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--></style><title>"Decision Making for Sustainability", Jim
Petrie, U. of Sy</title></head><body>
<div><i>Environment and Sustainability Seminar Series</i></div>
<div><i>Sponsored by the MIT Laboratory for Energy and the Environment
(LFEE)</i></div>
<div><i>http://lfee.mit.edu</i></div>
<div><font color="#000000"><br></font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">"Decision Making for Sustainability:
Consideration of Multiple Stakeholders, Uncertainty, and Evolving
Networks - Some Examples from the South African Energy
Sector"<br>
Prof. Jim Petrie, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of
Sydney, Australia<br>
<br>
Wednesday, October 5, 2005<br>
12:00 noon</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">E40-496 (1 Amherst St.)</font><br>
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<div><font color="#000000"><b>Abstract</b></font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">The practice of decision making for
sustainability requires explicit consideration of the values and
perspectives of all stakeholders in the decision situation. At the
same time, there is a need to understand and, where possible,
quantify, the underlying uncertainties posed by the decision - be
these of a technical or valuation nature. Ideally, one would like to
see a consistent approach developed, regardless of whether the
decision situation has a strategic / public policy focus, or, on the
other hand, represents a business operational situation. This view is
supported by the truism that "a good decision comes from a good
process". Beyond this, it is helpful to distinguish between
decision situations which are the province of a sole or dominant
player, and others which are truly multi-party in nature. This latter
type includes examples of business networks and partnerships, which
are of particular relevance here. Attention is given to the
characterization of such networks, both in terms of their material or
functional attributes, as well as those implicit characteristics which
give networks their evolutionary behaviour.</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000"><br>
This presentation will explore the development of a decision support
framework (and associated tools) which engage with the inherent
complexity of real-life decision situations. The focus area is the
energy supply sector of the South African market, which has its own
unique features, challenges and opportunities. Two case studies will
be examined. The first looks at the coal-mine / power station complex,
examining the potential value of low-grade coal discards in a
regulated market; the second explores the biomass energy network, and
the potential for independent power production in a deregulated
market.</font><br>
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<div><font color="#000000"><b>Biography</b></font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">Jim Petrie is Professor of Chemical
Engineering, University of Sydney, where he also serves as Director of
CRESTA, the Centre for Risk, Environment, Systems Technology and
Analysis. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Cape
Town, South Africa. At Sydney, he leads a research group whose
interests are centered on Engineering for Sustainability. Specific
focus areas include Environmental Systems Analysis, based on Life
Cycle Thinking, Decision Support for complex decisions characterised
by multiple objectives under risk and uncertainty, Process Modelling
and Technology Development. Much of this work has been in support of
primary industries and infrastructure, including minerals and metals,
power generation, water and waste industries. He consults widely to
the resources sector in both South Africa and Australia. He is a
Chartered Engineer (UK), and a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical
Engineers.</font></div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Bring your lunch; light refreshment will be provided.</div>
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<div><font
color="#000000">_________________________________</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">Karen L. Gibson</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">Program Assistant</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">MIT Laboratory For Energy and the
Environment</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">77 Massachusetts Avenue,
E40-469</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">(1 Amherst St., E40-469 - for DHL and
FedEx)</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">Cambridge, MA 02139 USA</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">Tel: 1 (617) 258-6368; Fax: 1
(617) 258-6590</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">http://lfee.mit.edu</font></div>
<div><font
color="#000000">http://globalsustainability.org</font></div>
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