In terms of the work completed in our engagement thus far, one big thread has been around capacity building of the Foundation’s team on systems thinking- making the tools and methods of systems thinking relevant for the Foundation’s objectives, training the staff on these tools, working with them to uncover systemic insights related to their programmes. This has largely been through applied systems thinking capacity building sessions and participatory workshops.
Another big thread that we have been working on has been around energy and net zero, particularly around applying a systems thinking to the critical mineral value chain associated with India’s net-zero transition. Given the renewed policy focus on securing a supply chain for critical minerals as part of the National Critical Mineral Mission, several developments are expected in this regard in time to come. Given the multiple aspects surrounding critical minerals, including energy security, net zero, and socio-environmental costs of scaling up mining and processing of these minerals, as well as the multiple actors associated across the ecosystem, a systems approach is necessary to synthesize knowledge and optimize decisions. We set out with the objective to use systems mapping and modelling in order to engage key stakeholders to think about the sustainability of the critical mineral supply for achieving Net Zero & Identify High Leverage Areas for a Holistic and Sustainable Net Zero.
We have been working with Rainmatter Foundation and their partner Forum for the Future on developing a systems thinking understanding of this system. A Stock-Flow model has been developed, capturing the key stocks and flows throughout the system – from mining, processing, usage and recycling to imports and exports to energy security and associated socio-environmental costs. It highlights the trade-offs inherent between increasing domestic exploration, production and processing of such minerals and managing social and environmental consequences. It hints towards how energy demand-side optimization and mineral recycling might also need equal attention in order to make our net zero more sustainable.
With it as a starting point, we are now exploring the development of a system dynamics simulation model to engage stakeholders in the critical minerals ecosystem. This model will act as a insight building - tool, enabling stakeholders to test different policies and interventions and understand environmental trade-offs, and evaluate long-term impacts before taking action (more details in the following post)
A third thread was a scoping study on taking systems thinking (ST) to schools. For a country with 1.5 million schools, where most learners still experience linear, content-heavy education, systems thinking can offer a shift from fragmented learning to connected learning. To translate these insights into action, a scoping study was done that outlines practical approaches that schools and education ecosystems can adopt. Consultations with practitioners validated a need for indigenized, multimodal ST delivery. Curriculum-level integration can embed systems thinking concepts within core subjects as well as through standalone modules. Pedagogically, teachers can be equipped through training, simulations, and model-based learning to facilitate interdisciplinary and inquiry-driven classrooms. At the systems level, schools can create leadership-led conversation spaces, bootcamps, and workshops that nurture a culture of reflection, collaboration, and systemic awareness. These insights culminated in the discovery of a flexible, four-pronged Strategic Framework focused on Classroom Learning, Teacher Capacity Building, Leadership Visioning, and Community Dialogue. These now form the basis for conducting pilots to test the efficacy of ST in school systems.
A fourth thread we worked on is on synthesizing the research carried out by Deloitte and Rainmatter on the state of Climate Action in the Private Sector , as captured in the report titled ‘ State of Climate Response in India’. We worked to develop a systems map (causal loop diagram) included in the report, aiming to highlight the interconnected nature of the human- nature system in India and how climate change could manifest as risks to businesses and ultimately, society at -large. There report can be accessed here: The state of climate response in India