Environmental Sustainability and System Thinking in Australia Report

This report delves into the critical factors of environmental sustainability and system thinking, exploring potential solutions to environmental challenges. It begins by emphasizing the importance of economic system thinking in addressing sustainability issues, followed by an examination of processes and systems for mitigating environmental problems. The report uses the example of coal gas extraction in Australia to illustrate the three-pillar model of sustainability (social, environmental, and economic), highlighting the negative impacts and the need for government regulations. It also introduces the Iceberg system thinking model to analyze the effects of coal gas extraction, from event to mental model levels. The report concludes by emphasizing the need for effective government policies to ensure the sustainable use of resources and the well-being of future generations.

RUNNING HEAD: Environmental sustainability 1
Environmental sustainability and system thinking

Environmental sustainability 2
Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
Economic system thinking.......................................................................................................................4
Impact of Coal gas extraction on sustainability of Australian economy......................................................4
Three pillar model of sustainability.............................................................................................................4
Coal- Seam gas extraction on economic and environmental sustainability of Australia..............................7
System thinking model Ice Berg..................................................................................................................8
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................11
References.................................................................................................................................................12

Environmental sustainability 3
Introduction
This report reflects the adamantine study on the key factors of environmental
sustainability and system thinking which could be used to develop possible solutions for
environmental problems and challenges. In the starting of this report, study has been prepared to
showcase the why economic system thinking is critical in developing solutions to sustainability
challenges for the betterment of organization. After that, study has been prepared to showcase
key process and system to deploy possible level of problem mitigating solution for the
betterment of society and environment at large. After that, uses of various methods and means
have been discussed with the help of practical example which company could undertake to
encounter economical sustainable challenges.

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Economic system thinking
With the increasing ramification of economic changes, there are several sustainable
practices and solutions which have been evaluated for the betterment of society and environment
at large. System thinking is related to management of working environment by the government
after undertaking systematic issuing policies and regulations for the betterment of society and
environment at large. Sustainability could be defined as integration of social, environmental and
economic system to improve the quality of life within earth regenerating, caring and assimilating
capacity for the betterment of society and environment at large (Sachs, 2015). It is determined
that government and political parties rules and regulations set up throughout the time has great
impact on the society and environmental sustainability.
Impact of Coal gas extraction on sustainability of Australian economy
Economic system thinking should be more inclined towards deploying optimum level of
resources for the betterment of society and economy at large (Pearce, Barbier and Markandya,
2013). Economic system should make efforts to reduce the cases like exploitation of resources,
use of hazardous substance, banning life threating polluted factors in economic and society at
large.
Three pillar model of sustainability
After considering various secondary data, it is determined that if economic of Australia
have more cases related to coal seam gas extraction, then it will not only put the negative impact
on the people of Australia but also result to destruction to the health of people at large (Higgins,
2014).

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Social
It is observed that national chemical assessment projects indulged in examination of the
human health and environmental risks from chemical used in various big organizations which are
indulged in gas productions and Coal- Seam gas extraction business However, for the betterment
of society, Government of Australia with the collaboration of other authorities has banned the
use of certain chemicals and other substance with a view to protect the ground water, surface
water and health of people at large (Bravo, 2014). Nonetheless, banning harmful chemicals and
determining the cap and installation of eco system are the key pillars for reducing the negative
impact of coal gas extractions.
Environmental
These practices in particular country not only put negative impact on the humans but also
showcase low availability of natural resources for the future generation people (Wang, Wu, and
Zhang, 2015) This could be inferred that if government of particular country fails to implement
proper level of rules and laws then it will not only hamper the productivity of society and
environment at large. For instance, various big organizations such as BP Billiton Plc, Rio Tinto
and other big organizations which extract coal gas and other hazardous substance in environment
and destruct the air and pollute the environment with their hazardous extracts It also has drastic
negative impact on the exploitation of natural resources (Liu, et al. 2015). It is observed that coal
gas extraction or franking will increase the overall cost of the society for the proper running of
value chain activities. For instance, if government could implement proper level of coal gas
extraction and eco system installation rules and increase the penalties and fines then it will

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perhaps reduce the overall % of negative impact of coal gas extraction on the society and
environment at large.
Economic
Sustainability of resources and society could be defined as use of optimum resources and
producing more productive goods and services. It is inferred that if people take less number of
resources to produce certain output then it will surely result to better sustainability of society and
environment at large. It is observed that if government provides a systematic rules and
regulations for organizations and society at large for using natural resources in effective manner
then it will meet people’s wants and needs in determined approach without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their requirements and needs. This could be described that
coal seam gas extraction has several negative impacts on society, environment and people’s
health at large. There are several rules and regulations which have been introduced by
governments and political parties around the globe to reduce the coal gas extraction. For
instance, coal gas cap limit, extraction of hazardous substance and its usage and other restricted
compulsory program are the most prominent rules which have been introduced by some of the
developed countries for the sustainable future of society and environment at large such as
Australia, Malysia, UK and US (Wheeler, and Beatley, 2014).
It is evaluated that if Australia, UK and US would have less % of coal gas extraction
cases and use of hazardous substance in society then it will not only increase the sustainability of
economy but also create a positive working image for society and economy at large (CHENG,
Fu, and Yu, 2009). It is further observed that if government of particular economy is not
sustainability oriented then it will result to availability of fewer amounts of resources for the

Environmental sustainability 7
future generation people. Coal gas extraction or fracking in Australia has been gaining
momentum throughout the time as production and trade of diesel and gas has 20% part of
country’s GDP (Imran, Alam, and Beaumont, 2014). However, negative impact of the same
could be controlled by Australian government and other regulatory authority by implementing
strengthen policies and measures to impose penalties on people who enter into use of life
threating and hazardous substance. However, If people around the globe are stuck in problems
emerged from coal gas extractions then it will not only hamper the economic sustainability of
society but also economic at large. It is observed that people indulged in problems emerged from
coal gas extractions cases will tend to provide less efficient work then other persons who are free
from these sorts of impacts. Therefore, it could be inferred that government and political parties
of Australia should be more inclined towards setting policies and laws to reduce and curb coal
gas extractions and its negative impact for the betterment of society and economic at large
(Liang, 2008).
Coal- Seam gas extraction on economic and environmental sustainability
of Australia
Sustainability is the very critical factor which could only be achieved by effective government
economic system and set policies (Xia, et al. 2014). It is related to establishment of proper nexus
between consumption of natural resources and its availability for the future generation. If people
in today’s world consume all the available natural resources then future generation will be
deprived of these available resources. However, with the ramified economic growth and
changing stakeholders wants and needs, organization and economic system of Australia is more
inclined towards increasing capacity to supply goods and services, requires increased
productions and consumption and requires more consumers (Griggs, et al. 2013). Nonetheless, if

Environmental sustainability 8
economic system of Australia wants to make economic development then policies and standard
would be set to improve the standard of living of people of Australia (Leigh, and Blakely, 2016).
System thinking model Ice Berg
This Ice Berg system thinking model helps in understanding global issues and implementing
proper level of system global level of thinking (Sun, Hylan and Cui, 2014).
Level of thinking
The event level
It is the level at which impacts of coal gas extraction on the economic and world are taken into
consideration. It is observed that economic of country should grow without corresponding
increase in environmental pressure. In many of the cases, it is observed that if economic of
country is increasing then it will surely raise pressure on the environment (Rose, 2017). For
instance, Coal- Seam gas extraction is the major problem which is putting negative impact on the
society and environment at large. The main negative impact on the society comes from the
emission of hazardous substance from the Coal- Seam gas extraction in Australia. However, the
national chemical assessment projects examines the human health and environmental risks from
chemical used in various big organizations which are indulged in gas productions and Coal-
Seam gas extraction business
Patter level
It reflects the activities and systematic working system of government which is implemented for
the betterment of society and economic at large. After collecting details from the various

Environmental sustainability 9
secondary sources, it is evaluated that Australian government and is committed to regulating
industrial chemicals, including those associated with coal seam gas extraction, for the protection
of Australia public, environment and workers at large. However, government and political party
need to establish proper level of nexus between environmental sustainability and economic
sustainability.
Structured level
It reflects the structure and possible format which government and political party
implement to reduce the negative impact of coal gas extraction. It is evaluated that Coal- Seam
gas extraction arise from the deep below the ground using world best practice to save the
environment and society from the hazardous substance of Coal- Seam gas extraction.
Government of Australia with the collaboration of other authorities has banned the use of certain
chemicals and other substance with a view to protect the ground water, surface water and
environment at large (Bravo, 2014). Nonetheless, banning harmful chemicals will surely increase
the sustainability of society and environment large. It is easy to consider that if organizations and
people are indulged on consistent basis to use natural resources irresponsibly then it will not only
reduce the availability of available natural resources but also deprive future generation people
from use of resources at large (McDonald, 2014). In Australia, Coal- Seam gas extraction is
plentiful and major Coal- Seam gas resources are found onshore in eastern Australia. If the use
of Coal- Seam gas extraction is not controlled then it will put negative impact on the availability
of water and result too injection of chemical addictive into this water. Risk of sustainability of
natural resources could be seen on the basis of removal of large amount of ground water which
affects the aquifer levels in some cases deplete them completely. However, with the negative

Environmental sustainability 10
impact of Coal- Seam gas extraction on the environment and economic of Australia, there are
several positive economic benefits which arise from the use of Coal- Seam gas business such as
increased level of availability of foreign exchange, increased gross domestic product and future
growth of economy. It is considered that if government in collaboration with the other authorities
does not strengthen the Coal- Seam gas extraction policies and measures then organizations
indulged in this business create crucial level of losses of natural resources (Moyle, et al. 2014).
Mental model level
It is observed that increased delivery of hazardous substance in economic environment
due to Coal- Seam gas extraction will increase sustainability risk of natural resources such as
water, air and availability of other required substance in environment of Australia. However, if
emission of hazardous products increased in economic environment of Australia from Coal-
Seam gas extraction then it will surely result to various illness and destruct the health of people
living in Australian environment (Hatfield-Dodds, et al., 2015). Therefore, it could be
considered that social and local environmental impacts are very crucial risk which should not be
taken lightly. This is observed that government of Australia should set a particular level of bar
for using natural resources. Nonetheless, it is observed that if excess level of Coal- Seam gas
extraction is found in Australian economy then it will surely destruct the economic resources but
also result to no availability of natural resources for future generation people and deprived from
available resources. Coal- Seam gas extraction has to be managed in determined approach as per
the instructions, rules and regulations set by government of Australia to reduce the negative
impact of Coal- Seam gas extraction on the water and other natural substance (Hu, 2015).

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Conclusion
This report has reflected the key understanding on the natural resources and other
economic factors which should be taken care by government and other authorities for mitigating
the negative impact of various cases such as use of life threating substance, coal gas emission
and its impact on the environmental and social sustainability of Australia. It is observed that if
government provides a systematic rules and regulations for organizations and society at large for
using natural resources in effective manner then it will meet people’s wants and needs in
determined approach without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
requirements and needs. Now in the end, it could be inferred that if all the organizations and
people in Australia use natural resources as per the proper instructions and set government
policies and system then it will increase the overall productivity of economy and reduce the
sustainability risk of Australian environment. In simple word, it is considered that positive
economic system accompanied by strengthen economic policies and rules on the use of natural
resources and sustainability of economic environment of Australia would have parallel graph and
will increase both on the same side of graph.

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