Sustainable Futures from an Engineering Systems Perspective

Never before has the recognition of the need for solutions to the challenges of sustainability been greater. With a rising population of increasing wealth, we have recognised that humankind is “out of planetary compliance”. Or in other words, we are borrowing from next generations, each and every day, with the direct negative effects of raising atmospheric temperatures (global warming), poisoning of our land and waterways, and threatening the biodiversity of the planet – to name but a few.

The response to these challenges is finally reaching critical mass. From Climate Summits, through United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, to Circular Economy campaigns, global action is happening. International associations, geographical regions, and individual countries are making bold moves to enact action against climate change. Measurements are being made on numerous sustainability goals. And the younger generation is successfully increasing its pressure on the incumbent world and industry leaders.

But how can engineering systems interpret these agendas and make a contribution to sustainability transition? What is the potential of taking a socio-technical holistic view on large and complex engineering systems, with a view to improving its sustainability performance? This chapter provides a brief overview of key sustainability developments in the past, which have laid the foundation for how engineering systems can contribute to a sustainable future through holistic socio-technical design. It also provides some paths forward for engineering systems, but some of the paving stones are still missing, so this chapter is also intended as a call to action.