Summary

Over the past four weeks, we’ve embarked on a transformative learning journey together with the other learners on this course.

We’ve learned about the climate crisis; its challenges and the systemic changes needed to tackle this crisis and build a better world along the way. We’ve reflected deeply, learned collaboratively and equipped ourselves with the tools to take meaningful action.

In Week 1, we uncovered the urgency of the climate crisis and its interconnected injustices. We reflected on why this issue matters to you personally and globally, grounding ourselves in hope and belief in the possibility of positive change and a better world. 

We connected with our longing for that better world and developed concrete visions of it, making it a future we want to create and fight for. We discovered our personal and collective agency in shaping our shared future and explored numerous ways each of you can take action and contribute to the change needed. This foundation helped you connect deeply to the task and possibilities ahead, inspiring you to think big about the changes you want to see. 

In Week 2, we turned our attention to the practical transformations needed across key sectors – energy, transport, food, housing, business, education, and overall production and consumption. 

We examined concrete actions that can drive these changes and explored how individuals, communities and organisations can contribute. We learned about our personal carbon footprints and how we can reduce them through both individual changes and collective action driving broader systemic changes. 

By envisioning solutions in our own contexts, we began to link the need for change to the positive future we can build, and see how the actions we can take here and now can improve our lives both now and in the future. 

In Week 3, we learned the art of communication, exploring different approaches to address social or mental barriers and communicate effectively in different situations, while engaging critically with misleading narratives and debates around climate action. 

We developed strategies to counter delay discourses, explored contentious policy issues and honed our ability to inspire others through effective framing and storytelling. This week empowered us to navigate the messy terrain of climate discourse and effectively advocate for effective, bold and just solutions. 

Finally, Week 4 brought everything together. Through visioning exercises, we imagined what a flourishing, low-carbon and just society could look like ten years from now. We worked backward from these visions to craft actionable roadmaps and forward-looking stories of change, and identified what role we see ourselves playing in these stories. 

Through the Personal Action Compass, we aligned our unique strengths and interests with the actions that feel the most meaningful in our context and that we can do together with others. The course culminated in creating our personal action plans and formulating and sharing pledges for how we will contribute to the transformative changes we want to see. 

You’ve now built a rich, action-oriented understanding of the climate crisis, the changes needed to tackle it and how you can contribute to implementing these changes and creating a better world along the way. Grounded in your vision, hope, creativity and commitment and equipped with a wealth of ideas and powerful tools and strategies to guide your actions, you are now in a great position to play your part in creating the future you want.  

We’re grateful that you’ve joined us throughout this journey. We can’t wait to see the positive changes you will make moving forward. We hope this course has left you feeling inspired, empowered, and ready to contribute to a better, fairer, more sustainable future.

To paraphrase climate activist Bill McKibben:  

Thank you for everything you’ve done to tackle this crisis and build a better future – and thank you for everything you will do. 

You can find a PDF version of this summary in the Downloads section below. You may find this useful in the next step as you reflect on your learning journey on this course.