Systemic Change and Climate Change Mitigation

Summary

Professor Lasse Linnanen discusses the importance of systemic change in addressing complex sustainability challenges, such as climate change mitigation. He explains how interconnected issues, like energy, water, and food, require a holistic approach to problem-solving. Using the example of energy systems, he highlights the need for innovations in renewable energy and the concept of creative destruction to drive transformation. Linnanen emphasizes that achieving sustainability change requires coordinated efforts across society, culture, and individual actions, with the potential to mitigate climate change at a reasonable cost.

Takeaways

• 😀 Climate change mitigation is an example of a complex, interconnected issue that requires systemic change thinking.
• 😀 Sustainability challenges, such as climate change and resource scarcity, are 'wicked problems'—poorly defined, complex, and in constant flux.
• 😀 Interlinked problems like energy, water, and food supply need simultaneous examination to avoid inefficiencies and promote synergies.
• 😀 Systemic thinking views phenomena as interconnected systems, with elements that are tightly linked within and across different systems.
• 😀 Systemic change involves a simultaneous shift in society’s operating models, structures, and their interactions.
• 😀 A three-tiered model describes systemic change: landscapes (long-term shifts), regimes (socio-technical systems), and niche innovations (emerging technologies and models).
• 😀 Innovations like renewable energy and energy storage disrupt traditional energy regimes, pushing for systemic change in the energy sector.
• 😀 The concept of 'creative destruction' highlights the need to replace outdated systems with new, more sustainable ones, such as transitioning from fossil fuels to renewables.
• 😀 Successful systemic change requires shifts in three areas: societal structures, culture (values and norms), and everyday actions.
• 😀 Consumption plays a major role in climate change mitigation, with most energy being consumed indirectly through products and services.
• 😀 Mitigating climate change is not prohibitively expensive; it would cost roughly the price of a cup of coffee per person per day, as shown by a Finnish example.

Q & A

What does sustainability change mean, according to Professor Lasse Linnanen?

Sustainability change refers to the transformation of societal systems and structures to ensure environmental sustainability, with a focus on addressing complex challenges like climate change mitigation. It involves adopting systemic change thinking to create solutions that don't create new problems in other systems.

What are wicked problems, and why are they important in sustainability change?

Wicked problems are complex, poorly defined issues that are constantly evolving, such as climate change, the extinction crisis, and food security. These problems are interlinked, making them difficult to solve, and require systemic thinking to address effectively without creating new issues in other systems.

How are energy, water, and food supply interlinked in the context of sustainability?

The global food sector’s energy requirements account for a significant portion of the total energy needs, and almost 10% of all primary energy is spent on water pumping. Biofuels and food production compete for the same land, which shows the inefficiencies and synergies that need to be examined to promote better solutions.

What is systemic change thinking and how can it be applied to climate change mitigation?

Systemic change thinking examines problems as part of interconnected systems where changes in one area affect others. For climate change mitigation, it involves understanding the interconnections between energy, infrastructure, culture, and everyday actions to ensure a transformation that reduces negative impacts on other systems.

What is the three-tiered model of systemic change described in the video?

The three-tiered model of systemic change includes: 1) Landscapes, which refer to long-term changes in societal conditions, like population growth or fuel price trends. 2) Regimes, which are established systems meeting societal needs (e.g., energy). 3) Niche innovations, which are new technologies or models that are not yet central to the existing regime.

How does the concept of path dependency impact systemic change?

Path dependency refers to how systems become rigid over time because of investments in existing structures. This makes it difficult to implement change, even when renewal is necessary. However, pressures from both the environment and innovations can destabilize these systems, creating windows of opportunity for change.

What is meant by 'creative destruction' in the context of systemic change?

Creative destruction refers to the process of dismantling outdated systems or technologies and replacing them with new, innovative solutions. In the case of climate change, this involves replacing the fossil fuel-based energy regime with renewable energy sources to mitigate climate change.

Why is consumption important in the context of climate change mitigation?

Consumption plays a major role in climate change because a significant portion of energy is consumed indirectly through products and services. Every purchase decision contributes to energy consumption, while decisions to reduce consumption can help mitigate climate change.

How can systemic change be realized according to Professor Linnanen?

Systemic change can be realized by transforming societal structures, cultural norms, and everyday actions. All three areas are interlinked and require collective effort. Additionally, changes need to occur simultaneously in infrastructure, values, and individual behaviors to drive sustainability forward.

What is the financial cost of climate change mitigation, according to the script?

The cost of mitigating climate change is estimated to be around EUR 40 per tonne of carbon dioxide, which would translate to an additional cost of about EUR 500 per person per year in Finland. This equates to roughly the price of a cup of coffee per person per day, which suggests that the cost is relatively manageable.