Course summary

Energy - at the heart of sustainability Energy comes in many forms. First, its availability in the landscape, such as coal, wind or the sun, must be transformed into electricity. It is then carried in pipes and grids to where it is needed to power our everyday lives. All this takes materials and has an economic, environmental and human cost. Yet, energy is essential to everyday human life and at the heart of sustainability. The world needs a fast but fair transition to a low-carbon society to address global climate change. How can this be achieved? Scotland and Edinburgh are prime contexts in which to investigate such dynamics. Scotland is a world leader in renewable electricity generation. It has a history of hydroelectricity, North Sea oil, and a future in tide and wave energy. However, it also suffers from high levels of energy poverty, a challenge many people face. What will I learn? The MSc in Energy, Society and Sustainability equips you with an understanding of how different societies can address the challenge of balancing energy with sustainability. It brings together a social, political, economic, and environmental understanding of low-carbon technologies. You will explore the risks, costs, and benefits of transitioning to low-carbon energy in a globalised world by asking the following questions:

• How do we achieve energy security across different contexts, timescales, places and people?

• How do we achieve energy justice across different contexts, timescales, places and people?

• How do we achieve environmental sustainability across different contexts, timescales, places and people?

• How are societies affected by the energy transition? And how do people, policy, and society enable or hinder it?

• Visit the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute website for more information.