Contribution of Interactive Systems Planning for Global Environmental Issues

Abstract

In the last half of the twentieth century, mankind is facing major global environmental issues-such as global warming up, ozone hole, forest destruction, acid rain, etc. Hoever, in some cases such as CO_2 and support for developing nations, we seem to be moving from analyzing symptoms to finding their treatments, without identifying the real problems. Thus, we may end up solving a wrong problem, as Ackoff said. The paper summarizes symptomatique and problematique of major environmental issues. For them, △ optimistic views ; ▼ pessimistic views ; ◎ generally agreed-upon points : ※ issues with insufficient data and / or theories are summarized. Next, the paper discusses major points of concern for idealizing our future, including : new worldview of the earth including nature and mankind, rather than "nature for mankind" ; new information system for people, rather than for governments and big business ; education and welfare improvement for the less privileged people of the developed and developing nations ; etc. Finally, the paper concludes that the current discussions on world environmental problems seems to : (1)be more preactive (Forecast the future and avoid the worst), rather than interactive (Idealize and create the future) ; and (2)have a tendency to link the notion : "Every person should be saved from the environmental crisis" with "We are capable of saving everyone." We should know what we can and cannot do. We should have an ideal image of the earth and mankind for the time period well beyond our stakes such as 300 years from now, with a reasonable lifestyle and population of mankind in order not to place strain on the nature, as a starting point of our interactive planning for this planet.