Sustainability Summit

Tuesday 5th August, 17:30-19:00
Stripe Main Theatre

This special evening plenary session is a new initiative at ALife XI focussing on the potential for artificial life research to contribute to addressing the increasingly important sustainability agenda. How might we close the gap between the sciences of artificial life and complexity and the policy making communities responsible for managing our interactions with the environment and society? Our keynote speakers, Stuart Kauffman and Andy Stirling, an expert on science and sustainability policy, will be followed by a structured discussion session on the issues raised which aims to identify some achievable first steps. For details of talks see schedule below.

Issues of sustainability involve the dynamics and interactions of multiple complex adaptive systems at a variety of scales: climatic; ecological; economic; technological; political and social. Some of the most pressing challenges for society are inherently concerned with gaining a better ability to understand and manage the interacting systems upon which we rely. While there is widespread acknowledgement that the science of complex adaptive systems can be a key tool in addressing these challenges, there is little consensus on how to develop and apply this tool effectively. New approaches are therefore needed before effective policy-making can be informed by well-founded scientific modelling. This session, following on from the conference theme earlier in the day, will focus on the insights or tools that might be developed from the study of complex adaptive systems in order to be applied to the large-scale problems faced by society and how this might actually be achieved. The talks and discussion provide a chance to begin to develop a real and practical approach to applying complex systems ideas in the real world for the benefit of society.

Schedule

17:30-18:00
Stuart Kauffman, Director of the Institute for Biocomplexity and Informatics, University of Calgary.
Reinventing the sacred: Views on sustainability and complexity

18:00-18:30
Andy Stirling, Science Director at SPRU (Science Policy Research Unit), University of Sussex.
Making it happen: policy challenges in promoting dynamic systems approaches
(abstract and biography)

18:30-19:00
Discussion and debate:
What and how can ALife contribute to policy and decision-making for sustainability?

In order to get the most out of the discussion session you are encouraged to contribute to the sustainability summit page on the ALife wiki.