In the need to tackle extremely complex and still perplexing concept of carbon taxation in Canada, this project tries to understand the concept by integrating systems thinking and human centred design with an intention to understand how carbon tax policies are implemented and their effects on the immediate or distant affiliations of the community.
Design Methodologies used
Iterative inquiry, Causal loop diagram, Stakeholder map, Systemigram, Archetypes
In 2019, the Trudeau government introduced carbon pricing to push Canadians towards greener habits. There are two components - the tax itself which is imposed for using fossil fuels and revenue generated, which promotes ecologically sustainable practices.
Consumer interactions with everyday appliance is a simple model of changing consumer behaviour that is influenced by carbon taxation. This change in behaviour can be studied through systems design to cope with user needs and values towards carbon pricing regime.
Target Audience
Community organization - The use of fossil fuels by community members is the biggest variable within the carbon tax system. Though the concept was originally derived to curb greenhouse gas emissions, it is a complex system, the nuances of which are not fully understood by most people, especially community members.
Methodologies
Iterative Inquiry
This tool is effective in understanding the scale of system before boundaries are set, as well as to observe patterns between different aspects. As the tool progressed, underlying themes were discovered for each cycle starting at the base individual level to the larger environmental phase. As higher levels progressed, structure tends to be more intangible.
Stakeholder Map
The purpose of the Stakeholder Map was to identify actors and actants, their relative knowledge and power with respect to carbon tax, and the character of their interactions with each other within the system. Secondarily, the process was used to confirm or further refine our initial boundary judgement.
The relationship between the different actors is detailed on a graph that highlights the prioritized stakeholders, their power, knowledge, and the reach of their influence (illustrated by the size of the bubbles on the map).
Causal Loop diagram
The following diagram displays the behaviour of cause and effect from the carbon taxation standpoint. It can visualize the influence of variables associated with prioritized stakeholders through individual causal loops that are combined together in the causal loop diagram.
This drew insights on the strong causal connections between different aspects narrowing down on key issues as well as potential leverage points for system change.
Archetypes
The following have been recognized as common and usually recurring patterns of behaviours in the carbon tax system. Click on each image to see how the archetype loop works.
Systemigram
The systemigram does not show the complete complex system associated with carbon tax but instead focuses within the boundaries to help analyze the pros and cons of the carbon tax effect on various aspects as well as produce leverage points such as the lower economy's difficulty to shift to sustainable modes of transport. They are small shifts in one thing that can produce big changes within the system.
Conclusion
The project was developed to not provide specific interventions but a holistic understanding of systems design using carbon taxation in Canada as a subject.
While carbon taxation can improve the welfare of the individual, we need to be wary of the depersonalizing tendencies of economic forms of control. It was realized that that the spending aspect of carbon taxation may be the more important part: subsidizing green energy gives consumers choices, and may result in long-term cultural change. Choice-generated change may be more effective in reducing carbon emissions than manipulations of the supply and demand curve.
These cultural transformations should be accepted within ourselves and to make needed changes without waiting for carbon taxes to change the world for us.
