A Systems Approach to Climate Change

Systems thinking enables academics and practitioners to consider the interrelationships of a complex system rather than studying its parts in isolation. How the Earth's systems connect with each other and how people relate to systems, including how human perception of systems affect our interactions with them, is important when taking a systems approach to understanding climate change. Climate change is an example that emphasises the critical need for system thinking by considering the interrelated elements (stocks and flows), feedback loops and the Earth system as a whole.

The climate system is a vital part of the Earth biosphere. There are no defining borders with other systems in nature, so the systems are interacting/interdependent and co-operating within the biosphere. The concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere/ocean, heat in the atmosphere and ice cover are examples of its stocks. Examples of its flows are the greenhouse gas emissions, heat in, heat out and ice melting. The total stock of greenhouse gases will depend on the difference between the level of emissions and the amount of natural removal processes from the air, such as from oceans and vegetation.

Positive feedback is understood through accelerated temperature rise while negative feedback decelerates it. Examples of feedback loops include the impact of cloud cover on Earth's temperature and sunlight reflection from ice or land leading to ice melting. As stocks and flows change, systems thinking allows room to adapt, experiment and revise unsuccessful policies. With regular monitoring of stocks, decisions are made to ensure continuity which employs sustainable practices. Flows are adjusted according to changes in stock loops to ensure balance is maintained. Climate change is more than its physical processes as a systems approach shows that it also involves human growth factors such as economics, population, resource/energy demands etc.

One of the limitations to sustainability is that predicted threats from issues such as climate change will not be felt for another 50 years and as the implementation of initiatives will cost this generation money, the benefits will not be experienced immediately. By using systems thinking, solutions can still be applied to associated patterns such as increasing carbon sinks through changed agricultural practices and increasing vegetation cover. This would interconnect with other patterns such as managing soil properties, increasing ecosystem habitat, reducing erosion etc. The benefits from these activities can be experienced in a shorter time and contribute to climate change solutions.

One of the tools used to understand global temperature changes and how humans influence it is through climate modelling. These are useful tools to test ideas, make predictions, observe relationships, compare data, think critically of the complexities in climate science and understand systems thinking. The climate change issue is a consequence of the lack of systemic thinking. A systems approach helps us move away from one-sided thinking and to see that co-operation is better than working in isolation and that creativity is more helpful than routine. Within the construct of systems thinking is climate change science and it is through this understanding we can respond to climate change with a different and more insightful approach.