Leverage points : ways to intervene within a system (ordered from least to most impactful)

  • Technical leverage points
    • Looks at the stocks/flows and other numbers
  • Feedback leverage points
    • Target feedback loops, adjusting their strength
  • Social leverage points
    • Social relations between the human population and the system - could be having more information, or empowering people
  • Transcendental leverage points
    • Mindset or paradigm which is the source of the system

Systems traps can occur:

  • Having too little knowledge of the relations within the systems
  • Rather from structure of the system than from individuals

Example

Policy resistance
Trap: parts of the system try to pull the system towards their goals

Example

Tragedy of the commons
Depleting/degradation a natural (common) resource for a gain