Systems Analysis Approach for Complex Global Challenges, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 2018

This book, which contains a collection of review articles as well as focus on evidence-based policy making, will serve as a valuable resource not just for all postgraduate students conducting research using systems analysis thinking but also for policy makers. To our knowledge, a book of this nature which also has a strong African focus is currently not available. The book examines environmental and socio-economic risks with the aim of providing an analytical foundation for the management and governance of natural resources, disasters, addressing climate change, and easing the technological and ecological transitions to sustainability. It provides scientific and strategic analysis to better understand the dynamics of future energy transitions, their main driving forces, enabling factors, barriers, as well as their consequences for the social, economic and environmental dimensions of human wellbeing. Science-based policy advice is achieved through an integrated assessment and modeling of how to simultaneously address the major energy policy challenges in the areas of environment (climate change and air pollution), energy poverty (or access to affordable and clean energy for the poor), energy security and reliability. It also aims to improve our understanding of ecosystems and their management in today?s changing world?in particular, the current state of ecosystems, and their ecological thresholds and buffering capacities. It provides support for policy makers in developing rational, realistic and science-based regional, national and global strategies for the production of fuel, food and fibre that sustain ecosystem services and safeguard food security. Finally, it addresses the human development dimension of global change based on comprehensive studies on the changing size and composition of human populations around the world by analyzing both their impacts and the differential vulnerabilities by age, gender and level of education.

Introduction.- Risk and Governance.- Energy and Climate Systems.- Ecosystems, Water and Food.- Population, Health and Aging.

Dr Priscilla Mensah is Director in the Human and Infrastructure Capacity Development Directorate of the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa. She joined the University of the Free State in 2012 where she held a number of positions including Deputy-Director: International Academic Programmes and Deputy Director of the Postgraduate School. In 2013, she was awarded a Higher Education Leadership and Management LEAD Fellowship. She served as Director for the three consecutive summer schools of the Southern African Young Scientist Summer Programme (SA-YSSP) in Applied Systems Analysis hosted at the University of the Free State from 2012-2015. She has extensive knowledge of South Africa’s Higher Education and Training landscape and the National System of Innovation. She is a specialist in systems analysis with specific emphasis on science and policy within South Africa and beyond. In addition, she is a committee member of South Africa’s National Member Organisation (NMO) of the International Institute of Applied Systems (IIASA). The work of this committee contributes to the national strategy of developing systems analysis capacity and establishing systems analysis as a research approach in the country. Priscilla holds Masters and Doctoral degrees in Chemistry from the University of Cape Town. Following the completion of her doctoral degree, she joined the Unit for Drug Research and Development at the North-West University as a postdoctoral fellow, where her research focused on the drug delivery properties.

Dr Sepo Hachigonta is Director of Strategic Partnerships at the NRF of South Africa. He has extensive work experience in trans-disciplinary fields and the regions’ science, technology and policy landscape. Prior to joining the NRF, he was a programme manager at FANRPAN, a regional policy analysis network on food security and agricultural based in Pretoria. He has published widely in environmental and agriculture systems, with a specific fo