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GPS 404 · Unit 3 of 6

Transition Strategy and Decarbonization

Sustainable Business and Climate Strategy

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Unit overview

This unit develops transition strategy, abatement levers, and decarbonization pathways using Solara Foods as the anchor. You will apply marginal abatement cost curve, no-regret levers, transition capex sequencing, internal carbon price to a live decision: Five-year decarbonization capex plan with plant-level accountability

Learning objectives

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

  • Explain core vocabulary for transition strategy, abatement levers, and decarbonization pathways in plain language with Solara Foods examples
  • Apply marginal abatement cost curve to structure options, assumptions, and tradeoffs
  • Build reconciled evidence tables with leading indicators and guardrail metrics
  • Produce a decision memo with kill criteria and stakeholder dissent

Solara scenario

Plant managers debate biomass boilers versus renewable electricity contracts. Solara ranks 22 plant projects on $/ton and implementation time

Lessons in this unit

  1. Foundations and framing
  2. Concepts, mechanics, and operating rhythm
  3. Frameworks, evidence, and tradeoffs
  4. Applied decisions, case analysis, and executive synthesis

Assessment

Complete the unit knowledge check and applied exercise after Lesson 4. The exercise asks for a two-page memo on Five-year decarbonization capex plan with plant-level accountability with reconciliation checks and kill criteria.

Unit assessment

Complete each section below. Score 80%+ on the quiz to finish this unit's assessment.

50% applied project30% case work20% knowledge checks

Exercises

Apply what you learned in this unit with structured practice.

ExerciseApplied practice: Transition Strategy and Decarbonization45 min
Complete a focused practice exercise on **Transition Strategy and Decarbonization**. 1. Choose a real company, product, or situation you know. 2. Apply one core framework from this unit to analyze it. 3. Write your analysis in 300–500 words with a clear recommendation. 4. Cite at least one credible source.

Deliverable

300–500 word analysis document saved to your portfolio under GPS 404.

Rubric

  • • Framework applied correctly (not just named)
  • • Specific evidence from a real example
  • • Clear recommendation with tradeoffs acknowledged
  • • Professional writing with source citation
ExerciseDrill: Transition Strategy and Decarbonization30 min
Work through the practice problems in the unit lesson without looking at notes. Then check your work against the lesson and write a short reflection: - What you got right - One mistake you caught - One concept to review before the next unit

Deliverable

Problem solutions + 150-word reflection in your GPS 404 workbook.

Rubric

  • • Attempted all practice items before checking answers
  • • Honest reflection on errors
  • • Identifies a specific review action

Case analysis

Analyze a case using frameworks from this unit.

CaseCase analysis: Transition Strategy and Decarbonization60 min
Analyze a real business case through the lens of **Transition Strategy and Decarbonization**. Choose a public company event, HBR-style case, or documented decision. **Deliverable structure:** 1. Situation summary (150 words) 2. Analysis using this unit's frameworks (400 words) 3. Recommendation (150 words) 4. Risks and what would change your mind

Deliverable

2-page case write-up in your portfolio.

Rubric

  • • Case facts are accurate and sourced
  • • Analysis uses unit frameworks explicitly
  • • Recommendation is justified with tradeoffs
  • • Risks are specific, not generic

Knowledge quiz

Check your understanding before marking the unit complete.

1. Solara Foods faces: Plant managers debate biomass boilers versus renewable electricity contracts. Which framing best matches executive decision practice?

2. Which evidence label is correctly applied for Solara Foods?

3. Omar Haddad asks which framework fits Solara ranks 22 plant projects on $/ton and implementation time. Best answer?

4. Finance challenges a $180K-scale recommendation in GPS 404. What passes scrutiny?

5. Which kill criterion is strongest for transition strategy, abatement levers, and decarbonization pathways?

6. Stakeholder dissent is healthiest when:

7. Best one-sentence decision ask for this unit?

8. Solara Foods operates in 42 markets. What mistake should you avoid?

Next unit: Circularity, Nature and Resource Productivity →