The power of mathematical thinking’, explains necessity of realistic appraisal for finding solutions of complex issues. No one can achieve development and progress without long term approach. The adoption of economic reforms by China in the late 1970s led to a surge in China’s economic growth and helped restore China as a major global economic power. Japan’s island geography, a centralized government, investment in education and a sense of nationalism were four factors that helped Japan to modernize in under half a century. World is going through a complex phase in human history. Today’s world faces several issues like population, poverty, climate hazards, food and water security, rapid urbanization, information disorder, terrorism, Covid19, Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Gaza wars, and refugee’s crisis.
Reliance on conventional ways to handle issues has outlived their utility. It is now an age of out of box solutions, openness and deep understanding of complex issues. Cooperation and inclusiveness are the only answer. There is no success in isolation either for states or for groups and individuals. We need to understand the fundamental laws of natural and social sciences to grasp the opportunities before us to steer society towards sustainability.
Only Long-Term Approach Can Address Complex Issues
All is happening in an unconventional way in all spheres of life, globally and at domestic front. When Paris club, fifty years ago, came out with their research findings that in next hundred years world will not be able to sustain the after effects of food and water security and climate hazards, the warning was taken lightly. Food security, water scarcity, health, epidemic, information, economy, societal gaps, all are in flux.
Small changes can result into big things; for example, plantation of pine trees can bring big change in ecosystem. Pine tree has better survival capability and provides shade. Water now will penetrate through the delicate layers of a thin ‘skin’ of earth, enriching the (mineral free) rain water. In doing so, it now provides high-quality drinking water to the local population, improving and ensuring healthy living conditions.
Pakistan has achieved many successes in many fronts and now making efforts to address the issue of energy. There is need systematic approach to address this issue. There is also need to address issues in economy, education and health sectors. Industrial growth can only be optimally used if we have a trained human resource. IT is a thriving business but it is much beyond freelancing. Sky is the limit as far as AI is concerned. It should be a priority field for public and private sectors but with a vision. Law and order is a science related to human behavior and criminology.
Society grow on check and balance but equal opportunities.Everything is related to another thing. There is no solo flight in present day world. This complex inter-connectivity has made the geopolitics and governance very complicated. For development, peace and sustainability the rules and regulations have to be across the board. Deviating from prescribed path will only spoil whole program. Plus, and minus can only be done if given in the formula.
In last twenty years whole world have been exposed for their double standards including liberal democracies, western civilization, eastern bloc, ethnic issues, corruption, propaganda, moral values. States and societies need restructure their approach before restructuring the system. Issues are complex and universal and it needs a collaborative approach. Issues are complex and inter-connected, so there is need to address with cooperation.
Dr Atique Ur Rehman
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