Postgraduate Course: Business and Climate Change (ECNM11033)
Course Outline
| School | Business School |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The course Business and Climate Change challenges students to think about climate change in the context of businesses' current and future decision-making. The students will gain an in-depth understanding of the fundamental challenges that climate change poses to the way in which the economy and society are organised. |
| Course description |
Climate change (Levin et al. 2007) brings significant risks for natural and social systems (cf. IPCC 2013) costing 'at least 5%' and 'up to 20% of global GDP each year' (Stern 2006: vi). These developments pose fundamental challenges to the way in which society is organised and governed and will multiply existing 'threats at a very rapid pace, changing patterns that will not allow people to stay where they are and to continue to eat' (Dillon 2015). An increasing number of studies therefore advise that an interdisciplinary effort from businesses, society and policy makers alike is needed to respond to these challenges.
The course Business and Climate Change challenges students to think about climate change in the context of businesses' current and future decision-making. Currently, businesses are largely treated as organisations that are impacted by climate change, rather than being important participants, and possibly leaders, in attaining a low carbon society. The students will learn to challenge this interpretation of businesses by gaining an in-depth understanding of the fundamental challenges that climate change poses to the way in which the economy is organised.
More specifically, the students will gain expertise on why and how business leaders make decisions on climate change and in which way such decisions are linked to the socio-economic surroundings of businesses. The course will prepare the students to be future business leaders that engage with climate change in sustainable, profitable and meaningful ways.
Syllabus
Introduction
Business and Climate Change: The Challenge
Corporate Social Responsibility, Greening, Business Ethics
Climate Change Related Policies
The Policy-Making Process and Climate Change Policy
Carbon Accounting
Carbon Reduction
Renewable Energies, Waste Management and Recycling
Business Strategy and its Tools
Case Studies on Business and Climate Change
The Circular Economy
Business Networks and Personal Values
Group Presentations
Climate Change from the perspective of the Public Sector
Climate Change from the perspective of a Business Leader
Course Review
Student Learning Experience
The students will be taught twice a week for two hours. Typically, a lecture session will consist of: a presentation by the lecturer, active participation by the students, individual exercises, group work, discussions and debates.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Students on other School of GeoSciences and Business School or School of Economics MSc programmes may enrol by prior agreement between relevant Programme Directors and the Course Organiser. Anyone wishing to enrol students from outside of these Schools should contact the Course Secretary in the first instance. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2016/17, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 40,
Summative Assessment Hours 50,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
106 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
60 %,
Coursework
40 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Group presentation in week 8 on topic allocated 2-3 weeks before presentation (30%) (group mark).
One-page written summary of presentation (10%) (group mark) (please upload summary to Turnitin before your presentation!).
Written examination consisting of 5 compulsory short answer questions and 1 longer essay question (from a choice of 2) (60%). |
| Feedback |
Feedback on formative assessed work will be provided within 15 working days of submission, or in time to be of use in subsequent assessments within the course, whichever is sooner. Summative marks will be returned on a published timetable, which has been made clear to students at the start of the academic year.
Students will gain feedback on their understanding of the material when they discuss their answers to the tutorial questions in the tutorials. Students may also ask questions in Lectures to assess their knowledge.
Feedback Format
Weeks 2-7: In-class discussions, groupwork, case studies and exercises (informal peer and lecture feedback)
Week 10: Group presentations (formal peer and lecturer feedback)
January 2016: General feedback on the exam questions will be provided to all students |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | Business and Climate Change | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Understand and critically evaluate the impacts climate change has on business (and vice versa)
- Identify climate change-related strategic risks and opportunities
- Apply tools and practices associated with measuring, reporting and analysing carbon emissions
- Identify and apply mitigating and adapting to climate change to individual businesses
- Know, evaluate and advise on the role and responsibility that businesses have on leading towards a low carbon economy
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Reading List
| A reading list, with essential and additional reading associated with each lecture, is available on the course Learn page. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Graduate Attributes, Personal and Professional Skills
- Knowledge and Understanding
- Practice
- Generic Cognitive Skills
- Communication
- Autonomy, Accountability and Working With Others
Subject Specific Skills
After completing this course, students should be able to:
- Understand past, current and future developments in climate change related policies and its relevance to businesses
- Differentiate between different business strategies that are commonly associated and at times confused with activities that relate to climate change mitigation and/or adaptation
- Know the impact that climate change has on the business community and the impact that businesses have on climate change
- Apply adequate mitigation and/or adaptation activities to individual businesses
- Comprehend how to account the carbon and create a carbon foot print for a business
- Understand the impact of climate change to the economy and different businesses industries
- Critically examine the opportunities and pitfalls of climate change for businesses, and the difference of this impact to small and medium-sized enterprises and bigger corporation
- Apprehend the concept of the circular economy and evaluate as well as develop ideas on how to create ¿prosperity without growth¿ |
| Keywords | BCC |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Kathi Kaesehage
Tel:
Email: Kathi.Kaesehage@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Ashley Harper
Tel: (0131 6)51 5671
Email: Ashley.Harper@ed.ac.uk |
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