Policy makers in government and business frequently have to make
difficult decisions based on partial data. In order to envisage the
effects of their strategic actions, ideally they should be assisted by
scientists who can run different scenarios before an optimum solution is
chosen. Typical solutions must take into account the full global effects
of decisions, including socio-economic factors, while at the same time
such decisions may be affected by global conditions, such as climate
change. For such problems, mathematical models to simulate dynamics form
complex systems consisting of many interconnected parts which interact on
different time and physical scales. What methods should we use for these
problems? How should the results be presented? Are there any additional
constraints for politicians or business leaders?

 

This talk will highlight some of these issues by describing the work
carried out in the European Commission funded project of the same title
as above. In addition two case studies will be presented one covering
water shortages in Cyprus and the second discussing aggregate extraction
from the English Channel.