Sustainability: The Nature of the Problem PDF

Sustainability: The Nature of the Problem EBM210A05 Sustainability: Strategies, Innovation, and Change dr. Björn C. Mitzinneck | [email protected] slide | 2 Agenda Systems thinking and the Learn...

Sustainability: The Nature of the Problem EBM210A05 Sustainability: Strategies, Innovation, and Change dr. Björn C. Mitzinneck | [email protected] slide | 2 Agenda Systems thinking and the Learn in g O tendency “to shift the burden” 1) A pprec bject ives of sus iate the n taina a bility ture issue Wicked problems 2) R ecogn s symp ize to subst matic ver antiv s e solu us tions slide | 3 How Unsustainable are we? First generation to see effect, last who can change it? slide | 4 Biodiversity loss (UN, 2019) slide | 5 Climate change slide | 6 Nitrogen crisis slide | 7 Systems Thinking for Sustainability Analysis “fixes-that-fail” : the original problem comes back at a later time (Ehrenfeld, 2008) sustainable ≠ less unsustainable slide | 8 Biodiversity loss (UN, 2019) slide | 9 Can Technology Save Us? Technohubris “we are spending our limited resources on the wrong things” (Ehrenfeld 2008) slide | 10 Climate change slide | 11 On the Side? (Ehrenfeld, 2008) slide | 12 Nitrogen crisis slide | 13 Removing the Pressure? “Attempting to address the symptoms of ecological stress rather than go to the root of the problem is a form of shifting-the- burden.” (Ehrenfeld, 2008) slide | 14 Time to change? “ We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them ” Albert Einstein slide | 15 Shifting the Burden Carbon offset Increasing air travel Rising aviation emissions Rebound effect Delay Alternative propulsion technology / alternative transport means / reducing travel need slide | 16 Rebound Effect slide | 17 Benefits of Systems Thinking for Sustainability Potential to see undesirable consequences of actions Can help prevent “fixes that fail” Remember that these systems occur inside organizations as well as in broader society look for perverse incentives and shifting burdens within your organizations à real improvements come not from shifted but removed burden slide | 18 Can Ehrenfeld’s Critique be Critiqued? slide | 19 Sustainability as a Wicked Problem? traditional problem wicked problem slide | 20 Characteristics of Wicked Problems 1. Extremely difficult (impossible?) to define precisely 2. No definitive solution 3. Implemented solutions tend to have (large) consequences 4. Interconnected with other problems 5. Involving many stakeholders (cf. Rittel & Webber, 1973; Camillus, 2008) slide | 21 Tensions slide | 22 Synergies (Bear, Rahman & Post, 2010) slide | 23 Symptomatic Solutions “Good” After All? “ We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them ” Albert Einstein slide | 24 Recap 1. Systems thinking for sustainability a rn in g Ob jectives Le 2. Wicked problem characteristics c iate th e nature 1) Appre b ility issues of susta in a ize 2) Recogn tic versus symptoma tan tive so lutions subs