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At a time of planetary crisis, how do we move towards a more sustainable future? In 2009 the United Nations declared that we need to live in Harmony with Nature. In 2015 the United Nations then cited Harmony as a consequence of the successful implementation of its Sustainability Goals.

The concept of Harmony is found in western philosophy, Chinese thought, indigenous world views and other faith traditions and wisdom teachings. It sees the planet, including humanity, as part of a single organic whole. Recent variations on this theory include Deep Ecology and the Gaia Hypothesis.

This innovatory programme examines questions of sustainability, starting from the premise that people, society and nature are all part of a network of relationships in which no part can be understood separate to the whole. Study options range from ecology and spirituality to social justice and sustainable business and communities, allowing students to take a variety of approaches leading to a dissertation based on a supervised research project, contributing to our understanding of the ways to create a sustainable world.

The programme will be of value to professionals in sustainability and ecology who are concerned with integrated solutions and broad perspectives.

The programme is also part of wider developments at UWTSD, including its status as a Hub for UNESCO’s BRIDGES coalition, the aim of which is to better integrate humanities, social science, and local and traditional knowledge perspectives into research, education and action for global sustainability.

The programme is inspired by the need to consider the interests and wellbeing of future generations, embodied in the cutting-edge legislation of the Welsh ‘Well-being of Future Generations Act’.