The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were a remarkable advancement when adopted by the United Nations in 2015. For the first time, the world committed towards a broad spectrum of common goals ranging from climate action to sustainable economic growth, from life below water to sustainable cities, ending hunger and poverty to responsible consumption and production, and reduced inequalities to inclusive industrialisation. Agenda 2030 is a clear recognition that our biosphere's preservation depends on the sustainable stewardship of planet Earth.

Worldwide, implementation of both the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement is lagging far behind the ambitious targets. In support of both agreements, the UNEP/UNESCO/BMUV 6-month course follows an integrated and interdisciplinary approach putting methods and instruments for making more progress at the centre, and covering sustainability, environmental management and nature-based solutions. The curriculum is organised in several modules comprising conservation and restoration ecology, water and atmosphere, soil and land resources, sustainable urban and regional development, waste management and circular economy, renewable energy and energy efficiency. An overarching science-policy interface frames all disciplines.

Moreover, all participants will train fundamental, cross-sectoral relevance skills such as policy advice, presentation skills, project planning and management, which can be applied in the context of their local realities as well as communication across disciplines and cultures, participatory government practices, and understanding of geo-information.

The overall approach is to blend academic knowledge with local, traditional and professional expertise for finding practical and practicable solutions.

The lectures are given by professors of Technische Universität Dresden and experts from various national and international institutions, including also the collaboration of CIPSEM alumni. Participants are required to carry out a research project with a scientific scope on a specific environment-related subject and present the results of this work in a symposium at the end of the course.