School of Green Transition and Sustainability

Climate change is a multidimensional global challenge that affects not only environmental systems but also economic structures, social relations, and international policy processes. Developing effective climate policies requires understanding the scientific foundations of the problem together with the joint assessment of mitigation, adaptation, and governance processes. This module aims to provide participants with a framework for evaluating, from a holistic perspective, the relationships between the causes and impacts of climate change and national and international policy instruments.

The module first addresses the scientific foundations of climate change, major greenhouse gas sources, and approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Feasible mitigation solutions are examined alongside the impacts of climate change at the global scale. The process of adapting to climate change is evaluated in the context of strengthening the resilience of societies, institutions, and systems in the face of changing climatic conditions. In this way, the complementary aspects of mitigation and adaptation approaches are intended to be understood.

In the module’s global policy dimension, the development of international climate policies is examined through the Paris Agreement and United Nations climate conferences. The responsibilities of actors involved in global climate governance and their relationships with one another are assessed, and the effects of international decision-making processes on climate action are addressed. Within this framework, it becomes clear that climate policies are linked not only to environmental objectives but also to economic and political priorities.

The impacts of climate policies on trade, production, and sectoral transformation are examined through the European Union Green Deal, carbon management, and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Türkiye’s net-zero strategy and Green Deal Action Plan are addressed within the national transition process and in relation to global developments. The economic, social, and geopolitical impacts of climate change, together with climate justice, are evaluated in terms of how the costs and benefits of responsibilities and transformation are distributed across different countries and social groups.

By the end of the module, participants are expected to be able to connect the scientific foundations of climate change with national and international policy processes, and to assess mitigation and adaptation approaches together. They are also expected to interpret the economic, social, and geopolitical consequences of climate policies and to compare the aims and effects of different policy instruments. In this way, the module aims for participants to develop an analytical perspective that enables them to evaluate climate-related developments in their own fields of work and to interpret transition processes more holistically.

Corporate sustainability is a comprehensive management approach that requires organisations to integrate environmental, social, and governance dimensions into their strategic decisions, operational processes, and conceptions of value creation. This module aims to equip participants with the conceptual foundations of corporate sustainability and to provide the competence to evaluate, from a holistic perspective, the relationships among developing, implementing, financing, and reporting sustainability strategies. The long-term success of organisations is addressed within the framework of stakeholder expectations, accountability, and organisational resilience.

The module first examines the historical development of the concept of sustainability and its reflections on corporate management thinking. The integration of sustainability into business strategy is evaluated in the context of defining organisational purposes, setting priorities, and monitoring performance. Through linking organisational goals with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the focus is on translating global objectives into concrete policies and practices at the organisational level. This approach supports an understanding of the managerial responsibilities that enable sustainability to be adopted across the organisation and embedded in decision processes.

In the reporting dimension of the module, the purposes, scopes, and core approaches of international standards and frameworks such as GRI, TCFD, and IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 are addressed. Integrated thinking and reporting are examined through the interactions among different forms of capital and organisations’ capacity to create value over time. Within the Türkiye Sustainability Reporting Standards, TSRS 1 and TSRS 2 are evaluated along the axes of disclosing sustainability- and climate-related risks and opportunities, governance, strategy, risk management, metrics, and targets. In this way, participants are expected to grasp the decision usefulness of sustainability information and its importance for organisational transparency.

In the final section, the financing of sustainability, sustainable financial instruments, ESG investments based on environmental, social, and governance factors, and responsible investment strategies are examined. The connections between financing choices and organisational transformation goals are discussed in terms of managing risks and creating long-term value. Linking sustainability performance with financial decisions contributes to participants’ ability to evaluate the mutual interaction between corporate strategy and capital allocation.

By the end of the module, participants are expected to be able to evaluate sustainability by connecting corporate strategy, reporting, and financing processes; identify areas of application suited to their organisations’ needs; and develop an analytical perspective that can contribute to sustainable transformation. In this respect, the module establishes a shared conceptual and practice-oriented foundation for participants from different disciplines.

Environmental sustainability is a holistic approach based on protecting natural resources, safeguarding ecological balance, and sustaining economic activities within environmental limits. The efficient use of resources, the reduction of environmental impacts, and the strengthening of resilience to climate change are among the fundamental elements of sustainable development. This module aims to equip participants with the conceptual foundations of environmental sustainability and to provide a framework for evaluating, in an integrated manner, the relationships among natural resource management, climate change, the circular economy, environmental footprints, and resource efficiency.

The module first addresses the historical development of the concepts of environmental sustainability and sustainable development. The fundamental principles of the sustainability approach are examined through the Brundtland Report and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Concepts of natural resource management, ecological balance, carrying capacity, and resource efficiency are evaluated with respect to protecting natural systems and the long-term use of resources.

Climate change and the process of adapting to it are addressed within the framework of national and international policies. Through circular and green economy models, the transition from linear production and consumption structures to approaches in which resources are retained longer within the economic system is examined. Through examples from the water, energy, waste, construction, and food sectors, how the principles of environmental sustainability can be reflected in different fields of activity is assessed. In this way, the relationship between resource use and production and consumption processes is intended to be understood within a broader systems approach.

In the measurement and management dimension of the module, the concepts of carbon, water, and energy footprints and the methods used to calculate these indicators are addressed. Core approaches to measuring environmental impacts are examined within the frameworks of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and relevant standards developed by the International Organization for Standardization. Carbon management, resource, water, and energy efficiency, carbon pricing mechanisms, and carbon-neutral and net-zero emission targets are evaluated together. Circular economy and sustainable industrial policies are linked with sectoral case studies from agriculture, industry, and energy, addressing the counterparts of theoretical approaches in different fields of application.

By the end of the module, participants are expected to be able to evaluate environmental sustainability issues by connecting natural resource management, climate policies, the circular economy, and environmental performance indicators. They are also expected to compare resource use and environmental impacts across different sectors and to interpret the purposes for which measurement and management tools can be used. In this way, the module aims for participants to develop a holistic perspective that enables them to address environmental sustainability goals in their conceptual, measurable, and practice-oriented dimensions together.

The transition to a circular economy requires restructuring production and consumption processes toward resource efficiency, the preservation of economic value, and the reduction of environmental impacts. Realising this transformation depends on understanding the interactions among organisational strategies, financial systems, regulatory frameworks, and public policies. This module aims to examine the relationships between the circular economy and the sustainable finance ecosystem in their economic, organisational, and social dimensions, and to provide participants with an analytical framework for evaluating green transition processes holistically.

At the outset of the module, the fundamental concepts, principles, and business models of the circular economy are addressed. The transition from linear production and consumption structures to circular systems is evaluated in the context of extending the useful life of products and materials, reuse, repair, and retaining resources within the economic system. The relationship of circular business models to corporate strategy is discussed through innovation, competitiveness, cost structures, and long-term resilience. In this way, the effects of the green transition on firms’ investment decisions and value-creation processes are made visible.

Within climate economics and carbon management, the economic consequences of climate change and the costs and benefits of decisions aimed at emission reduction are examined. Green policy and regulatory frameworks are treated as institutional mechanisms that shape the behaviour of economic actors. The functions of public policies and incentive mechanisms in supporting transition investments, reducing uncertainties, and directing resource allocation are assessed. The importance of coherence among policy instruments and of implementation conditions for the effectiveness of the transition is also discussed.

In the section on sustainable financial systems, emphasis is placed on channelling financial resources toward sustainable economic activities and reflecting climate-related risks in financial decision processes. The role of central banks is examined through the relationships among monetary policy, financial stability, and climate risks within their mandates. Interactions among financial institutions, public authorities, and firms are evaluated as the core components of the ecosystem that makes the financing of the transition possible.

The module concludes with a discussion of new economic paradigms focused on welfare, resilience, and just transition. Participants are expected to be able to relate circular economy practices to financial and regulatory conditions and to assess the economic and social consequences of the transition together. Within this framework, they are expected to gain the competence to compare policy and strategy options that can accelerate transformation across different sectors. The module also aims for participants to interpret critically the connections among resource use, investment priorities, and social welfare.

Social sustainability is an approach based on improving the quality of life of individuals and communities, ensuring fair access to opportunities, and strengthening social participation. The lasting success of environmental and economic transition processes requires understanding their effects on different social groups and developing practices that do not deepen inequalities. This module aims to address the social dimension of sustainability through the interactions among individual behaviours, social relations, and organisational responsibilities.

The module first examines the core concepts of social sustainability and its place within sustainable development. Through awareness of individual carbon, water, and energy footprints, the connections between the environmental consequences of everyday activities and social responsibility are evaluated. Sustainable choices in transport, nutrition, and consumption are discussed in the context of resource use, behaviour change, and lifestyles. It is recognised that these choices cannot be explained solely by individual preferences; they are also shaped by conditions such as income, infrastructure, access to information, and the availability of services. In this way, responsible consumption is intended to be assessed together with social equality and accessibility.

Another focus of the module is gender equality, inclusion, and just transition. The effects of the green transition on employment, skill requirements, and social welfare are addressed in terms of the opportunities and challenges faced by different groups. Emphasis is placed on the fair sharing of the costs and benefits of transformation, attention to the needs of vulnerable groups, and the strengthening of opportunities for participation. Within this framework, social sustainability is positioned as a fundamental criterion of evaluation in the design and implementation of transition policies.

In the section on stakeholder communication and engagement, understanding different expectations, building mutual trust, and increasing the inclusiveness of decision processes are examined. The relationship of effective communication to reflecting stakeholder views in decisions and establishing enduring participation mechanisms is explained. Ethical decision-making in sustainability is evaluated in light of the principles of responsibility, fairness, transparency, and accountability. Where conflicting interests and priorities exist, attention to the social consequences of decisions is emphasised.

By the end of the module, participants are expected to grasp the relationships between individual choices and organisational and social processes, and to evaluate sustainability practices in terms of equality, inclusion, and ethical responsibility. They are also expected to develop approaches in their own fields of work and life that strengthen stakeholder engagement, support behaviour change, and contribute to just transition. In this way, the module aims to reinforce a shared sense of responsibility that supports social resilience.

Clean energy technologies are among the fundamental components of the transition to a green and sustainable energy system. This module aims to address hydrogen technologies, energy storage systems, renewable energy sources, clean combustion technologies, and green transition applications from a holistic perspective, and to equip participants with up-to-date, practice-oriented knowledge in these areas.

The module first addresses the relationship between the hydrogen economy and sustainability. Methods of hydrogen production, storage technologies, and the use of hydrogen in energy, transport, industry, and other sectors are examined. The life-cycle assessment approach used in evaluating the environmental performance of hydrogen technologies is introduced, and foundational information is provided for assessing different production and use scenarios from a sustainability perspective.

In the energy storage section, fundamental energy storage concepts, battery systems and battery types, and charging methods and topologies are covered. Ageing mechanisms in batteries and second-life applications are examined, and the critical role of energy storage in renewable energy systems is assessed. In this way, energy storage technologies are addressed within a framework extending from basic concepts to the use life of batteries.

Within renewable energy sources, the potential and current status of solar and wind energy are examined. The structure and operating principles of wind turbines and wind power plants are addressed, while the structure and operating principles of photovoltaic panels and solar power plants are evaluated. Within this scope, the fundamental technological characteristics and operating principles of systems based on solar and wind energy are explained.

At the end of the module, sustainable energy and clean combustion technologies, next-generation combustion systems, and emission management are addressed. While green transition in industry and power systems is examined, next-generation combustion and propulsion systems are the focus within green transition in aviation. Current approaches to computational fluid dynamics (CFD) applications in clean energy technologies are also shared with participants.