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Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:25:53 -0600
Reply-To: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
Sender: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
From: Rogelio Oliva < >
Subject: SDS Winter Policy Council Meeting alert/date vote
Dear Policy Council Members and Other Interested Parties,
For the 2010 Winter Policy Council Meeting we will again use a combination of a face-to-face and an electronic meeting. The purpose of the face-to-face meeting will be to discuss administrative and open policy issues, and then refine and propose motions for the electronic meeting. All motions will be discussed and voted electronically. A tentative schedule is given below.
In order to firm up this schedule, we need some input from you:
Will you be able to attend the face-to-face meeting at MIT?
What dates can you attend:
-- On Friday January 15?
-- On Saturday January 16?
(The snow date would be the following day.)
Do you have any agenda items that you would like discussed, including motions that will need a vote?
Please respond to office@systemdynamics.org with your answers to these questions by December 4 so that plans can be made.
The agenda and schedule will be disseminated at the beginning of
January along with instructions for posting materials, electronic discussion, and voting. For the Winter Meeting we will be asking VPs to update their reports from the 2009 Summer Meeting, rather than providing full reports (full reports will be given at the Summer Meetings). So if nothing has transpired, your update can be very brief! If you are a new VP, please work with your predecessor in preparing your update.
Please reply with any questions or suggestions for the combination of face-to-face and e-meeting please.
Happy Holidays!
Rogelio Oliva, President (2010)
reply to: office@systemdynamics.org
2010 Officers and Members of the Policy Council:
President: Rogelio Oliva
President Elect: David Lane
Past President: Erling Moxnes
Founding President: Jay W. Forrester
Secretary: J. Bradley Morrison
Vice President At Large: Joel Rahn
Vice President Chapter Activities: Tim Haslett
Vice President Electronic Presence: Robert L. Eberlein
Vice President Finance: David F. Andersen
Vice President Meetings: Andreas Groessler
Vice President Member Services: Krystyna Stave
Vice President Publications: Deborah Lines Andersen
System Dynamics Review Executive Editor: Brian C. Dangerfield
Policy Council Members
Enzo Bivona
Laura Black
Burak Gneralp
Imrana Umar
Lars Weber
Susan Howick
Birgit Kopainsky
Ignacio Martnez-Moyano
Agata Sawicka
Martin Schaffernicht
Kim Warren
Aldo Zagonel
Rogelio Oliva
Associate Professor
Mays Business School | Wehner 301C - 4217
Texas A&M University | College Station, TX 77843-4217
Ph 979-862-3744 | Fx 979-845-5653 |
http://iops.tamu.edu/faculty/roliva/
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Date: Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:43:36 -0700
Reply-To: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
Sender: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
From: "Zagonel, Aldo A" < >
Subject: Re: SDS Winter PC Meeting - Carbon Neutral System Dynamics Conferences
Dear Members of the Policy Council,
I'd like to bring to your attention a proposal by the Environmental SIG to institutionalize the Carbon Offsetting mechanism for the annual SD conferences, copied below.
We thought it was a great initiative by Allyson Beall and others, to put it in place for the first time at the Albuquerque Conference. This program aligns well with the underlying philosophy in the Society, both in terms of the effort to contain climate change, as well as the approach to "think globally and act locally."
This proposal goes a step further than what was done in Albuquerque, adopting a feature whereby non-participants "opt out." With this change in the procedure, we hope to raise significantly the percentage of registrants that offset their conference-related carbon emissions (see justification in the proposal).
We bring this proposal for discussion, and perhaps deliberation, at this Winter's PC meeting.
Thank you for your time and attention,
Aldo Zagonel
Sandia National Laboratories
<mailto:aazagon@sandia.gov>
(505) 284-6773
Carbon Neutral System Dynamics Conferences
Allyson Beall
Environmental SIG
November 23, 2009
The System Dynamics Society partnered with Carbonfund.org as a means of offsetting the carbon emissions associated with the 27th International
Conference System Dynamics Conference held in Albuquerque, New Mexico USA in July 2009. SDS took the first step in making this event carbon neutral by offsetting 15 tons of the conference emissions and encouraged attendees to offset their individual carbon impact as well. Although the conference had a climate centric theme, participants only offset a small portion of our carbon footprint, which when combined with the original 15 tons offset by the society came to a 10% total offset. Many participants noted that going online to offset their carbon was inconvenient and requested that the offset be a part of the registration fee.
International conferences have an especially high carbon footprint primarily due to people flying long distances. Other sources of emissions include hotel energy and food, and local transportation. Other than having a virtual conference one manner of reducing our carbon footprint is to purchase carbon offsets. Carbonfund.org helped us estimate our 2009 conference emissions at 900.9 metric tons based on statistics from the 25th International System Dynamics Conference held in Boston, July 2007. The estimate includes the number of attendees and their places or origin, number of hotel nights, estimated local transportation, estimated square foot of conference space and food provided by the conference. SDS has opted to average the total projected impact of our conference among the total number of projected attendees so as to not place a higher burden on those traveling from overseas. The price of offset for each participant at the 2009 conference was US$15.27.
Due to low voluntary participation, the significant interest in having the offset part of the registration fee, and the overall feedback that becoming carbon neutral was a good idea; the Environmental SIG proposes that the Society add a carbon neutral fee to the registration fee with an "opt out"option for those who do not want to participate. The current price of ~US$15. 27 per participant should be enough to cover the conferences not held in the US unless those conferences start seeing the higher participation numbers that the US conferences experience or the price of carbon offsets changes significantly.
With the understanding that there would be added work by the home office to manage the offset we recommend the price of $20 to cover that additional expense with any excess to go to offsetting the carbon footprint of the home office.
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Date: Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:52:48 -0500
Reply-To: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
Sender: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
From: John Sterman < >
Subject: Re: SDS Winter PC Meeting - Carbon Neutral System Dynamics Conferences
In-Reply-To: < >
making the default "opt out" is a good idea.
John
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Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:51:49 +1300
Reply-To: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
Sender: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
From: Bob Cavana < >
Subject: Re: SDS Winter PC Meeting - Carbon Neutral System Dynamics Conferences
In-Reply-To: < >
Thanks Aldo,
Perhaps we could include the carbon charge of US$20 as part of the normal registration cost (ie compulsory add on in the budget process)?
This would fit well with the conference theme in Korea: Beyond the Crisis: Greening Society, the Economy, and the Future
This would certainly fit well with SDS's image/reputation on environmental/= sustainability/global issues.
Perhaps the Policy Council to discuss & vote on 3 options on a carbon offsetting cost of US$20:
1. optional to opt in;
2. default in registration fee, and option to opt out;
3. compulsory as put of an increased registration fee.
Regards,
Bob
A/Prof Bob Cavana
Reader in Systems Science
Victoria Management School
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Date: Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:57:45 -0500
Reply-To: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
Sender: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
From: Bob Eberlein < >
Subject: Re: SDS Winter PC Meeting - Carbon Neutral System Dynamics Conferences
In-Reply-To: < >
It is too late to include this in anything for the Korea conference- the registration fee will be imprinted in the registration brochure before the formal winter meeting begins.
Providing an choice to opt in or out would generate lots of extra work for the central office. That does not seem desirable. We should elect to include the carbon offset in the registration fee, or not. In principle
I think including it is the right thing to do, but I worry about making the conference more expensive and, of course, whether the spending really does make a difference.
Bob Eberlein
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Date: Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:50:25 -0200
Reply-To: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
Sender: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
From: Niro < >
Subject: RES: SDS Winter PC Meeting - Carbon Neutral System Dynamics Conferences
In-Reply-To: <
Dear Prof. Cavana,
‘compulsory’ will be always a system intervention. ‘Optional to opt in’ is
better!
Sorry,
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Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:15:29 +0100
Reply-To: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
Sender: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
From: Erling Moxnes < >
Subject: Re: SDS Winter PC Meeting - Carbon Neutral System Dynamics Conferences
In-Reply-To: A< >
I do not know the answer, but I think it is important to ask the question:
What is most important for the climate: as many participants as possible at the ISDC or reputation and abatements facilitated by carbon charges?
Since I am uncertain about the answer, I would go for voluntary.
Erling
Erling Moxnes
Professor, System Dynamics Group
Dept. of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences
University of Bergen
http://www.ifi.uib.no/sd/=20
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Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:53:09 -0500
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Sender: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
From: Deborah Andersen < >
Subject: Re: SDS Winter PC Meeting - Carbon Neutral System Dynamics Conferences
Although I agree with the idea of carbon neutral I would also like to make this work neutral for the main office at conference time. What mechanisms will we put in place so that this is not one more thing that Roberta and staff need to do?
Thanks,
Deborah Andersen
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Date: Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:39:00 +1300
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Sender: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
From: Bob Cavana < >
Subject: Re: SDS Winter PC Meeting - Carbon Neutral System Dynamics Conferences
In-Reply-To: < >
hi Erling,
a very important & interesting 'SD' question!:
"What is most important for the climate: as many participants as possible at the ISDC or reputation and abatements facilitated by carbon charges?"
however, 'maximising participation at ISDC' and 'maximising abatements facilitated by carbon changes' are not necessarily mutually exclusive objectives
- because of SDS member's (and other SD contributions) historical & ongoing great work in the international climate change/sustainability debate it is important to get as many people to the ISDC as possible each year. Many of these people will return to their parts of the world and start/ continue contributing to this ongoing very important issue (i detect some feedback loops here!).
if we (ie SDS Policy Council) believe that the 'Carbon Offsetting mechanism' (US$20/ISDC participant) is/will be going to a reputable and worthwhile organisation (ie can make a difference -Carbonfund.org ??) then i think it should be a compulsory and normal part of the ISDC registration fee.
if we are not satisfied that the agency we would donate the money to (ieCarbonfund.org ??) can make sufficient difference, then SDS could put the collected money aside for research/scholarships etc for work in this area.
if the carbon cost is part of our normal conference fee then it is much easier to get it reimbursed/or paid for by our employers (or sponsors)!
i doubt if US$20 is going to have much impact on the individual's decision whether to attend a specific ISD conference or not (but i think SDS has a policy around 'hardship assistance' here).
now maybe (most likely!) the total ISD conference cost (fee/accomodation etc) is another ongoing issue for Policy Council!
regards,
Bob
A/Prof Bob Cavana
Reader in Systems Science
Victoria Management School
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Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:34:52 -0500
Reply-To: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
Sender: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
From: Jim Thompson < >
Subject: Re: SDS Winter PC Meeting - Carbon Neutral System Dynamics Conferences
In-Reply-To: < >
It seems that we have missed the opportunity to affect the registration fee for the current conference without having to print a new brochure with a revised policy... wasting what is already prepared. It also seems that this Policy Council cannot bind a future Policy Council to a decision. It would be reasonable to leave things as they are with a note to the next Council that the Council members consider the various policy options discussed here.
One of the assumptions, gently challenged by Bob E, is that carbon offsets purchased through carbonfund.org may not make a difference. We should do the work necessary to make policy based in the best information available, and it would make sense to do some auditing between now and the next conference decision.
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Date: Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:06:11 +0100
Reply-To: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
Sender: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
From: Ulli-Beer Silvia < >
Subject: AW: SDS Winter PC Meeting - Carbon Neutral System Dynamics Conferences
In-Reply-To:
Dear Member of the Policy Council
Normally I am a silent listener to your opinions. But the topic of paying for ISDC's externalities using the Carbon Offsetting process is too relevant for staying silent.
I suggest that we are looking for a most efficient way for this transaction for all our members and the Society-Office. Including it in the conference fee would be one way and then just have one transaction to the Carbon Offsetting Office by the Society.
We have seen that voluntary action is not effective (and socially not efficient) concerning Climate Change issues - and honestly the Carbon
Offsetting cost would probably be not decisive in the decision for joining the conference or not (if I consider the many unique amenities the conference normally offers).
I strongly argue for a Carbon Neutral ISDC that can be realized by an adequate financing system.
Best, Silvia Ulli-Beer
P.S. Today I had again a meeting where I heard that we need to do something about Climate Change, but when it came to real action the time and financial cost were considered too high. Is this not the normal behavior pattern that has driven us to the state of climate change thread we are facing now?
We need to make a difference.
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Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:39:26 -0500
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Sender: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
From: Jay Forrester < >
Subject: Re: SDS Winter PC Meeting - Carbon Neutral System Dynamics Conferences
In-Reply-To: < >
To: Policy Council
There are a number of reasons to be very cautious about this proposal. I will list some of them.
1. Carbon emissions has become a very political matter. If a move such as that suggested comes to be judged as a political action, it could jeopardize the tax-exempt status of the Society.
2. I have not examined our constitution, charter, and by-laws, but this action may not be within the scope of the Society.
3. The proposal is sure to cause a major controversy within the membership, and I do not believe that such a debate will advance system dynamics.
4. The proposal to fight carbon emission is rather contrary to good system dynamics practice because it is trying to alleviate symptoms, rather than addressing causes. The fundamental causes here are rising population and rising industrialization. To talk about ways to limit population and economic growth are politically incorrect, but, until those two drivers are subdued, efforts to suppress symptoms will be a losing game. Were we to move into battling the symptoms of growth in population and industrialization rather than dealing with the causes, there are almost an endless list of such symptoms to be fought--hunger, water shortage, wars to control land, etc., etc. These =symptoms will continue to get worse, in spite of counter efforts, as long as the driving forces remain in place. As far as the two major driving forces are concerned, even they are probably not an issue for the Society as a society, but should be addressed by individuals acting in the future best interests of the world.
Jay Forrester
Jay W. Forrester
Professor Emeritus of Management
Sloan School, MIT
Room E60-156
617-253-1571
Reply to home office:
80 Deaconess Road, Suite 442
Concord, MA 01742-4173
978-369-9372
Email:
Fax: 978-369-9372
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Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 09:59:42 -0500
Reply-To: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
Sender: List for System Dynamics Society Policy Council Members< >
From: Bob Eberlein < >
Subject: Re: SDS Winter PC Meeting - Carbon Neutral System Dynamics Conferences
In-Reply-To: <005f01ca6dfd$fab686e0$f02394a0$@ >
Hi Jim,
Just a clarification here. This was not intended as a conference specific change, but rather to be an ongoing policy if acted upon. The first conference that this would apply to would be 2011 in Washington. A decision made during the winter PC meeting - (electronic voting) or the summer (in person voting) would be timely for that conference.
You are right, of course, that we can always change our minds, though inertia is a pretty amazing thing.
Bob Eberlein
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