For The Planet
Climate Change is Systems Change
The degree to which we engage is up to us.
Climate change is ubiquitous. The science has been clear for nearly a century. Human activity, specifically the use of fossil fuels, is irrevocably transforming Earth. That is about as judgement free a sentence on the matter as is possible. Subjectivity enters the otherwise scientific conversation when we begin to debate the dangers and acceptable levels of risk associated with said transformation.
Those closest to the matter, such as former US Envoy on Climate Change, Todd Stern, have routinely identified economic incentives as the primary driver of global greenhouse gas emissions. And while more seem willing than ever to question the ground on which capitalism rests, we remain entrenched within a global economy that is incredibly resistant to change. Which means any hope of addressing the climate crisis demands tackling the issue through systems change.
Levers of Systems Change
Systems change is like a party. It’s only has good as the people we bring along. A global leader in engineering equitable social impact, consulting firm FSG has identified six essential conditions, or levers, of systems change. At the tip of the spear sits what experts refer to as mental models. Understood another way, mental models are the implicit beliefs held at the individual and group level upon which a system rests.
Like a well-oiled operating system, most mental models operate quietly in the background; often intertwined and interacting with one another. Unlike their explicit counterparts, boundaries between beliefs tend to be blurry.
While it’s easiest to prioritize explicit levers — results are readily observable and easily assessed — meaningful systems change hinges on our understanding of the implicit attitudes and assumptions that influence decisions within the system. The most impactful change occurs beneath the surface. “[Systems change] is really about transforming the relationships between people who make up the system,” wrote FSG Board Member, John Kania. Until we can learn to work at this level, “changes in the other two levels will, at best, be temporary or incomplete.”
Be Explicit
Understanding an issue as dynamic as climate change though demands solutions that engage all those that are impacted. This means building relationships that historically have not been supported.
During a recent round table discussion on economic systems change, community organizer and strategist, Sendolo Diaminah of The Carolina Federation, stressed the importance of being explicit with one’s goals from the outset. “We need the systematic, the relational, and the scale in order for our people to wield the power they need to address things on the scale of the economy.” Diaminah was also keen to point out the limitations political calendars have on implementing meaningful solutions.
“Electoral cycles often don’t give us the time for that deep relational work,” said Diaminah. Our current structure forces an appeal to swing voters, who Diaminah calls “the persuadables.” While some may see this as little more than an appeal to the masses, Diaminah points out these same voters are often less vested in issues such as racial justice or economic transformation because they challenge their place within a system that already benefits them.
FSG echoes this point. “To fully embrace systems change, funders must be prepared to see how their own ways of thinking and acting must change as well.” By its very nature, true systems change demands we let go of the wheel. It demands trust.
Culturally Determined Value(s)
Instilling a new public narrative is a crucial step, but shifting the dominant narrative demands questioning stories that have a long history of legitimacy. As equitable systems change consultant, Tuesday Ryan-Hart, shared during the same roundtable, “we can change the structure and policy, [but] people are still gonna use their beliefs to get around them and get the same disproportionate results.” Doing so effectively comes down to how an issue is framed and, perhaps most importantly, by whom.
Unfortunately, there is no simple answer as to where we might find said ambassador of change. The only individual capable of effecting said change exists within each of us. “Our mental models shape the meaning we assign to external data and events and guide our participation in public discourse.”
As for climate change, our understanding will continue to come into focus as science continues to provide more data. The value we place on said data, however, is up to us. I only hope we can recalibrate in time.
