Paper Presentation at the World Organization of Systems and Cybernetics (WOSC) 16th Congress with title: “Our Self-organising World: from Disruption to Reparation” 15-17 Octubre 2014, Ibagué, Colombia

1. WOSC 2014 –Ibagué 15-17 October, 2014
Sustainability and governance
Complexity and contradictions in Ecuador
Nicholas Anastasopoulos PhD Prometeo Researcher, IAEN
Lecturer, National Technical University of Athens

3. The Ecuadorian experiment
Ecuador currently represents a paradigm shift.
Major strategic efforts are being made for a transition to another economic model, less
dependent on non-renewable resources. The strategic plan revolves around a vision for a
transition from an extractivist to a social and knowledge-based economy.
The Ecuadorian
context
Sustainability within a
complexity context
Scalar and Multilevel
sustainability
Case studies in
Ecuador
Governance and
sustainability
conflicts
A VSM diagnosis
Conclusions
Over the past eight years, Ecuador has been experiencing an undeniable array of changes and
reforms. These address issues of equality, justice, education and plurality.
In November 2008, Ecuador became the first country to undertake an examination of the
legitimacy and structure of its foreign debt.
The new National Constitution (2009 ) introduces two innovative concepts in legal history
worldwide, marking a significant departure from western thought:
The Rights of Nature and the concept of Buen Vivir.

4. Sustainability is being recognized as a critical goal for every society.
Sustainability is a relative, normative, dynamic and contestable term and it indicates
the capacity of being maintained in existence without interruption or diminution.
(Birkeland, 2002; Edwards, 2010; Fiksel, 2006b).
As a term being approached through many different disciplines, sustainability is
heavily discussed and perhaps overused. The term is being freely used in
architecture, buildings, infrastructures and the economy.
In addition, given the complex and often conflicting parameters surrounding
applicability of the term in various fields and contexts, confusion is bound to arise
while usually, the interwoven intricate relationships between societies and their
environment tend to be downplayed and misunderstood.
The Ecuadorian
context
Sustainability within a
complexity context
Scalar and Multilevel
sustainability
Case studies in
Ecuador
Governance and
sustainability
conflicts
A VSM diagnosis
Conclusions
Scalar Sustainability

5. Scalar Sustainability
Global
National
Bio-regional
Regional
Local
The Ecuadorian
context
Sustainability within a
complexity context
Scalar and Multilevel
sustainability
Case studies in
Ecuador
Governance and
sustainability
conflicts
A VSM diagnosis
Conclusions

6. Multi-level Sustainability
Environmental
Economic Social
Political
The Ecuadorian
context
Sustainability within a
complexity context
Scalar and Multilevel
sustainability
Case studies in
Ecuador
Governance and
sustainability
conflicts
A VSM diagnosis
Conclusions

7. Scalar and Multilevel Sustainability diagram for
the four case studies in Ecuador
Global, regional and national Spheres of influence
LOCAL SUSTAINABILITY
GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY
The Yasuni Yachay/ The City of Knowledge
LOCAL SUSTAINABILITY
LOCAL SUSTAINABILITY
REGIONAL SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability within a
complexity context
Scalar and Multilevel
sustainability
Case studies in
Ecuador
Governance and
sustainability
conflicts
A VSM diagnosis
Conclusions
The FLOK Society project
Free, Libre, Open Knowledge Society
LOCAL SUSTAINABILITY
NATIONAL AND REGIONAL
La Universidad Regional
Amazónica IKIAM
The Ecuadorian
context

8. Scalar and Multilevel Sustainability diagram for
the four case studies in Ecuador
Amazonia Transition of the economy
Yasuní IKIAM FLOK
Society
Yachay
SCALAR SUSTAINABILITY
The Ecuadorian
context
Sustainability within a
complexity context
Scalar and Multilevel
sustainability
Case studies in
Ecuador
Governance and
sustainability
conflicts
A VSM diagnosis
Conclusions

9. Yachay, la Ciudad del Conocimiento
Yachay, la Ciudad del Conocimiento (city of knowledge), is an ambitious project in the province of
Imbabura which calls for the creation of a city around education, research and innovative production.
It covers a huge area of 4.200 hectares.
Its population at the time of maturity which is meant to be 2045 is expected to reach 120.000.
The Ecuadorian
context
Sustainability within a
complexity context
Scalar and Multilevel
sustainability
Case studies in
Ecuador
Governance and
sustainability
conflicts
A VSM diagnosis
Conclusions

10. La Universidad Regional Amazónica IKIAM
IKIAM will be a research centre integrated with the environment and a university campus that will
address the complexity and biodiversity of the Amazon in a highly innovative approach.
The Ecuadorian
context
Sustainability within a
complexity context
Scalar and Multilevel
sustainability
Case studies in
Ecuador
Governance and
sustainability
conflicts
A VSM diagnosis
Conclusions

11. FLOK Society
FLOK Society ( FLOK stands for Free Libre, Open Knowledge) is a research
project which took place between November 2013 and May 2014. It’s main
task was to generate policy recommendations for a transition to a knowledge-based
economy took place in Ecuador.
Recommendation papers produced, as paert of the FLOK Society Research project,
address among others an
Institutionality for Social Economy and for a Public Policy for a Partner State,
Open Technical Infrastructures on Free Hardware and Software,
Connectivity, Cyber security,
Commons-oriented Productive Capacities on Distributed energy and sustainable
agriculture,
Open and free culture,
Transitioning to a commons-based society and the Territorial Organization of
the Knowledge Economy.
The Ecuadorian
context
Sustainability within a
complexity context
Scalar and Multilevel
sustainability
Case studies in
Ecuador
Governance and
sustainability
conflicts
A VSM diagnosis
Conclusions

12. Yaneer Bar-Yam
New England Complex
Systems Institute
Governance categories
The Ecuadorian
context
Sustainability within a
complexity context
Scalar and Multilevel
sustainability
Case studies in
Ecuador
Governance and
sustainability
conflicts
A VSM diagnosis
Conclusions
Governance and Sustainability

13. Es imperante resaltar que gracias al aprovechamiento responsable de nuestros
recursos naturales no renovables se han fortalecido los sectores de salud,
educación, infraestructura, y es producto de esta renta petrolera que podemos
potenciar la estrategia de desarrollo de nuestro país, en tal sentido con nuestros
recursos naturales bien invertidos podemos mejorar y desarrollar nuestro talento
humano para salir del extractivismo, y consolidar una sociedad del conocimiento,
es decir “usar el extractivismo para salir del extractivismo”.
It is imperative to note that thanks to the responsible use of our non-renewable
natural resources we have strengthened the sectors of health, education,
infrastructure, and thanks to the product of the oil revenues we can enhance the
development strategy of our country. In this sense it is through our resources natural
well spent that we can improve and develop our human talent to emerge from
extraction, and consolidate a knowledge society, ie "use extractivism to exit the
extractivism" .
Speech to the National Assembly (Rivadeneira Burbano, 2013, p. 2)
Sustainability within a
complexity context
Scalar and Multilevel
sustainability
Case studies in
Ecuador
Governance and
sustainability
conflicts
A VSM diagnosis
Conclusions
Governance and Sustainability
The Ecuadorian
context

14. Diagnosis of Sustainability in a high diversity environment
Sustainability within a
complexity context
Scalar and Multilevel
sustainability
Case studies in
Ecuador
Governance and
sustainability
conflicts
A VSM diagnosis
Conclusions
Global environment
Indigenous communities
Petroleum industry
Other economic activities
Research, education and visitors
1
2
3
4
5
AMAZONIA
M
o
M
o
M
o
M
o
o
o
o
E
E
E
E
E
1
2
3
4
5
The Ecuadorian
context

15. M
AMAZONIA
o
M
o
M
o
M
o
o
o
o
E
E
E
E
E
2
3
4
5
Global environment
Indigenous communities
Petroleum industry
Other economic activities
Research, education and visitors
1
2
3
4
5
6 Stability and conflict resolution
7 Synergy
1
6
7
Sustainability within a
complexity context
Scalar and Multilevel
sustainability
Case studies in
Ecuador
Governance and
sustainability
conflicts
A VSM diagnosis
Conclusions
Diagnosis of Sustainability in a high diversity environment
The Ecuadorian
context

16. Sustainability within a
complexity context
Scalar and Multilevel
sustainability
Case studies in
Ecuador
Governance and
sustainability
conflicts
A VSM diagnosis
Conclusions
Diagnosis of Sustainability in a high diversity environment
The Ecuadorian
context
The managerial approach of getting things done efficiently and while sticking to an original
schedule and vision or strategy, has been the leitmotif of the country’s governance model.
This has occurred to the expense of recursiveness and sufficient space of assessment and
dialog. This has meant more concentration of power to fewer bodies and individuals, and less
distribution of decision-making responsibilities. The result is often a breakdown in
communication and exchange of vital information. Self and bottom-up organization is at odds
with centralization. Provision for appropriate, all-inclusive recursive systems will allow for
assessment of data and flexible responses.

17. Sustainability within a
complexity context
Scalar and Multilevel
sustainability
Case studies in
Ecuador
Governance and
sustainability
conflicts
A VSM diagnosis
Conclusions
Diagnosis of Sustainability in a high diversity environment
The Ecuadorian
context
The Ecuadorian experiment has succeeded in introducing positive changes towards social
progress and in achieving improvement in education, health and public services and access by
all people. The strategic plan addresses scalar and multilevel sustainability through various
projects, some of which were introduced here.
In order for the economy and the social well-being to be sustained to the present levels, the
present model of development is dependent on extractivism and until a transition to a non-extractivist
economy has been achieved it is unrealistic to de-link social sustainability without
oil extraction for the foreseeable future.
But this will not be enough.
In order for negative feedback cycles to be broken, an alternative model of post-growth
economy needs to be adopted for environmental sustainability .
A recursive governance model needs to be examined for social and political sustainability.

18. Thank you!
Nicholas Anastasopoulos PhD Prometeo Researcher, IAEN
Lecturer, National Technical University of Athens