Intensive short course: Integrated and Systemic Thinking & Simulation

Millennium Institute and Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology, Sydney are pleased to announce the Integrated and Systemic Thinking & Simulation short course. The course will take place from July 28 to August 1, 2014, at University of Technology, Sydney, Australia.

This course is designed for professionals, researchers and graduate students in the field of sustainable development planning who seek to strengthen their analytical capacity with Systems Thinking and System Dynamics. It is also well suited as introductory course for government officials who are using, or are planning to use, the Threshold 21 (T21) model for medium-long term sustainability analysis in their country.

Participants will gain the ability to apply Systems Thinking techniques to common sustainability issues, and to build and use simple simulation models for policy analysis. The course includes introductory lectures, hands-on exercises, simulation and board games.

For more information visit www.uts.edu.au/research-and-teaching/our-research/institute-sustainable-futures/events/integrated-and-systemic or contact Dr. Dana Cordell at isf@uts.edu.au.

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

How 2% of Global GDP Can Trigger Sustainable Growth and Fight Poverty

Investing just 2% of global GDP into ten key sectors can kick-start a transition towards a low carbon, resource efficient Green Economy, asserts the Green Economy Report. If backed by appropriate policies at the national and global levels, this growth would be possible without increasing risks, shocks, scarcities and crises inherent in the existing, resource-depleting, high carbon ‘brown’ economy.

This groundbreaking report uses economic analysis and modeling using Millennium Institute’s Threshold 21 model to demonstrate that greening the economy across the agriculture, buildings, energy, fisheries, forestry, industry, tourism, transport, waste management and water sectors can drive economic recovery and growth and lead to future prosperity and job creation, while at the same time addressing social inequalities and environmental challenges.

The Report is targeted at decision-makers and seeks to influence business leaders, and explain in simple terms, the need for increased environmental investments to promote sustainable economic growth, generate employment, reduce poverty and increase quality of life.