#33: The Laws of Nature and the SDGs
Building on last week’s post, this post further discusses using the laws of nature to guide sustainability and contrasts them with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). System Change Investing (SCI) uses the laws of nature to provide the highest impact responsible investing strategy.
Nature’s Laws and the GSC Framework
The concept of using the laws of nature to guide overall system change was developed by Frank Dixon, creator of the Global System Change (GSC) framework and the SCI concept and first models. Part One of the three-part GSC framework uses the laws of nature to define human society at a high level. This clarity illuminates the systemic changes needed to get there (Part Two) and the actions required in all areas of society to bring about these changes (Part Three).
GSC addresses the ultimate root cause of unsustainability (reductionism) by applying whole system thinking to human society. This big picture perspective shows that the laws of nature have controlled all life on Earth for 3.8 billion years, and will continue to do so, regardless of what humans think, say or do.
These laws provide an objective reality framework for guiding the evolution of human systems and society into sustainable forms. They are objective, observable qualities of healthy living systems. The laws transcend human philosophies, biases and opinions.
The original list of nature’s laws developed by Dixon is only intended to be a starting point. As the primary factor determining human survival and prosperity, the list almost certainly will be refined and expanded by biology and other experts.
The list includes ten laws and five implied principles. They are: seeking balance not growth, producing no waste, living on renewable resources, equitable resource distribution, widespread cooperation (with limited competition at the individual level), equally valuating generations, equally valuating species, decentralizing production, decentralizing governance, and enabling individuals to reach their fullest potential. Implied operating principles of nature include democracy/self-government, equality, total cost accounting, no externalities, and full employment.
The Sustainable Development Goals
The SDGs are one of the most important milestones of the sustainability movement. Many corporations, governments and NGOs are focused on achieving them. Nearly all SDG efforts focus on directly addressing climate change and other problems, for example, by switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy or offsetting carbon emissions.
However, SDG problems are symptoms. They are caused by flawed economic, political, financial and other systems. Directly addressing problems and symptoms is beneficial. But it is not nearly enough to resolve problems and achieve the SDGs. Root causes must be addressed. The root cause of climate change, for example, is not greenhouse gas emissions. It is the flawed economic and political systems that compel companies to burn fossil fuels and emit these gases.
The SDGs provide a framework for human sustainability and action. However, they are human-centric, and therefore not reality-based. The SDGs are focused on humanity, implying that we are the center of life on Earth. But in reality, human society is a sub-element of the whole system of nature. This whole system determines the sustainability and prosperity of all life, including human life. Nature is the reality-based, whole-system frame of reference for humanity.
The SDGs describe many aspects of sustainable society. But they are reductionistic in the sense that they do not provide an integrated, whole system vision of sustainable society, how it functions, and how it can be achieved. GSC was designed to provide this whole system, high-level framework.
The goals probably were not intended to provide a whole-system vision and describe how to achieve it. Instead, they discuss qualities of sustainable society, and thereby facilitate planning and action to achieve them. Groups focusing on one goal often do not adequately address the whole system. As a result, their efforts can produce unintended consequences that inhibit the achievement of other SDG goals. This reductionism is the root cause of SDG problems. Reductionism cannot be fixed with more reductionism. Whole system thinking and action are required.
Focusing on the SDGs or implementing a particular philosophy will not determine human survival and prosperity. That will be determined by the extent to which we abide by the laws of nature. Making them our foundational goal and guiding standard is the only way to achieve the SDGs and implement a sustainable economy. Abiding by the laws of nature will produce the outcomes described in the SDGs.
The Limits of Nature
The limits of nature (i.e. planetary boundaries) are receiving growing attention in the sustainability field. Recent studies show that human activity has caused six of nine planetary boundaries to be breeched. As a result, the Earth environment is now outside the safe operating space for humanity.
Understanding planetary boundaries is important. It is useful to know how much pollution nature can sustainably absorb, for example. It also is helpful to understand corporate emissions in the context of environmental limits.
However, nature’s laws should take priority over its limits. Even if limits were known, the key question would be, how do we live within them? The answer is abiding by the laws of nature. These laws illuminate how to live within the limits of nature. We almost certainly will be within the limits when we abide by the laws.
System Change Investing
SCI provides several models for rating corporate system change performance, ranging from introductory to full whole system approaches. The most advanced models are based on the GSC framework.
Under these approaches, responsible investing is guided by the laws of nature and the systemic changes and actions required to abide by them. This provides the first investment strategy with the ability to achieve SDGs.
SCI was developed by a pioneer of return-enhancing ESG. The approach uses similar strategies to minimize investment risk and increase returns.
For more information about SCI, visit our website SystemChangeInvesting.com or contact us at info@SystemChangeInvesting.com
This World Academy of Art and Science article provides more information about the GSC framework and the laws of nature: Global System Change: A Whole System, Nature-Based Framework for Sustainability, System Change and Responsible Investing
