UNDERSTANDING COMPLEX SYSTEMS

© D. M. Steketee, 2013

SUSTAINABILITY=An aspiration forA SYSTEM CONDITION

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

Interconnections

Elements

Function/Purpose

“Just Stuff” or System? (Meadows, 2008, p. 13)

A) “Can you identify parts? …andB) Do the parts affect each other? ….andC) 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?”

COM

PLEX

SY

STEM

S

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/information_society/istevent/2006/cf/picture.cfm?id=1113&version=webig

“First Glance” System Natural

http://www.owaa.org/ou/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/sleeping-bear-dunes.jpg

“First Glance” SystemSocial

Draw a system of your choice.

System

Interconnections

Elements

Function/Purpose

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)

Real systems.

Ecological + Social = Socioecological. Complex. Adaptive.

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)

Types of Natural Systems (Generally)

Open System

Closed System

Isolated System*

Matter

Energy*Not present in nature

Characteristics of Complex Systems, continued

Non-linear interactions=“cause does not produce a proportional effect” (Meadows, 2008)

Contain feedback loops Negative (damping) Positive (amplifying)

Complex Adaptive SystemComplex System “special case”

Adaptive = “capacity to change and learn from experience”

Set of constantly adapting non-linear relationships

Unique features: coevolution, self-organization

Thinking about Systems Thinking In what ways does our current energy

system in the United States demonstrate the characteristics of a complex adaptive system?

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