Energy Justice Fostering More Equitable Energy Futures

Are you motivated by the idea that social justice can be served by the energy transition, but are not sure how to make this happen?Do you want to grow your ability to recognize - and do something about - injustice in the energy space?

Are you a sustainability or environmental professional eager to help design just energy systems?

Do you wonder how to help advance equity in your community’s energy decisions?

This course is for you!

Energy is the lifeblood of the modern way of life. Yet not everyone has equal access to its benefits, and the environmental and social costs of producing, transporting, and using it are not evenly distributed. In this course you will explore the idea and practice of energy justice: what does it look like? Why are societies struggling to achieve it? What do we mean by sociotechnical energy systems, and how can we make them more equitable?

The purposes of this course are (1) to introduce individuals and organizations to the concept of energy justice and where it comes from, and (2) to help them build a toolkit to identify and leverage opportunities to increase fairness and equity in energy-related decisions and actions. After completing this course, learners should be better equipped to recognize and confront energy injustice in their personal and professional lives, and to help envision and foster energy justice in society.

Course Learning Objectives

At the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Define energy justice and explain its relationship to environmental justice, climate justice, and energy democracy • Define structural inequity and describe the impact of historical racism on today’s energy systems • Describe the social complexity of energy systems as well as their major physical elements • Identify and explain key energy justice principles and frameworks • Distinguish between multiple forms of injustice in energy systems and analyze potential remedies • Discuss energy injustice and structural inequality with fluency • Identify and assess energy injustices in personal, professional and civic contexts • Design strategies to integrate energy justice into professional work and civic life • Advocate for energy justice as an essential element of energy transitions and climate change mitigation • Envision more just energy futures

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Syllabus

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week 1
Introduction to the Course and to the Landscape of Energy Justice
Week 2
Energy Systems and Justice Frameworks
Week 3
Creating More Just Energy Systems

FAQ

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?

Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:

The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.

The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?

When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.

Is financial aid available?

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

Reviews

This course was great! I learned so much about environmental and energy justice from a diverse group of experts. Would highly recommend this course!

The course topic is very unique. The case studies and toolkit are really interesting.