How colleges are preparing the next generation for climate change and sustainability

The United Nations in 2015 created 17 Sustainable Development Goals, targets to be achieved by 2030 in order to create a foundation for a more sustainable future.

At the University of Minnesota Crookston, the next generation of climate scientists, policymakers and activists is learning how to make these goals a reality.

Katy Chapman, an associate professor and the sustainability coordinator at the University of Minnesota Crookston, is teaching a class called COVID-19 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

One thing you might not expect about this class: The majority of the students are not science majors. “Sustainability is not focused on any major. It really touches every discipline,” Chapman told MPR chief meteorologist Paul Huttner.

The Sustainable Development Goals cover everything from poverty and public health to climate and energy action. That’s why the course is “open to anyone who wants to further the planet’s goals,” Chapman said.

In the movement to “build back better” after COVID-19, Chapman sees an opportunity. “Let’s break down the infrastructure that’s there and build something … around the Sustainable Development Goals,” she said.

Chapman joined Climate Cast this week to talk about the class and the future of sustainability.

Click play on the audio player above or subscribe to the Climate Cast podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS to hear the full conversation.