Dr Tadhg O'Mahony

27 March 2023| carbon emissions, climate action, Development, development path, Economic growth, greenhouse gas emissions, IPCC, Structures, Sustainability, sustainable development path, Systems Thinking, transformation

Image copyright IPCC (2023)

The synthesis of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) landed in recent days, prompting enhanced reflection on where we need to go if we are to deeply reduce emissions. The IPCC have been clear that we need deep transformation of systems and structures, and that systems thinking is critical to frame this. 

A key problem with policy globally, and especially so in Ireland, has been that we have over-simplified how to reduce emissions. Policy has assumed for years that the technologies and carbon taxes that we drop in to our models, will then deliver emissions reductions in the real-world. This hasn’t happened, and emissions continue to increase. The IPCC are clear that this won’t work, and that we need more fundamental change. With more deeply biting emissions reduction targets, and time running out, our approach needs to evolve rapidly if we are to finally get to grips with this challenge. 

But what does the alternative look like? In the wake of the IPCC report, an online event run by Systems and Complexity in Organisation (SCiO) Ireland: “Systemic Transformations to Sustainable Futures” discussed the need for fundamental change, in sustainable development paths, and the immense benefits that this can lead to, for people and planet. 

With thanks to Anne Pender UCD who shared her insightful work on ‘worldviews,’ and to Joan O’Donnell and Aisling McCarthy of SCiO Ireland for organisation and hosting. Video and presentations available at:

https://www.systemspractice.org/resources/systemic-transformations-sustainable-futures