Yesterday, Dutch news headlined: “Climate goal 2030 seems unattainable, new cabinet policy achieves little.” According to the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL), the likelihood of meeting the main target of the Climate Act is “very small.” This conclusion, supported by the Council of State in its annual analysis, highlights a sharp decline in the government’s climate ambition over the past year. As a result, climate progress has stalled, with the Council stressing that the Netherlands is facing “a gigantic task” in the years ahead: society must change in nearly every aspect, and such change requires a clear, consistent, and stable course (NU.nl, 2025).
And it is not only the Netherlands that is falling behind. Participating in the Sustainable Business Challenge 2023, organized by the UN SDG Action Campaign and Action for Sustainable Development, I learned there is a global shortfall in meeting the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established in 2015 under the UN’s Agenda 2030 (THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development, n.d.).
While pursuing a joint Master’s in Entrepreneurship at the University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, I interned at Fresh Ventures Studio, a venture-building program and startup studio addressing systemic challenges in the agri-food sector, critical for advancing all SDGs. There, I stumbled upon the concept of ‘systems thinking’, which is seeing things holistically and interconnected (Maani & Maharaj, 2004; Matthew et al., 2021). This inspired me to explore in my thesis how entrepreneurs use systems thinking to transition the agri-food system towards sustainability, and how it helps in understanding and addressing complex problems.
The issues in the agri-food sector are recognized as classic ‘systems’ problems, and their behavior is characterized by the seven features of systems: interdependency, level-multiplicity, dynamism, path dependency, self-organization, non-linearity, and complex causality (Dentoni et al., 2023). Systems operate as they are designed to, and issues in systems result from underlying variables that create such issues; to redesign them, these variables must be thoroughly understood. But as humans are constrained by bounded rationality, and since today’s society places a high emphasis on analytical thinking, breaking things down to understand them, we tend to think and act unconsciously and with bias, unable to consider the broader perspective. This way of thinking often produces overly optimistic “temporary fixes” to deep and complex issues, which can also lead to unexpected outcomes.
Someone shared the following story when discussing systems thinking: ‘Biologists from the Netherlands thought they could help an underfed region in Africa by releasing a specific fish into the waters so they could catch and eat it. However, the fish disrupted the ecosystem, causing a dangerous disease among the inhabitants, with many deaths as a result.’’ And there are countless other examples of symptomatic solutions. Consider, for instance, the ease with which medicines are prescribed in (mental) healthcare, green tech start-ups pursuing lucrative business opportunities, or homeless shelters in cities reducing the pressure on municipalities to invest in preventive measures.
In his book Moral Ambition, Rutger Bregman strongly advocates for action and leaving a positive impact, while criticizing the so-called ‘conscious idlers.’ However, the risk is too much ‘unconscious’ action, with well-intentioned efforts not translating into desired outcomes. Systems thinking means placing an issue in the context of a larger whole (Capra & Luisi, 2014), seeking its root causes, considering all the factors and actors involved, and identifying potential leverage points for change. Putting this effectively into practice, however, is not as easy as it sounds, as systems are infinitely complex and any (simplified) representation inevitably omits some factors. Even creating such a simplified representation can consume considerable resources and research time. To help translate theory into practice, various relatively accessible systems thinking methods have been developed, including causal loop diagrams (system maps), value network maps, and Theories of Change. Another, and arguably more fundamental, approach, however, is to train and develop a systems thinking mindset, or intuition, rooted in cognitive processes, which has been shown in a study to be particularly effective for complex decision-making (Maani & Maharaj, 2004).
Given that systems thinking is crucial for achieving any goal, acting as a systemic change agent to shape them toward a better future can be perceived as both noble and egoistic. Because systems of issues and systems of actors are two sides of the same coin, to be able to realistically position oneself within a system and take all factors into account, one must be able to view the problem from multiple angles, requiring endless curiosity and a spiritual, mindful, and non-judgmental state of mind. However, as human mental structures and behavior are influenced by ego (read The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle), often intertwined with power, and by the principle of least effort, it can blind and hinder well-informed decisions or the setting of appropriate goals. Consider, for example, the endless stream of reckless statements from figures like Trump and Musk, or the things our close ones could achieve if they just tried a bit harder. Of course, time and resources are limited, making a clear mind all the more important for setting the right priorities. I believe mindfulness, groundedness and spirituality play a key role in effective systems thinking.
And I do not seem to be the only one. Last winter (2024), while participating in the True Price Festival at Pakhuis de Zwijger, I briefly spoke afterward with our Dutch ‘Captain of Transition’ and final speaker, Jan Rotmans. Worldwide, he ranks among the top 0.05% of scientists in terms of publications, is number 4 in Integrated Assessment Modelling, and number 17 in Sustainability (Jan Rotmans, 2025). I asked him about his familiarity with systems thinking, its integration with mindfulness and spirituality, and how important he perceives it in the transition toward achieving the SDGs and a sustainable future. His response: “I have been a systems thinker my whole career! It is key in the transition to a sustainable future. However, there is still very little happening around this, also in the Netherlands, and I see opportunities here.” Subsequently, he added: “I am currently discovering the spiritual aspect of it.”
Having the common thread of my master’s thesis and philosophy of life validated by an expert and leading authority in the field, I am convinced that recognizing the interconnectedness, complexity, and chaos (read Omarm de chaos by Jan Rotmans) of everything not only provides an opportunity for inner peace, but also serves as a cornerstone for addressing any challenge, from everyday to wicked ones, across all fields; sustainability, psychology, medicine, ecology, society, technology, economics, organizations, politics, and so on.
Sources:
– NU.nl. (2025, 16 september). Klimaatdoel 2030 lijkt onbereikbaar, nieuw kabinetsbeleid haalt weinig uit. Geraadpleegd op 16 september 2025, van https://www.nu.nl/klimaat/6369112/klimaatdoel-2030-lijkt-onbereikbaar-nieuw-kabinetsbeleid-haalt-weinig-uit.html
– Jan Rotmans. (2025, 2 juni). Jan Rotmans. https://janrotmans.nl/
– THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development. (z.d.). https://sdgs.un.org/goals
– Capra, F., & Luisi, P. L. (2014). The Systems View of Life. https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9780511895555
– Dentoni, D., Cucchi, C., Roglic, M., Lubberink, R., Bender-Salazar, R., & Manyise, T. (2023). Systems Thinking, Mapping and Change in Food and Agriculture. Bio-Based and Applied Economics, 11(4), 277–301. https://doi.org/10.36253/bae-13930
– Maani, K. E., & Maharaj, V. (2004). Links between systems thinking and complex decision making. System Dynamics Review, 20(1), 21–48. https://doi.org/10.1002/sdr.281
– Matthew, L., Gunnar, A., & Frode, R. J. (2021). Merging systems thinking with entrepreneurship: Shifting students’ mindsets towards crafting a more sustainable future, 13(4946), 4946–4946. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13094946