ECONOSYSTEMICSECONOSYSTEMICS

Reframing Economics for Sustainability

Reframing Economics for Sustainability

Bryan K. LongEditor / Author / ActivistECONOSYSTEMICS.COM

ECONOSYSTEMECONOSYSTEM

A dynamic system of value transformations and transactions encompassing human society and the global ecosystem.

Dynamic: Energy dissipating; changing with time

System: Organized interacting components (sub-systems)

Value: Usefulness to a system’s maintenance, growth, or development

A dynamic system of value transformations and transactions encompassing human society and the global ecosystem.

Dynamic: Energy dissipating; changing with time

System: Organized interacting components (sub-systems)

Value: Usefulness to a system’s maintenance, growth, or development

EconomicsEconomics\e-kə-ˈnä-miks\

a social science concerned chiefly with description and analysis of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services

Alternative framing:

The analysis and modeling of value creation, exchange and consumption within human society.

\e-kə-ˈnä-miks\ a social science concerned chiefly with description and analysis of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services

Alternative framing:

The analysis and modeling of value creation, exchange and consumption within human society.

(Miriam Webster Dictionary)

ValueValue

Value depends on context. Yet we quantify it every time we buy or

sell. Implicitly what we are trying to measure

with GDP: how much value did our economy create?

Negative value: An interaction that diminishes the net value in a system

Value depends on context. Yet we quantify it every time we buy or

sell. Implicitly what we are trying to measure

with GDP: how much value did our economy create?

Negative value: An interaction that diminishes the net value in a system

ProductivityProductivity

The use of time, energy, capital, labor, biological systems and material resources to create value.

Efficiency: Using less time, energy, capital, labor, biological systems and/or material resources to create the same amount of value.

The use of time, energy, capital, labor, biological systems and material resources to create value.

Efficiency: Using less time, energy, capital, labor, biological systems and/or material resources to create the same amount of value.

Distribution and MarketingDistribution and Marketing

Distribution: The delivery of value from the time and place of creation to the time and place of value.

Marketing: Effort to create a context in which the perception of value is high.

Distribution: The delivery of value from the time and place of creation to the time and place of value.

Marketing: Effort to create a context in which the perception of value is high.

MoneyMoney

A measurement scale for the quantification of value

A future “call” on value from any participant in the monetary system.

A measurement scale for the quantification of value

A future “call” on value from any participant in the monetary system.

EcologyEcology\i-ˈkä-lə-jē\

1: a branch of science concerned with the interrelationship of organisms and their environments

2: the totality or pattern of relations between organisms and their environment

Alternative framing:

The analysis, decription and modeling of an ecosystem.

[Ecosystem: a system of biological species within a geophysical environment]

\i-ˈkä-lə-jē\ 1: a branch of science concerned with the interrelationship of organisms and their environments

2: the totality or pattern of relations between organisms and their environment

Alternative framing:

The analysis, decription and modeling of an ecosystem.

[Ecosystem: a system of biological species within a geophysical environment]

(Miriam Webster Dictionary)

The Human “Footprint”The Human “Footprint” Land: Mostly cities, agriculture and pasturage Ocean: Fish stocks plummeting Rainforests: Disappearing Arctic: Melting Biodiversity: Greatest extinction event

in 65 M years

Land: Mostly cities, agriculture and pasturage Ocean: Fish stocks plummeting Rainforests: Disappearing Arctic: Melting Biodiversity: Greatest extinction event

in 65 M years

The Earth at Night

Modern EconomicsModern Economics

Modern EconomicsModern Economics

Natural Resources

Modern RealityModern Reality

EconosystemicsEconosystemics

Energy

Geophysical Systems

BiologicalSystems

HumanSystems

Value

Impact

Impact

EconosystemicsEconosystemics

\i-ˈkä-nō-sis-təm-iks\

Broader discipline encompassing macroeconomics and planetary ecology.

“Natural world” includes us. Value flows in both directions. Sustainable human civilization can only be

modeled within this larger context.

\i-ˈkä-nō-sis-təm-iks\

Broader discipline encompassing macroeconomics and planetary ecology.

“Natural world” includes us. Value flows in both directions. Sustainable human civilization can only be

modeled within this larger context.

Sustainability Sustainability

Material resource flow must be circular Value flow must be circular Waste must be minimized Energy must be “renewable” Efficiency knowledge must be shared “Negative Value” activities must be eliminated

Pollution Ecosystem destruction War Social oppression

Material resource flow must be circular Value flow must be circular Waste must be minimized Energy must be “renewable” Efficiency knowledge must be shared “Negative Value” activities must be eliminated

Pollution Ecosystem destruction War Social oppression

Econosystemics ChallengesEconosystemics Challenges

Mapping whole-planet energy and resource flows

Modeling multi-species interactions Characterizing/quantifying non-monetary

value and negative-value transactions Reconciling present-value and future-value Reconciling human-value and inherent-value

perspectives

Mapping whole-planet energy and resource flows

Modeling multi-species interactions Characterizing/quantifying non-monetary

value and negative-value transactions Reconciling present-value and future-value Reconciling human-value and inherent-value

perspectives

Social ChallengesSocial Challenges

Kicking the fossil fuel habit Letting go of exploitive consumption, and

adopting cooperative development. Transcending tribal conflict Being able to see the big picture Developing pervasive social responsibility Stopping population growth

Kicking the fossil fuel habit Letting go of exploitive consumption, and

adopting cooperative development. Transcending tribal conflict Being able to see the big picture Developing pervasive social responsibility Stopping population growth

Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Development

It’s not about going back to the farm. There is a difference between growth and

development. Quality of life is about food, water, shelter,

education, rights and opportunities Total recycling can give us plenty of

resources. Solar, wind, geothermal and advanced nuclear technologies can give us plenty of energy.

But we have to get from here to there.

It’s not about going back to the farm. There is a difference between growth and

development. Quality of life is about food, water, shelter,

education, rights and opportunities Total recycling can give us plenty of

resources. Solar, wind, geothermal and advanced nuclear technologies can give us plenty of energy.

But we have to get from here to there.

ECONOSYSTEMICSECONOSYSTEMICS

Econosystemics is about finding our way to a sustainable future.

For More Information and Links, visit:

http://www.econosystemics.com

Econosystemics is about finding our way to a sustainable future.

For More Information and Links, visit:

http://www.econosystemics.com

Reframing Economics for Sustainability