bradford. With DIS since 2013.

Readings

IPBES (2019). Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Summary

WWF (2024). Living Planet report 2024. A system in peril (Full report). Switzerland, 94 pp

EEA (2025). Europe's environment 2025. Europe’s environment and climate: knowledge for resilience, prosperity and sustainability. EEA report 11/2025

Lafortune, Guillaume and Grayson Fuller (Eds) (2026). Europe Sustainable Development Report 2026: SDG Pathways to 2030 and Mid-Century. Paris: SDSN and Dublin: Dublin University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.82163/224

Eurostat (2026). Sustainable development in the European Union – Monitoring report on progress towards the SDGs in an EU context – 2026 edition. doi:10.2785/9931334 

European Commission (2026). SDG EU progress tracker. (Accessed in August 2026)

Eurostat (2026). SDG and me. (Accessed in August 2026)

Strand, R. G. (2026). Nordic Capitalism: Lessons for Realizing Sustainable Capitalism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

EC (2019). The European Green Deal. COM/2019/640 final

EC (2021). A new Circular Economy Action Plan For a cleaner and more competitive Europe.

Pickett K, Costanza R, De Vogli R et al. (2026). Wellbeing for people and the planet: how to value everyone and everything on a thriving planet beyond 2030. The Lancet Planetary Health

State of Green (2021). Climate partnerships for a greener future. How to achieve one of the world’s most ambitious climate goals with recommendations from Denmark’s 14 climate partnerships. Copenhagen. 67 pp

Study tours

Core Course week and study tours are an integral part of the core course as we take the classroom on the road and see how theory presented in the classroom translates to practice in the field. You will travel with your classmates and DIS faculty/staff on two study tours, a short study tour during Core Course Week in Bornholm, Denmark and a long study tour to Norway.

Approach to Teaching

The course consists of a diversity of teaching formats, including formal lecturing, discussion and debates. The teaching material will include videos, book chapters, articles and reports.

In order to facilitate active participation in class, each of you will be asked to talk about news articles relevant to the subject during the first 10 minutes of each class. A list of sources will be provided. It is your responsibility to do the requested reading and watch the videos. This exercise will benefit the whole class by allowing us to have more informed discussions and thereby learn from each other.

AI Policy

In this class, AI tools are permitted and assumed to be part of the learning environment, but they must be used to support your learning rather than replace it. You may use AI to brainstorm, outline, revise, study, or test ideas, but you are responsible for understanding, evaluating, and owning all final work you submit. AI should help you think more deeply, not think for you. If AI use becomes a substitute for reading, writing, problem-solving, or reflection, it will weaken the very skills this course is designed to build.

Because AI systems have a significant combined environmental impact, they should be used thoughtfully and only when they genuinely improve learning. You are expected to use AI efficiently, critically, and transparently, and to recognize that every use of AI has costs as well as benefits. In this class, the goal is not to avoid AI, but to use it in ways that strengthen cognition, judgment, and independent learning. Any AI-generated content must be checked carefully for accuracy, bias, and relevance, and your own thinking must remain central to the work.

Ecosia (based on French company mistral AI), claim to use 100 % renewable energy to power their training and their datacenters.

Computers cannot be taken to take notes (tablets are OK and students with written accommodation are OK) but will be used when required for some exercises. AI glasses (meta glasses) and recording of any kind (audio, video, transcript), as well as headphone / earpieces during class is strictly prohibited to ensure that we a safe and inclusive learning environment for everyone in the classroom.

Tips for using AI:

• Beware of data poisoning: malicious or bad training data can bias or corrupt model outputs; for example, fake examples that link “refund” to “refund denied” can make a support bot give wrong answers.
• Watch for hallucinations: models can invent facts or sources, so always verify references and claims.
• Remember privacy with free AI: prompts and outputs may be used to train models, so don’t share sensitive information.
• Avoid unintentional plagiarism:  submitting lightly edited AI text as your own can violate academic integrity; for example, asking an AI for a paragraph and submitting it with minimal edits is still plagiarism.
• Improve results by refining prompts: vague prompts yield poor output; invest effort in clear, specific prompts and iterate.
• Verify numbers and facts: don’t trust statistics or facts from AI without checking reliable sources; you’re responsible for any errors.
• Disclose AI use in assignments: include a short paragraph noting how you used AI; failure to disclose may breach academic honesty rules.
• Use AI thoughtfully and seek permission when needed: only apply it where appropriate and confirm policies with other instructors or courses.

DIS Accommodations Statement

Your learning experience in this class is important to me.  If you have approved academic accommodations with DIS, please make sure I receive your DIS accommodations letter within two weeks from the start of classes. If you can think of other ways I can support your learning, please don't hesitate to talk to me. If you have any further questions about your academic accommodations, contact Academic Support academicsupport@dis.dk

Expectations of the Students

• Participate in all activities
• Engage in discussions, ask questions, and contribute to achieving the learning objectives
• Respect the speakers, DIS staff, and your fellow classmates
• Be curious
• Represent yourself, your home university, and DIS in a positive light

Evaluation

You will be evaluated through 2 short essays. Some concrete exercises will be performed (creating and producing a planetary diet food menu) to test your understanding of the key concepts of course.

Participation will be based on the following criteria:

• Attendance
• Active participation in class discussions
• Preparation for each class
• Reading all assigned texts
• On-time submission of all class assignments
• Active participation in study tours and field studies

Grading

You will receive written instructions in class regarding individual assignment details.

Assignment	Percent
Article presentation	10%
Core course week	15%
Long Study Tour Assessment	15%
Final Assignment	40%
General Participation	20%

 

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org