When we talk about systems innovation, many people think of the transition to a circular economy, digitalization or new business models that are changing entire industries. But all of these pale in comparison to the system we already live in.
The biological ecosystem is the largest and most complex system on Earth. It is also the system that is most threatened today and where the need for systems innovation is greatest.
Systems innovation as a tool
System innovation is about changing not just a product or a process, but the entire network of actors, structures and drivers that make a system work. The whole.
Tools used in systems innovation are often stakeholder mapping, visualization of flows, identification of deadlocks and development of new forms of collaboration. When these tools are applied to biological ecosystems, the challenge becomes monumental because the actors are not only people and organizations, but also species, climate conditions and natural cycles.
When humans change the playing field
In recent centuries, humans have become one of the most influential actors in the biological system. Agriculture, urbanization, industry and transportation affect everything from pollinating insects to the oceans and the atmosphere.
Working with systems innovation in this context means not only looking at how people interact, but also how we can create structures where nature regains its space.
One example is the restoration of wetlands. Wetlands are natural systems that store carbon dioxide, purify water and create habitats for a variety of species. But when they are drained for agriculture, we lose these functions.
By restoring wetlands, new models of interaction are created where agriculture, biodiversity and climate benefits can coexist. Although “wetlands” may not sound like a future activity, they are exactly that. This is true systems innovation because it changes the entire logic of land use.
The role of the economy in ecosystem innovation
One of the major challenges is that economic systems are traditionally based on short-term efficiency, while biological systems are based on long-term resilience. This requires new business models that reward conservation and restoration. Payment for ecosystem services is an example where landowners can receive compensation for managing forests, meadows or wetlands in a way that benefits both people and nature. Those who destroy must pay those who restore. Then those who build think twice about what more they can contribute. In this way, the economy can become a driving force for system innovation rather than a counterforce.
Technical solutions as part of the whole
Technology can play an important role but can never solve the problems alone. Satellite monitoring can help us understand the extent of deforestation. AI can model how different measures affect biodiversity. But the crucial system innovation lies in changing behaviors, institutions and rules. Technology becomes a tool to reinforce the new patterns but not replace the system shift itself.
When nature itself shows the way
The interesting thing about biological systems is that they are themselves masters of innovation. Evolution is a constant process of adaptation, diversity and experimentation. When we build system innovation inspired by nature, so-called biomimicry, we can find solutions that are both efficient and sustainable.
For example, researchers have been inspired by the decentralized organization of anthills to develop logistics systems and networks. We can think in the same way when we build new structures for energy, food and materials.
A new leadership for system innovation
For the biological ecosystem to survive in balance, a new kind of leadership is required. Not just political or corporate, but leadership that looks beyond generations and short-term profits. It is about leading with the understanding that our civilization is embedded in a larger system and that every decision we make has consequences far beyond our own everyday lives.
The Ultimate System Innovation Need
All the system innovations we discuss today, from digitalization to energy transition, must be seen as pieces of a larger puzzle.
The biological ecosystem is the framework itself. If the framework falls apart, it doesn’t matter how well we succeed with the other parts. Therefore, nature and its survival are the ultimate system innovation need.
We must learn to use the tools for system change in a way that not only builds new businesses and social structures, but also strengthens the living conditions that make our existence possible.
