Business and Climate Change: Towards Net Zero Emissions

Once considered a peripheral issue for business, climate change – and our response to it – is increasingly taking centre stage in strategic planning for businesses and organisations. As the physical impact of a changing climate becomes more evident, and public concern and activism intensifies, businesses across sectors are confronted with a growing array of climate-related risks, such as litigation and transition threats. As these risks escalate, they can quickly render a company's physical, human, and intangible assets devalued or stranded, creating a need for a resilient and sustainable business model.

The University of Cambridge Business and Climate Change: Towards Net Zero Emissions online short course gives you a holistic business understanding of how best to mitigate the business risks of climate change and oversee a low carbon transition. Gain the knowledge and skills to combat climate change in your context, and learn to build a business model that is resilient and profitable in the low carbon, resource-efficient economy of the 21st century. By stimulating a ‘triple bottom line’ of people, profit, and the planet, you’ll enhance the potential longevity of your organisation, and unlock new opportunities for growth and innovation both now and into the future.

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course the learner is expected to be able to:

• Understand the multifaceted business risks posed by climate change, and the strategic opportunities and untapped value that arise from taking action.
• Develop strategies for driving collaborative action and stimulating triple bottom line performance accounting for people, profit, and the planet.
• Rewire your business model for long-term resilience and profitability in an uncertain and disruptive future.
• Develop a low carbon transition action plan to help you set your organisation's sustainability objectives, enabling you to lead change in your organisation and beyond.

Course structure

1. A changing climate for business
2. The vision of a low carbon future
3. The need to repurpose the economic system
4. Collaborating and leading a low carbon transition
5. Decarbonisation success stories
6. Innovation and design for a low carbon 21st century
7. Leading change and coping with disruption
8. Your role in leading the transition