A Systems Perspective for Navigating the Complexities of Sustainability and a Circular Economy
Sustainability is multifaceted and touches every part of the value chain in our complex global system. No one actor, company, or industry can realize sustainability goals in isolation. The notion of sustainability is appealing because it has been presented as a win-win situation. However, success requires a means to measure the costs and benefits across life cycles to ensure presumed “solutions” do not shift risks and offset social, economic, or environmental gains. The challenging issues faced by society today require a holistic, cross-disciplinary, and multidimensional approach to achieve environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable solutions. Global energy production, resource demands, heightened environmental and social concerns, and the growing waste crisis have spurred an increased focus on sustainable strategies and a circular economy. With a global and national focus on a climate plan that prioritizes clean energy, it is critical that future actions and policies incorporate systems-level thinking across value chains and understand how energy transition planning can impact the larger sustainability agenda.
