Introduction: Tackling the Environmental Challenges of the 21st Century
Intro: Analyzing Complex Environmental Problems
How do we understand complex environmental problems and figure out where to start when designing solutions?
In the face of pressing environmental problems, it is natural to want to jump straight into action and focus on an immediate solution. But in order to design successful, equitable, and lasting interventions, we need to take a step back and get a deep and contextualized understanding of the problem.
Many environmental problems have several stakeholders and interacting social, political, economic, and ecological contexts. These are known as complex, systemic, or ‘wicked’ problems. To understand them, we use Systems Thinking — an approach that considers the elements, interconnections, and function or goal of the parts within a complex system (Meadows, 2008). In this lesson, we will use Systems Thinking to map and understand how systems function and interact, to identify leverage points and trade-offs, and ultimately, to plan and evaluate interventions.
To understand the drivers of complex environmental problems, you will:
- Analyze the complexity of a challenge to gain insights, understand the role and influence of human actors;
- Consider questions of justice and equity in systems, and how the power dynamics in a system influence equitable decision-making;
- Practice organizing, analyzing, and narrowing scope, and identify leverage points to understand potential ways to affect change in a system; and
- Get a sense of where to start with your chosen problem — where in the system you want to focus.
Pre-Reading
First, we’ll start with a primer on Systems Thinking. What is it, and why is it needed?
- What is a System? – this simple, climate-focused introduction shows how systems thinking can allow you to re-imagine the potential solution set for your problem.
- Tools for Systems Thinkers: The 6 Fundamental Concepts of Systems Thinking covers the key mindsets we’ll employ throughout this lesson.
- WWF’s The Art of Systems Change outlines fundamental tenets of systems thinking in environmental conservation, the behavior of complex systems, and guidelines for systems practice.
- Complexity of Coupled Human and Natural Systems explains concepts and phenomena inherent in any social ecological system, through case studies of a few example systems.
- Systems thinking for planning and evaluating conservation interventions shares concrete examples of how systems thinking tools can shift conservationists’ approach to problem-solving.
To prepare for the in-class Decision Role Play, please read the following items and be prepared to discuss, build arguments, and propose decisions based on what you have learned.
- The Ames Anomaly: How ‘A Small Town with a Pretty Big Idea’ Came to Have the Only Resource Recovery Plant in the Country
- Long-range Air Transport of Dioxin from North American Sources to Ecologically Vulnerable Receptors in Nunavut, Arctic Canada
- Through this activity, we’ll start to explore the connection between Systems Thinking and Environmental Justice; watch Environmental justice, explained for a brief background.
Once you’ve started to understand the complexity of a system, how do you choose where in the system you’ll target your solutions, in order to drive change? We’ll draw inspiration from Donella Meadows’ classic Leverage Points: Places to Intervene in a System.
You can also download this lesson plan as a PDF here.