Online Course Launch Policymaking for Climate Action & Circular Economy (edX) - from evidence to actionable policy

This event is a hybrid launch for the new edX Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) titled "Policymaking for Climate Action and Circular Economy". As a European Climate Pact satellite event, it aims to reach local communities and specific sectors to discuss climate solutions and highlight the role of education in the Pact as weel as to offer a learning space for EU Climate Pact Community members. The event will introduce the course, demonstrate its key learning elements—ranging from climate science and policy instruments to circular economy strategies—and provide a platform for stakeholders to strengthen their policy literacy.

Format of the Event

The event is designed as a 60-minute hybrid session held at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg and online via Zoom or Teams, followed by 45 minutes of optional informal networking for on-site participants. 

The engagement methodology includes:

• Keynote & Walkthrough: A short keynote address followed by a live demonstration of the MOOC platform.
• Interactive Participation: Use of live polling (via Mentimeter) to gather participant preferences and identify policy barriers.
• Mini-Workshop: Breakout sessions (both on-site and online) where participants engage in a practical exercise: "Choose instruments for a sector case." This will focus on sectors like transport, housing, energy, or textiles.
• Plenary Share-back: A collective discussion on trade-offs, including costs, benefits, equity, and social acceptance.
• Call-to-Action: Encouraging participants to enroll in the MOOC or share information about it and perhaps join a Pact learning cohort?

Topics

The event and the associated MOOC cover a comprehensive policy-learning path, including:

• Climate Science to Policy: Translating scientific evidence into actionable policy instruments.
• Policy Selection & Assessment: Evaluating policy packages based on effectiveness, distributional impacts, and implementation feasibility.
• Sector-Specific Cases: Focused applications in aviation, energy, textiles, and more.
• Circular Economy: Strategies for integrating circularity into broader climate action.

Objectives

The primary objectives of this satellite event are to:

• Strengthen Climate Policy Literacy: Build the capacity of the EU Climate Pact community to communicate and advocate for credible policy mixes.
• Foster Stakeholder Dialogue: Facilitate a more effective exchange between citizens, municipalities, and organizations regarding taxes, subsidies, regulations, and information-based instruments.
• Scale Learning Resources: Provide a high-quality, open-access tool (the MOOC) that allows for continued community activation and competence building.
• Build a Community of Practice: Create a potential Pact learning cohort that persists beyond the launch event to support long-term climate goals.

This event is non-profit and open to the public with no admission fees, aligning with the core requirements for all Pact satellite activities.