Anita Boros, Gyula Koi (eds): Sustainability and Law
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2. Methodological approach to the concept of sustainability and law (László Vértesy)
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2.2. Systems thinking

2.2. Systems thinking

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Systems thinking, as a philosophy, attempts to make the complexity of the world visible by looking at things as wholes and in their relationships with other wholes rather than by reducing them to parts. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a system is defined as a regularly interacting or interdependent group of items forming a unified whole; e.g., a group of related natural objects or forces.1 As with most systems, systems thinking consists of three kinds of things: (i) elements (in this case, characteristics), (ii) interconnections (the way these characteristics relate to and/or feed back into each other), and (iii) a function or purpose.2 Notably, the least obvious part of the system, its function or purpose, is often the most crucial determinant of the system’s behaviour.3
 
The System Test: A requirement for a systems thinking definition
Source: Arnold, R. D., & Wade, J. P. (2015). A definition of systems thinking: A systems approach. Procedia computer science, 44, 669-678.
 

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Systems thinking is utilised to conceptualise productive action in complicated situations and to generate forms of systemic change. The common elements tend to include interconnections, the understanding of dynamic behaviour, systems structure as a cause of that behaviour, and the idea of seeing systems as wholes rather than parts. In addition, legal knowledge and systems, environmental and economic knowledge and systems, and social science knowledge and systems are interrelated or interconnected.4 This interconnectedness requires holistic or integrated (environmental, social, legal, economic, and technological) solutions, recognising both beneficial and undesirable consequences, as well as externalities.5

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For example, at a bilateral level, the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement,6 which is an international treaty between Canada and the United States from 1972 (updated in 2012), takes a systems perspective in addressing water pollution issues in the Great Lakes system.7 It accepts the interrelationships between water quality and factors, like industrial activity, agricultural runoff, sewer overflows, and invasive species, which need a legal framework to address them in a holistic framework. A similar holistic approach has been taken in several studies examining how biofuels policy can contribute to deforestation and land use change, among other impacts, calling for systems thinking in legal design to realize sustainability objectives.8

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On a global scale, the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals by the UN Member States reflected a global response to social challenges in developing countries. The Millennium Development Goals were replaced by The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to reflect the globalisation of local environmental and social issues with perspectives from both developing and developed countries being taken into account. The 2030 Agenda has 17 Sustainable Development Goals (abbr. SDGs) with 169 targets and 231 indicators to track progress on implementing the SDGs in developing and developed countries.9 The 2030 Agenda is not binding and countries are free to develop their national measures of progress. The Sustainable Development Goal indicators specifically focus on developing countries, however, developed countries remain challenged to implement the policies and actions that lead to sustainable development.

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Thirdly, in 1991 the European Union, which adopted a directive on the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources - this directive provides an example of integrated thinking as it brought together environmental protection and economic perspectives for farmers and producers.10 Water quality and agricultural production protects water from pollution together, by linking agricultural practices (activities) with the goal of protecting surface and groundwater. In a second example from the EU, the Renewable Energy Directive (abbr. RED II)11 from 2018 established a target of at least 32% of final energy from renewable sources by 2030. The transport sector has a target of at least 14% renewable energy by 2030. The target for electric and hybrid vehicles is no more than 1.5%. There is a minimum of 3.5% of advanced biofuels as part of the target. The planned amendments to the Directive in 2023, proposed under RED III,12 aim to increase the total renewable energy share of the block to 42.5% by 2030, and the transport share to 29%. To meet transport targets, EU Member States are accelerating their policy efforts with renewable fuel blending mandates to increase the use of biofuels in road transport.
 

2.2.1. Social science methods

2.2.2. Interdisciplinary methods

1 ’System.’ [Entry]. In: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, (Springfield (Mass.): Merriam-Webster, URL: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/system. (accessed: 30 June 2024).
2 Meadows, D. H. (2008). Thinking in Systems: A Primer. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing.
3 Arnold, R. D., & Wade, J. P. (2015). A definition of systems thinking: A systems approach. Procedia computer science, 44(1), 669-678. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2015.03.050
4

Midgley, G. ed. (2003). Systems thinking I-IV.. (London:Sage) 1492.; Cabrera, D., Colosi, L.,Lobdell, C. (2008). Systems thinking. Evaluation and program planning, Vol. 31. No. 3. 31(3) 299-310. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2007.12.001;

Anderson, V., Johnson, L. (1997). Systems Thinking Basics: From Concepts to Causal Loops.(Cambridge (Mass.): Pegasus Comm. Inc.)

5

Goodchild, M. (2021). Relational systems thinking: That's how change is going to come, from our earth mother. Journal of Awareness-Based Systems Change, 1(1) 75-103. https://doi.org/10.47061/jabsc.v1i1.577;

McAlister, M. M. et al. (2022). Systems thinking for effective interventions in global environmental health. Environmental Science & Technology, 56(2)732-738. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c04110

6 The waters of the Great Lakes are Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario, as well as the river systems connecting Lake St. Marys, Lake St. Clair, and Lake St. Clair, Detroit, Niagara, and Lake St. Lawrence.
7 Agreement Between Canada and the United States of America on Great Lakes Water Quality, 1978 URL: https://www.ijc.org/en/who/mission/glwqa (accessed: 30 June 2024).
8

Ebadian, M. et al. (2020). Biofuels policies that have encouraged their production and use: An international perspective. Energy Policy, 147(12) 111906. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111906;

Wang, M. et al. (2021). Unintended consequences of agricultural participation in voluntary carbon markets: their nature and avoidance. Complexity, 4(Spec. issue) 9518135. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/9518135;

Okullo, S. J., Reynès, F., Hofkes, M. W. (2021). (Bio-)Fuel mandating and the green paradox. Energy Economics, 95(3) 105014. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2020.105014;

Jaeger, W. K., Egelkraut, T. M. (2011). Biofuel economics in a setting of multiple objectives and unintended consequences. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 15(9), 4320-4333. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2011.07.118

9 United Nations , SDG Indicators: URL: https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/ ; https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/iaeg-sdgs/2025-comprehensive-review (accessed: 30 June 2024). See for example 11. Sustainable cities and communities: Number of households connected to public wastewater collection networks, Number of households with public piped drinking water, Public trust in the legal system, Share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption, Revenue of non-profit organisations, Number of employees of non-profit organisations, Number of non-profit organisations, Exposure of urban population to particulate matter pollution (PM10, PM2.5), Number and floor area of newly built buildings with nearly zero energy rating, Food waste, Trust in people, Waste treated, Circular material use rate, Victims of traffic accidents, Public water production, Housing costs, Number of registered victims of crimes against persons and property, Preparation of municipal waste for reuse and recycling in proportion of all municipal waste, Urban wastewater treatment, Green space URL: https://ksh.hu/s/kiadvanyok/fenntarthato-fejlodes-indikatorai-2022/sdg , (accessed: 30 June 2024).
10 Council Directive (12 December 1991) concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources.
11Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources.
12 Directive (EU) 2023/2413 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 October 2023 amending Directive (EU) 2018/2001, Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 and Directive 98/70/EC with regard to the promotion of energy from renewable sources and repealing Council Directive (EU) 2015/652.
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