CAS ETH in Climate Innovation

The kick-off module lays the foundation for understanding the climate crisis by covering its natural sciences and placing the issue within the Swiss context. It also addresses climate communication through the lens of psychological safety, and introduces the theory of transformation and the concept of climate justice, preparing participants to engage effectively with these critical topics.

The module starts with an introduction to psychological safety, an approach that fosters connections with peers and broadens participants’ understanding of the diverse skills necessary to address the climate crisis. Participants learn how to take active responsibility, co-define guiding principles, and embrace imperfection.

Participants then learn about the potential threats and opportunities that climate change poses for their companies and institutions. They are introduced to the concept of net zero and its underlying science, enabling them to critically evaluate net negative emissions approaches and distinguish these from CO₂ compensation measures.

Trough the hands-on 'rich picture' exercise, participants develop an understanding of the complexity of Switzerland’s climate problem. They explore the opportunities and challenges that are presented by this exercise, gaining insights about different approaches to addressing the climate crisis.

Shifting from understanding the climate crisis, participants delve into theories of transformation. They learn about the relationship between personal values, beliefs, and preferred interventions, considering their impact on social innovation and change. By applying dialogue principles, participants engage in meaningful conversations and gain clarity on the theory of transformation they are most drawn to.

Finally, participants will learn about climate justice to grasp the complexity of climate and social justice concepts. Social justice is covered in the context of its relevance in climate justice debates and negotiations. Participants will also understand the challenges of operationalizing this concept when considering justice as an element of climate innovation.

This module focuses on the core principles of leadership and innovative problem-solving, equipping participants with the tools and insights needed to drive meaningful change in the face of uncertainty.

Participants explore the fundamentals of leadership, tracing its historical evolution and understanding its critical role in navigating change. They gain insights into practical psychological concepts essential for fostering progress and innovation in uncertain times. The module also covers the theory of change, teaching participants how to design projects that meaningfully address expected changes.

Additionally, they explore a tool with ten steps to make research more societally relevant. By approaching this tool from a practitioner's perspective, they learn how it could be applied in the context of climate innovation for structuring and organizing their projects.

Furthermore, participants are introduced to 'design thinking', which equips them with methods and tools to tackle a wide range of problems: they learn to observe and interact with key stakeholders, developing a deep understanding of what is truly important and emotionally meaningful to those at the center of a problem. Through ideation and quick iterations of prototyping and testing, participants validate possible solutions using various tools and materials, ensuring a practical and user-centered approach to problem-solving.

This module is motivated by the need for decision makers on all levels to have the necessary facts to identify cost-effective instruments for adapting to an ever-changing environment.

Participants become familiar with the basic concepts of risk, resilience, and risk governance, with a particular focus on natural catastrophe modeling and assessing climate change impacts under current and future scenarios. They learn how to methodologically appraise climate adaptation options, gaining the skills necessary to evaluate and implement effective strategies. Additionally, participants explore how economic players manage their climate risk, both in the transition to net zero and in addressing physical risks to their assets and operations.

This module discusses the transition towards net zero based on carbon dioxide removal strategies. It also covers leadership approaches essential for managing change in complex environments.

Participants gain an understanding of current carbon dioxide removal market developments and challenges at the system level. They explore key aspects of navigating the transition to net zero with carbon removal pre-purchases at the firm level and they learn to balance trade-offs and make decisions within boundary conditions at the individual level.

Participants also apply a leadership framework to transfer course content into tangible outcomes for their individual challenges. They learn about the importance of accepting culture in leading change, including informal networks of influence and knowledge. Additionally, participants grasp the significance of external and internal contexts in complex environments, especially during periods of change.

In the quest for sustainable development, understanding the interplay between economics and environmental policy is important. This module covers the economic principles that underpin market efficiency and explores the role of market-based instruments in addressing environmental challenges.

Participants learn the rationale behind free markets achieving efficient outcomes based on neo-classical economics, and the necessity of market-based instruments to address environmental externalities like carbon pollution. They gain insights into the drivers of technological lock-in and its impact on the adoption of low-carbon technologies, as well as the sequence of policy instruments that can facilitate a transition to a low-carbon economy. Through critical evaluation, they assess the effectiveness of approaches to climate policy, considering evidence from national policy and international cooperation. Additionally, participants become adept at applying these theories to design and evaluate policy approaches for sectoral mitigation challenges.

The study of biodiversity is key to understanding and preserving our natural world. This module covers the basics of biodiversity and highlights its role in sustaining ecosystem services.

Participants learn about the concept of biodiversity, how it can be captured and modeled, and about the past and current rates of biodiversity change. They understand the link between habitat and species loss and the role of biodiversity in ecosystem functions. Additionally, participants gain a deeper understanding of how biodiversity is threatened, the implications of biodiversity loss, and how nature contributes to human well-being. They explore the global approach to saving biodiversity through the 'Convention on Biological Diversity', its history, and the diverse perspectives and conflicts in biodiversity protection and management.

Furthermore, participants investigate the structure and function of aquatic plankton ecosystems, their role in global biogeochemical cycling, and the dynamic nature of marine plankton diversity. They learn about present and future projections of plankton diversity and how to consider the differences between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in conservation and policy efforts. Using citizen science tools such as plankton nets and microscopes, participants learn to quantify and visualize plankton diversity.

The immersive week includes time for case study work using design thinking where participants engage in ideation, prototyping, and testing with stakeholders and experts.

Furthermore, participants gain knowledge on basic theories, challenges, and best practices in the field of climate communication, with a focus on professionals working in climate innovation or aiming to achieve impact within their organizations and networks. They reflect on and engage in climate communication tailored to their target audiences and anticipated communication challenges. Participants engage in hands-on work and practical exercises to refine their presentation skills and content.

Each participant is responsible to arrange their accomodation and transport for the stay in Zurich.

Please consult the Housing Office of ETH Zurich for suggestions.

Entry in the ETH Course Catalogue (2024): 743-0001-00L

10 ECTS

Programme fee

• CHF 9,500

Application fee

• CHF 50 for persons with a Swiss university degree, CHF 150 for persons with another university degree (non-​​​refundable, credit card payment only)

Withdrawal fee

• Deregistration within 30 days after the admission date provided in ETH correspondence: Free of charge
• Deregistration more than 30 days after the admission date and before the start of the programme: CHF 3,500
• Deregistration after the start of the programme: CHF 9,500 

Master's degree acknowledged by ETH or equivalent educational qualifications, preferably in science or humanities, with a background in natural sciences, engineering, architecture or business. Relevant work experience of 3 years or more.   

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