Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2026 - SD 481 D100

Global Sustainability Governance and Action (4)

Class Number: 4037

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 5 – Apr 10, 2026: Tue, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

    Jan 5 – Apr 10, 2026: Thu, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    One of PLAN 100, PLAN 200, REM 100, or SD 281; and 60 units.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

From sustainability debates to policy windows and strategic goals (e.g., UN Sustainable Development Goals), students engage with tools and concepts to enable equitable change across contexts and sectors. This includes how policy is created, who the main players are in effecting change, and how we track and adapt to outcomes. Students with credit for REM 481 may not take this course for further credit.

COURSE DETAILS:

Students will explore the history of development actions, current sustainable development initiatives, and how large-scale change happens, including the role of local communities, governance actors, fields of research, and windows of opportunity.

 

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

Students who have completed this course should be able to:

  • Identify and appreciate historical sustainable development approaches and their lessons for future policy; 
  • Identify and apply key concepts in sustainable development work, including logical frameworks, theories of change, indicator dashboards, and the role of actors like international financial institutions and specialized agencies. 
  • Critically examine current national and global sustainable development initiatives, including their proposed mechanisms and intended goals;
  • Build from an understanding of multiple types of information and perspectives to formulate potential options for sustainable development policy and implementation that reconcile national and global agreements and guidelines with local contexts.

Grading

  • Assignments 40%
  • Quizzes 10%
  • Mid-term Exam 20%
  • Final Exam 30%

REQUIREMENTS:

One of PLAN 100, PLAN 200, REM 100, or SD 281; and 60 units. Students with credit for SCD 401 or REM 401 or REM 481 may not complete this course for further credit.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

All readings and materials will be provided to students through Canvas.

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.