Systems Thinking Is Important in Developing Solutions to Sustainability Challenges - Literature review Example

Systems Thinking is Critical in Developing Solutions to Sustainability Challenges Name Name of Institution Systems Thinking is Critical in Developing Solutions to Sustainability Challenges Introduction Systems thinking is a heavily researched approach to problem-solving that can be traced to universal laws of living systems on earth (Haines 2016, p. 33). The theory has been applied to a wide range of disciplines, and it continues to play a key role in an increasingly complex world. According to Haines (2016, p. 34), systems thinking can be considered as the opposite of the traditional analytic approach to planning. Under the traditional analytic approach, an organisation identifies a problem, breaks the problem into separate parts, solves one part at a time, and then moves to the next part. On the other hand, systems thinking will look at the organisation as a whole to understand how each part works in relation to and in support of the objectives of the entire system (Haines 2016, p. 34). Arnold and Wade (2015, p. 675) define system thinking as a set of analytic skills that are used to improve the identification and understanding of systems, predicting their behaviours, and coming up with modifications to produce the desired effect. The significance of the approach is that it can be applied across disciplines to facilitate an understanding of systems and how problems can be addressed to achieve desired outcomes. Sustainability is a concept that refers to an ideal state of being where humans and other living entities can thrive within the ecological confines for eternity (Williams et al. 2017, p. 12). An important characteristic of sustainability is that it is not a fixed goal but a target that changes on a continuous basis. One of the sustainability challenges that faces Australia, and most of the world, is the use of non-renewable sources of energy. While the non-renewable sources like fossil fuels have driven the phenomenal development of the world, their continued use poses a major threat to the well-being of the planet and even the survival of humans. This essay seeks to determine whether a system thinking approach is critical in developing a solution to the sustainability challenge of shifting to renewable sources of energy in Australia. The paper begins by defining the renewable energy problem and the efforts that have been made to encourage a shift in Australia. The next section highlights how the systems thinking approach would be applied to the challenge. The paper concludes by determining whether the systems thinking is critical in coming up with solutions to sustainability challenges. Renewable Energy Renewable energy refers to energy that can be derived from natural sources which can be replenished. The sources of renewable energy that are available in Australia include ocean energy, geothermal energy, hydropower, bioenergy, solar energy, and wind energy (ARENA 2017). According to the Clean Energy Council (2017), Australia urgently needs to transition from its high emission energy sector to a system that is powered by renewable energy and smart technologies. Despite the recognition of the need to transition, renewable energy accounts for a low percentage of total energy production and consumption. Between 2014 and 2015, oil, LPG, and related refined products accounted for 38% of Australia’s energy consumption. Coal was second at 32%, followed by natural gas at 24% and renewable energy sources at just 6% (Department of Industry, Innovation, and Science 2016, pp. 7-8). In the same period, black coal and brown coal represented 77.6% of Australia’s total energy production. Renewable sources, on the other hand, represented just 2.1% of the energy produced in the country (Department of Industry, Innovation, and Science 2016, p. 16). The extremely low production and consumption of renewable energy contributes to the issue being a wicked problem. It is worth noting that other factors have contributed to the slow transition to renewable energy in the country. Government policy has been responsible for the slow uptake of renewable energy. In 2001, the Howard Government set a 41000-gigawatt hours’ renewable energy target that would encourage industry to shift away from unsustainable sources of energy. A change of government resulted in a reduction of the 41,000-gigawatt target to 33,000-gigawatt hours (Cox 2015). By doing so, the government created uncertainty that would reduce overall investment in the much needed renewable energy. A similar case of government interference came in 2015 when the government ordered the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to discontinue investments in wind energy projects (Gartrell 2015). The reduction in investment would delay the shift to renewable energy thereby increasing the negative impacts of the non-renewable sources of energy. Before applying systems thinking, it is essential to note the problems that Australia will face if it continues to rely on non-renewable sources of energy. The burning of fossil fuels produces greenhouse gases that alter the composition of the atmosphere and lead to climate change. A secondary impact of the availability of fossil fuels is increased industrialisation and urbanisation, factors that lead to serious environmental damage (Shafiei & Salim 2013, p. 547). Importantly, a comparison of renewable and non-renewable sources of energy shows that they have opposite impacts on sustainability. While non-renewable energy use increases carbon dioxide emissions, renewable energy use has a negative and significant impact on the emissions (Shafiei & Salim 2013, p. 554). Therefore, Australia needs to hasten the shift towards renewable sources of energy if it is to achieve its sustainability targets. Systems Thinking Approach As stated, the systems thinking approach focuses on seeing the interconnections rather than individual factors. A simplified definition of system thinking views it as an approach where a problem solver views a problem in terms of an entire forest instead of focusing on a single tree (Banson et al. 2015, p. 677). When applied to the energy problem in Australia, the systems thinking approach will view the use of non-renewable sources of energy as just one of the problems in a complex system that has negative consequences on humans and the environment. The present approach to the problem has been an analytic one where the government seeks to increase investments in renewable energy sources like solar or wind energy. For example, Gartrell’s (2015) report on the government’s Renewable Energy Targets is an example of the traditional analytical approach. This is because the government has recognised energy as one of the main contributors of greenhouse gases that threaten the well-being of the environment. To solve the problem, the government has decided to increase output from renewable energy by 2020 in the hope that the approach would lead to a more sustainable energy system. While the effort is laudable, the policy has had minimal impacts on energy consumption. Additionally, by the time the reduced target of 33,000-gigawatt hours is met, there might be an increase in production of natural gas or coal, meaning that renewable energy will represent an even lower proportion of total energy production and consumption. The use of a systems thinking approach will allow the Australian government to recognise that sustainability is not a local challenge but a problem that faces the entire planet. This holistic approach will have a direct impact on the approaches that will be taken to mitigate problems like climate change, ozone depletion, chemical pollution, and land system change (Rockstrom et al. 2009, p. 32). A recognition of the global scale of these issues will allow the government to recognise that the issues cannot be solved in isolation and with a single mindset and tools like the Renewable Energy Target (Banson et al. 2015, p. 677). Therefore, systems thinking will encourage further research on the wider issue of ensuring that humans and other living organisms thrive within the confines of ecological systems. Government and businesses around the world will also need to come together to create policies that are based on an understanding of the consequences of climate change, ozone depletion, land system changes, ocean acidification, and other related sustainability challenges (Rockstrom et al. 2009, p. 32). Evidently, systems thinking will treat a shift to renewable energy as just one of the many strategies that will be used to alleviate the complex interrelated sustainability challenges. One of the features of systems thinking is that feedback loops allow problem solvers to identify and understand how changes over time will affect all sections of the system (Williams et al. 2017, p. 14). The cost of renewable energy is one of the key influences on the shift towards renewable energy. The use of system analysis shows cost to be a negative feedback loop as it has slowed down the shift to sustainable energy. Critics of renewable energy have argued that many sources of renewable energy are unreliable and that they require massive investments to make them reliable. This rationale explains why cheap coal is used to provide for the base demand for electricity in Australia, but its use contributes a third of the total greenhouse emissions in Australia (Needham 2008). While this decision is viewed to be the optimal decision at present, systems thinking calls for a holistic approach that considers the interrelation with cost on a long term basis. A review by Drew (2015) shows that in the long run, costs can be reduced to the point of being a positive feedback loop that facilitates the shift towards renewable energy. The key findings from the review are that the world is shifting away from fossil fuels to renewable energy and that current energy superpowers will lose their positions to those countries that have abundant renewable energy resources (Drew 2015). Importantly, Australia is found to be among the nations with abundant renewable energy that is enough to power the world for ten years (Drew 2015). The impending decline of coal and gas exports combined with the high domestic costs gas and power are further arguments for a shift towards renewable energy. When it comes to opportunities, a faster transition to renewable energy will allow Australia to be an exporter of renewable energy equipment to the rest of the world. The country will also attract industries that require high amounts of energy, and there will be an opportunity to export renewable energy sources like hydrogen, electricity, and biofuel (Drew 2015). It is evident that systems thinking provides an approach that will ensure sustainability while elevating Australia to be a renewable energy superpower. The topic question asks whether systems thinking is critical in creating solutions for sustainability challenges. The application of systems thinking to renewable energy in Australia leads to a strong agreement with the statement that system thinking is key to solving sustainability challenges. An evaluation of the adoption of renewable energy shows that government and industry have taken the traditional analytic approach where issues are solved in a compartmentalised way. There are separate government agencies that pursue the issue of sustainable energy, but their goals do not seem to be consistent. For example, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency seeks to promote the use of renewable energy (ARENA 2017), but the government has reduced its Renewable Energy Target (Cox 2015) and barred investments in wind energy (Gartrell 2015). The use of systems thinking is critical as it has a broader focus that will result in better understanding of how parts of a system interrelate. In turn, the improved understanding will lead to the development of consistent policies that allow the government to solve the sustainability challenges that it faces. Conclusion The essay defines systems thinking as an approach that focuses on a system as a whole to understand how each part works in relation to and in support of the objectives of the entire system. Sustainability is an ideal state of being where humans and other living organisms thrive within the ecological confines in perpetuity. Australia’s emergent shift to renewable energy faces many challenges that have an impact on the country’s desire to meet its sustainability objectives. Renewable energy accounts for just 6% of energy consumption and 2% of total energy production in Australia. The government has instituted various policies, with its approach found to be a traditional analytic approach where problems are broken down into parts and tackled separately. The essay applies systems thinking to the shift to renewable energy and finds that it will allow for an enhanced understanding of how the use of non-renewable energy is one part of a complex system that threatens the country’s overall sustainability. Systems thinking also encourages the government to partner with business and other governments because sustainability is not a local challenge that can be solved by inconsistent policies. The cost of energy is identified as a key fact that reinforces the use of non-renewable energy. The application of systems thinking shows that in the long run, renewable energy will be more cost effective and sustainable. These findings lead to strong support for the statement that systems thinking is critical in developing solutions to sustainability challenges. References ARENA 2017, What is renewable energy? 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