1. A Systems Approach to Sustainability at U.S. EPA
Joseph Fiksel
Executive Director Center for Resilience The Ohio State University
Sustainability Advisor, U.S. EPA Office of Research & Development
The content of this presentation reflects the views of the author and does not represent the policies or position of the U.S. EPA.

2. Three Pillars of Sustainability
Economic
Prosperity
Environmental
Protection
Human Health & Social Well Being

3. Need for a Systems Approach
“Although risk-based methods have led to many successes…they are not adequate to address… complex problems…such as depletion of natural resources, climate change, and loss of biodiversity…. Sophisticated tools are…available to address cross-cutting…challenging issues that go beyond risk management.
National Research Council
Sustainability and the U.S. EPA
September 2011

4. What is a Systems Approach?
A comprehensive methodology for understanding the interactions and feedback loops among
Economic systems—companies, supply chains….
Ecological systems—forests, watersheds….
Societal systems—communities, networks….
Reveals consequences (sometimes unintended) of human interventions, such as new policies, technologies, and business practices
Degraded ecosystems threaten the sustainability of human economies (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005)

5. What do Ecosystems Provide?
Natural capital consists of ecosystem goods and services that are essential for human well-being
Provisioning
Goods produced or provided by ecosystems
• food
• fresh water
• fuel & wood
• fiber
• biochemicals
• genetic resources
Regulating
Benefits obtained from natural regulation of ecosystem processes
• climate regulation
• disease regulation
• flood regulation
• detoxification
Cultural
Non-material benefits obtained from ecosystems
• spiritual
• recreational
• aesthetic
• inspirational
• educational
• symbolic
Supporting
Services necessary for provision of other ecosystem services
• Soil formation • Nutrient cycling • Primary production

6. Triple Value Model Industry Society (economic capital) (human capital)
economic value is created for society
labor is utilized in industry
Environment (natural capital)
waste and emissions may degrade the environment
ecological goods and services are utilized in industry
ecological
amenities
are enjoyed
by society
some waste is recovered and recycled
emissions may harm humans
society
invests in
protection &
restoration
Adapted from: J. Fiksel, A Framework for Sustainable Materials Management, Journal of Materials, August 2006.

7. Triple Value Model Industry Society (economic capital) (human capital)
Environment (natural capital)
Adapted from: J. Fiksel, A Framework for Sustainable Materials Management, Journal of Materials, August 2006.

8. Example: Triple Value Model for Water Resource Flows
Economy
Society
economic value
agriculture, fishing, industrial, and commercial uses
runoff and
wastewater
drinking water, recreation, and cultural uses
Environment
ecological resource base

9. Interventions to Promote Sustainable Water Resource Flows
Industry
Society
Smart
growth
Materials
Built environment
Public agencies
Communities, special populations
Energy
Food
Services
Infrastructure
Conservation
Treatment technologies
Process water recycling
Gray water reuse
Rainwater harvesting
Water stewardship
Integrated water resource management
Full cost accounting
Green infrastructure
Agricultural practices
Environment
Surface water
Ground-water

10. Application to Nutrient Pollution
Concentrations of Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P) in many U.S. waterways have increased greatly due to human sources, e.g., municipal wastewater treatment, agricultural & stormwater runoff, airborne emissions
These excess nutrients result in algal blooms and degraded aquatic ecosystems, adversely impacting drinking water, fishing, recreation, and tourism
N and P are difficult to control or remove because the sources are broadly dispersed, the environmental pathways and mechanisms are complex, and the removal technologies are costly

11. Narragansett Pilot Project
Apply “systems thinking” to the problem of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in New England waters
Collaborate with stakeholders to address the full spectrum of sustainability goals
Explore integrated strategies for nutrient mitigation
Regulatory influence
Voluntary innovation
Provide a replicable approach for other EPA Regions
Narragansett Bay Watershed

12. Systems View of the Nitrogen Cycle
Galloway, J.N. et al. (2003). The nitrogen cascade. Bioscience, 53, 341–356.

13. Bridging Science and Policy
What do we know today?
What are the unknowns?
What are our goals?
What are the options?
Systems
Model
How should we proceed given the uncertainties?

14. Watershed Mass Balance for Nitrogen
Mobile emissions
Nitrogen deposition
Atmosphere
Point source discharges
Wastewater
Treatment
Plants
Industry
Deposition
Precipitation
Communities
Impervious
surfaces
Sludge
Recharge
Water
Treatment
Plants
Denitrification
Subsurface disposal
Soil
Sewer overflow
Private
wells
Runoff
Riparian runoff
Fertilizers
Soil
organisms
and
vegetation
Uptake
Surface water
Manure
Municipal wells
Fixation
Outflow
Base flow
Base flow
Infiltration
Aquatic Organisms
Ground water

15. Modeling the Nutrient Cycle
products & services
Economic Activities
Agriculture
Commercial Fisheries
Energy & Transportation
Land Development
Recreation & Tourism
Water Treatment
Community Stakeholders
Consumers & residents
State & local agencies
Water & energy utilities
Regional businesses
Septic tank users
Private well users
water supply
runoff and
wastewater
industrial & commercial uses
recreational and cultural uses
Environmental Resources
Surface water
Ground water
Coastal areas
Fish & shellfish
Regional ecosystems
Atmosphere & climate

16. Triple Value Simulation (3VS)
Interactive system dynamics model based on the T21 platform from Millennium Institute
Explores how strategic options affect overall sustainability outcomes
Helps create portfolio of interventions to maximize stakeholder benefits
Current status of model development
Phase 1 prototype completed in November 2011
Coarse disaggregation by subregions of the watershed
Extensive involvement of regional stakeholder groups
Phase 2 will analyze specific decision scenarios
“All models are wrong, but some models are useful”

17. Overview of Modeling Approach
Applications
Science & analytics
Policy level
3VS Model
Environ-mental models
Detailed place-based model
Human health models
Economic models
Detailed
models
There is no single model that can address all the needs of decision makers and stakeholders at multiple scales

18. Municipal Boundaries for Subwatersheds

19. Nitrogen Loading by Source and Subwatershed (2011)

20. Nitrogen Loading by Source and Subwatershed (2030)

21. Policy Interventions Considered
10/12/2011
Policy Interventions Considered
Enforcement of MS4/Stormwater Phase II requirements
Subsequent phases of Fields Point CSO Abatement Project and CSO projects in Falls River and Worcester
Restoration, construction, and maintenance of wetlands, salt marshes, and riparian buffers
Green infrastructure and low impact development (LID) practices to reduce runoff volume and pollutant loadings
Development and implementation of sustainable land care practices through BMPs (best management practices)
Development and enforcement of TMDLs (total maximum daily loads)
Further upgrades to sewer infrastructure via State Revolving Funds.
Enforcement of “no discharge” boating on the Bay
Improvement/enforcement of NOx controls on local air pollution
Nitrogen permit trading program for WWTFs (e.g., Long Island Sound)
Bioharvesting of shellfish and algae
MS4/Stormwater Phase II enforcement mentioned in both the Taunton River and Blackstone River Watershed 5-Year Action Plans
Wetland, salt marsh, riparian: cited by the above plans, as well as the Rhode Island Systems Level Plan, by the Bays, Rivers, and Watersheds Coordination Team. 21

22. Causal Relationships in the System Model
Society
Watershed GDP
Atmospheric deposition
Stormwater
runoff
Disposable
income
Emissions & VMT reductions
BMPs
Aquaculture
ISDS improvements
Waterway engineering
Improved treatment
CSO tunnels
LID and GI
Municipal tax revenue
Agricultural fertilizer use
Septic tanks & cesspools
Fishing & Tourism
Energy demand
Wastewater
treatment
Property values
Resident beach visits
Recreational fishing
Nutrient loadings
Economy
Finfish & shellfish abundance
Fish kill likelihood
Pathogen loadings
Near-shore turbidity
Aquatic ecosystem impairment
Climate
change
Rain
Algae blooms
Legend
Sustainability
Indicator
Causal link
Potential
Intervention
Dissolved oxygen
Surface water conditions
Environment

23. Graphical Interface

24. Final Thought
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Albert Einstein

25. Acknowledgments Dr. Paul Anastas Dr. Jennifer Orme-Zavaleta
Assistant Administrator Office of Research & Development U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Dr. Jennifer Orme-Zavaleta
Interim National Program Director, Safe and Sustainable Water Resources Office of Research & Development, U.S. EPA