This half-semester graduate course undertakes a critical examination of the institutional and organizational architecture that governs human-environment-economy interactions. Moving beyond diagnosis, the course seeks to understand how the explicit goals, ownership structures, and mandates of key actors—governmental organizations (national and multinational), private firms, and civil society (NGOs)—either fundamentally support or impede sustainable solutions. The course analyzes the institutional failures that block progress on the SDGs, focusing on practical barriers such as political and profit-driven short-termism, the fiduciary duties of corporations (and the added pressure of private equity), and the geopolitics and operational effectiveness of governmental and multilateral organizations. Students will develop the critical skills needed to assess organizational blueprints and understand the role of institutional design and function in achieving long-term sustainability goals.