IMAGINING MORE EFFECTIVE SYSTEM CHANGE LEVERAGE APPROACHES TO SOCIAL AND CLIMATE CHANGE ADVOCACY

In this episode my guest is Dr Andrew Joyce, Senior Research Fellow with the Centre for Social Impact at Swinburne University of Technology. In our discussion we delve into how systems thinking, social movements, and policy innovation could come together to spark transformative change—locally, nationally, and globally.

Our core discussion focussed on past research conducted by Dr Joyce and colleagues which found that not all policy demands and actions have the same potential to create the changes needed to mitigate climate change.

It is important therefore to understand to what extent different demands have the leverage to create change in the system.

By unpacking the types of leverage points for change most commonly mentioned by climate advocacy groups in Australia, research identified which were missing.

Such insights can assist advocacy groups in choosing demands that might be more impactful in leveraging change.

INTERVIEW TALKING POINT SEGMENTS – with approximate time elapsed in minutes.

GENERIC INTRODUCTION – 0.00

GUEST FORESHADOWING COMMENTS – 2.52

EPISODE INTRODUCTION – 3.24

GUEST SELF INTRODUCTION IN 2025 – 4.52

IMAGINATION EXERCISE 1 - TIME TRAVEL TO 2040 – 7.59

EXERCISE 2 - SIGNALS OF THE FUTURE IN 2025 – 14.18

EXERCISE 3 - THREE-POINT ACTION PLAN 2025 – 19.0

HOST TAKEAWAYS ON SYSTEM LEVERAGE – 30.23

CLOSING COMMENTS AND AUDIENCE INVITE – 33.46

END OF EPISODE DISCUSSION – 36.55

SELECTED RESOURCES BASED ON GUEST COMMENTS

INITIATIVES AND ORGANISATIONS

AUSTRALIA

Two examples of Australian NFP organisations that have had explicit environmental advocacy objectives aimed at achieving higher levels of system change influence/intervention.

The Climate and Health Alliance (CAHA)

‘For over a decade, CAHA and its many alliance members have advocated for a national Australian strategy on climate health and wellbeing.’

The Wilderness Society

‘The Wilderness Society is pushing for governments and corporations across Australia to enshrine and activate community rights in environmental decision-making. If the public is empowered with laws, policies and regulations that recognise our right to a fair say in decision-making, we’ll ensure a better future for people and nature.’

INTERNATIONAL

The Donella Meadows Project The late Professor Meadows was an internationally renowned thinker and researcher on system change intervention going back many decades.

BOOKS AND ARTCLES

Research paper by Dr Joyce and colleagues A systems science leverage point analysis of climate change advocacy (December 2023)

Original paper with abstract online - Health promotion International

Free and accessible extensive digest of paper findings from Swinburne Centre for Social Impact.

Miller, R. (2018). Transforming the future: Anticipation in the 21st century. Free UNESCO book resource on Futures Literacy and Foresight.

Geoff Mulgan: Another World Is Possible: How to Reignite Social and Political Imagination (2022)

CONCEPTS

The Intervention Level Framework as developed by Dr Finegood and colleagues. On this site there are some good graphics and links to other research on system change approaches – in this case relevant to public health. Part of the complex systems frameworks collection of Simon Fraser University, BC Canada.

GUEST AND CONTACT DETAILS:

GUEST: Dr Andrew Joyce, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Social Impact, Swinburne CSI, Australia.

AUSPICE PARTNER (HOPE INC. AUSTRALIA)

 Householders’ Options to Protect the Enviro