Understanding climate
for the benefit of society

Bjerknes Center researchers teach on many platforms. Meike Becker gave a talk during a climate voyage with the ship Staatsraad Lehmkuhl earlier this August. Photo: Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research

"A vital part of our commitment to Agenda 2030!"

The SDG213 course sets out to teach a new generation to tackle the challenges of climate change.

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The MOOC course Causes of climate change is held for the fourth year running. Anyone interested in climate change can follow the course on the FutureLearn platform.

This year the course has been further developed as a part of the normal UiB program, through the interdisciplinary course, SDG213. SDG213 has its origins in the UN Sustainable Development Goal 13 – Climate Action.

"It's important for UiB to educate a new generation, ready to tackle the challenges of climate change," says Kerim Nisancioglu, professor of climate dynamics with the UiB and the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Change.

"It's a vital part of our commitment, as a university and a research institution, to the Agenda 2030 and the sustainable development goals.

In New York, ahead of the upcoming Climate Action Summit, he will be meeting colleagues from universities from different parts of the world to discuss how to best educate a new generation in the science of climate change – with the experience from the UiB at hand.

A truly interdisciplinary course

SDG213 is led by Nisancioglu, and will have lecturers from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, the Faculty of Social Sciences, as well as Norwegian School of Economics (NHH).

"We have put together a fantastic team of researchers, ready this fall," says Nisancioglu.

The course has been popular, with 55 students. Nisancioglu says Norways location makes some of the work easier:

"We are in the Arctic. We can already see the changes, and we can bring the students into the field to experience them."

The feedback from the motivation of the students the first months are diverse, gathering people across faculties and disciplines. Nisancioglu says they range from learning on the causes of climate change, to preparing for an art exhibition a student is producing.

"Young students of today are very aware of the SDG goals and the new dedicated courses in Bergen – SDG 13 Climate Action, SDG 14 Life below water and SDG 15 Life on land – are in high demand."

The online version of SDG213 is available for everyone, and you can still sign up here.