Climate Action: Tackling the Climate Crisis for a Better World
Take action to help tackle the climate crisis and contribute to a sustainable, just world with impactful climate solutions.
Duration
4 weeksWeekly study
4 hours100% online
How it worksDigital upgrade
Free
Climate Action: Tackling the Climate Crisis for a Better World
Learn to tackle the climate crisis and advancing social justice
This course is designed for individuals passionate about addressing the climate crisis while creating a sustainable future that is just and equitable for all. Tackling the climate crisis is crucial for preventing catastrophe, but also this course emphasises the need for systemic climate action to build a better world. It’s about creating a future, where climate action can lead to positive change and a fairer society.
Drive social change through climate action
Explore the links between social justice and climate action. Discover how transforming energy production and use, transport, food systems , and business
can reduce emissions. The course highlights the need for climate action to promote fairness for vulnerable communities. You’ll learn how practical solutions
can drive real change and contribute to a fairer world.
Learn key climate mitigation and adaptation strategies
You’ll explore climate mitigation strategies and understand how industries can transition to low-carbon solutions. From renewable energy to green transition strategies, you’ll learn how to influence sectors critical to the planet’s future. By the end of the course, you’ll understand how you can help shape climate policy and local action to reduce carbon emissions and create a low-carbon future.
Empower yourself for personal climate action
This course isn’t just about learning—it’s about taking personal climate action. You’ll create your own climate action plan to contribute to a sustainable future, ensuring your efforts align with climate justice and social change. Whether you’re a student, activist, or passionate about environmental leadership, you’ll learn to make a real difference.
Syllabus
Week 1
Crisis, injustice, hope and agency
Welcome
Watch a video welcoming you to the course and another video introducing the climate crisis.
Introducing the climate crisis: how we threaten or secure the liveability of the planet
An introduction to the climate crisis and how our collective climate actions and choices shape the future of human civilisation.
Understanding the issue: the climate story so far
In this activity you will explore how we have got to where we are in terms of the climate crisis, examining key political, socio-economic and ethical issues.
Action and agency: what you can do to help tackle the climate crisis
In this activity you will explore what individuals can do to mitigate the climate crisis, giving you a sense of agency and inspiring and motivating you to take action in your contexts.
Change is possible – how change happens and what we can learn from it
This activity fosters the idea that change is possible, providing you with hope and strengthening your sense of agency.
Summary
Read a summary of the key points from Week 1.
Week 2
Changes needed and what you can do
About Week 2
You will be introduced to what will be covered in Week 2.
Changes needed to avert climate breakdown and improve our lives
This activity introduces key ethical issues around different ways to limit climate risks.
Changes needed in transport and how we travel
In this activity you will explore measures for reducing transport emissions and reflect on what actions could be taken to reduce them.
Changes needed in food, farming and forestry
In this activity you will explore measures for reducing emissions from food production and consumption and reflect on what actions could be taken to reduce such emissions.
Changes needed in buildings and households
In this activity you will explore measures for reducing emissions related to buildings and households and reflect on what actions could be taken to reduce such emissions.
Changes needed in the energy sector
In this activity you will explore measures for reducing emissions in the energy sector and reflect on what actions could be taken to reduce such emissions.
Changes needed in business, organisations, work and education
In this activity you will explore what businesses, organisations and education institutions can do to reduce emissions. You will then create an action plan for your business, organisation, work or educational establishment.
Envisioning a desirable future version of your town or city
In this activity you will create a vision of what your town or city could look and feel like in 10 years’ time, linked to the changes that could reduce emissions in each of the different sectors.
Summary
Read a summary of the key points from Week 2.
Week 3
Communication and advocacy: promoting the right messages and policies
About Week 3
Read a short text introducing Week 3.
How to communicate about the climate crisis
Explore different ways of communicating about the climate crisis and learn about opportunities for and barriers to effective communication.
Hotspots and hot debates of climate policy
Engage with the opinion piece and encounter key issues and hot debates in climate policy. Get equipped to respond to the opinion piece and similar debates or discourses in other contexts.
Tackling misleading claims or discourses that delay serious climate action
Find out about a number of misleading claims or delay discourses and learn how to identify and respond to them. Write a full response to the opinion piece.
Summary
You will read a summary of the key points from the week.
Week 4
Vision, imagination, action, and commitment
About Week 4
Read a short text introducing Week 4.
Longing, imagination, and vision as mobilisers for change
In this activity, you will engage in imagination and visioning exercises and expand on your visions from weeks 1-3.
From visions of the future to stories of change
In this activity, you will develop a story of how we can get from the present day to your vision of the future, and reflect on what role you could play in that story.
Your personal climate action compass and action plan
This activity guides you through the process of creating your own Personal Action Compass, which will form the basis of your action plan.
Summary
Read a text that recaps key takeaways from the course, which you can also download as a pdf document.
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
If you'd like to take part while our educators are leading the course, they'll be joining the discussions, in the comments, between these dates:
- 2 Jun 2025 - 27 Jun 2025
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Explain why society must urgently take adequate climate action, and why everyone has a role to play
- Identify meaningful climate actions you can take in your contexts/areas of interest
- Engage with public discourse on the climate crisis
- Produce a vision of a positive future, creating a story of how this future may come about
Who is the course for?
This course is designed for people who are passionate about climate action, sustainability, and social justice. Whether you are a student, early-career professional, or someone engaged in climate activism, this course will equip you with the knowledge and tools to make a meaningful impact. It’s especially relevant for those from regions where climate change impacts are most severe, such as the Global South. But it’s also valuable for anyone looking to contribute to a more just world through their studies, career or community efforts. If you are motivated by the desire to make a real difference in addressing the climate crisis while promoting fairness and sustainability, this course is for you.
Who will you learn with?
I am a sociologist and a professor at Leeds University Business School. I dream about the future and how humans can live a happy, peaceful life without destroying the planet or each other.
I am an interdisciplinary researcher, educator and activist working on climate, sustainability, wellbeing, and justice. I am devoted to empowering people and building a better, fairer world for all.
I am a researcher with expertise in work and employment. I am interested in how workers, trade unions and organisations engage in climate and environmental actions with fair and just outcomes.
I'm a marketing lecturer at Leeds University Business School. I'm passionate about helping others communicate about climate change creatively. We can all do our bit for a better world.
Viktoria Spaiser is Professor of Climate Politics and Computational Social Science at the School of Politics and International Studies, University of Leeds.
Who developed the course?
University of Leeds
As one of the UK’s largest research-based universities, the University of Leeds is a member of the prestigious Russell Group and a centre of excellence for teaching.
What's included?
University of Leeds are offering everyone who joins this course a free digital upgrade, so that you can experience the full benefits of studying online for free. This means that you get:
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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