1. © D. M. Steketee, 2013

2. SUSTAINABILITY=An aspiration for A SYSTEM CONDITION

3. A system defined: “An interconnected set of elements that is coherently organized in a way that achieves something.” (Meadows, 2008) Parts of a system System InterconnectionsElementsFunction/Purpose

4. “Just Stuff” or System? (Meadows, 2008, p. 13) A) “Can you identify parts? …and B) Do the parts affect each other? ….and C) Do the parts together produce an effect that is different from the effect of each part on its own?....and perhaps D) Does the effect, the behavior over time, persist in a variety of circumstances?”

5. COMPLEX SYSTEMS A group of interrelated components that influence each other www.ima.umn.edu/.../complex- graphic480x480.png http://www.ciul.ul.pt/~pacheco/CS.PNG http:// ec.europa.eu/informa tion_society/istevent/2006/c f/picture.cfm?id=1113&versi on=webig

6. “First Glance” System  Natural http://www.owaa.org/ou/wp- content/uploads/2009/03/sleeping-bear-dunes.jpg

7. “First Glance” System Social

8. Draw a system of your choice. System InterconnectionsElementsFunction/Purpose

9. Why Sustainable Energy System?  "Sustainable energy technologies” "net effects upon the biosphere do not significantly degrade its capabilities for supporting existing species in their current abundance and diversity. " (Tester, et al. 2005, p. 5)  "While the alternatives [energy technologies] in achieving sustainability are technological, the social directions served by their use and the criteria for what is acceptable will always remain social. Thus, sustainable energy must be concerned not only with energy and environmental technologies but also with the economic, social and political factors that impact human lifestyles." (Tester, et al., 2005, pp. 5-6)

10. Real systems. Ecological + Social = Socioecological. Complex. Adaptive.

11. Characteristics of Complex Systems  Open systems= interact with their environment and constantly evolve & unfold over time  Path Dependent=future dependent on the past  Multi-scalar (cross linkages important)=consider where/when action occurs  Nested=systems inside systems  Result in emergent properties  “appear somewhat mysteriously from the functioning of the system” (Ehrenfeld)  “higher level structures arise from interactions between lower level components” (Rotmans and Loorbach)  Energy system What does it produce? (technical output) What does it generate? (emergent property) (Ehrenfeld, 2009; Rotmans and Loorbach, 2009)

12. Types of Natural Systems (Generally) Open System Closed System Isolated System* Matter Energy *Not present in nature

13. Characteristics of Complex Systems, continued  Non-linear interactions=“cause does not produce a proportional effect” (Meadows, 2008)  Contain feedback loops  Negative (damping)  Positive (amplifying)

14. Complex Adaptive System Complex System “special case”  Adaptive = “capacity to change and learn from experience”  Set of constantly adapting non-linear relationships  Unique features: coevolution, self-organization

15. Thinking about Systems Thinking  In what ways does our current energy system in the United States demonstrate the characteristics of a complex adaptive system?

16. References Ehrenfeld, John. 2009. Complexity and industrial ecology. Journal of Industrial Ecology 13 (2), pp. 157-164. Meadows, Donnella H. (Edited by Diana Wright). 2008. Thinking in Systems: A Primer. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing. Norberg, John and Graeme Cumming (Eds.) 2008. Complexity Theory for a Sustainable Future. New York: Columbia University Press. Rotman, Jan & Derk Loorbach. 2009. Complexity and transition management. Journal of Industrial Ecology 13(2), pp. 184-196. Tester, Jefferson, et al. 2005. Sustainable Energy: Choosing Among Options. Boston: MIT Press