Environmental problems are never just problems in the natural world - they are also always intimately connected with human activities, which have social and economic dimensions.

Systems thinking provides a set of principles and tools to help us make sense of the complex, interacting web of factors that create and often reinforce environmental problems. In this webinar we will look at some basic concepts underlying systems thinking, and then, as a case study drawing on the environmental problems currently being seen in the River Wye, use some basic diagramming techniques to show how to apply these concepts to make sense of what is happening and so identify potential useful strategies.

This free online event is open to everyone.

Our speaker

Bryan Hopkins has worked internationally in the learning and development field since the late 1970s, originally in education and then in consultancy with private sector and international government organisations. Since 2000, his work has primarily been with United Nations agencies and NGOs in humanitarian, development and environmentally-related projects,

He has Masters degrees in development studies from Imperial College and in systems thinking from the Open University.

In recent years he has specialised in examining the role of the learning and development profession in furthering the process of strengthening social and economic sustainability practice in organisational activities.

His most recent book "Learning strategies for sustainable organisations", published by Routledge in 2022, aims to help people with a practical interest in organisational sustainability use systems thinking principles and tools to develop learning and development strategies that provide people with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to enable them to deliver social and environmental sustainability goals.