A mathematical representation of the major dynamics of the World, inspired by the “Limits to Growth” model¹ , has been under construction². The mathematical model includes an ecosystem, human population, industry, energy generation, macro-economy, and rudiments of a legal system with private property, taxation, and regulation. Details of the model can be found in the scientific literature³. The project was initiated at the US EPA in 2005; from 2010 to 2015 it proceeded under the joint supervision of Dr. Urmila Diwekar from the Vishwamitra Research Institute in Chicago, Illinois, USA and Professor Heriberto Cabezas from Laudato Si Institute for Process Systems Engineering and Sustainability (Laudati Si Institute) at the Pazmany Peter Catholic University (PPCU). The project is now housed at the Laudato Si Institute at PPCU. Several publications have resulted from this effort^4,5, two are cited here. Significant progress has also been made towards making industrial processes more sustainable⁶.

The World mathematical model is sufficiently developed to provide some policy guidance including: (1) we have approximately 50 - 100 years to implement sustainability in a manner that avoids major catastrophes in human societies and the environment, (2) it is necessary to manage at least six parameters that represent policies and technologies to keep societies stable for about two hundred years, and (3) sustainability policy must be updated regularly, about every ten years to adjust to changing conditions. To further develop the model so it can guide decisions on specific issues at the global, regional and local level, the Laudato Si Institute at PPCU organized the multidisciplinary Workgroup on Global Sustainability. This workgroup brings substantial expertise to the problem in the areas of process graph (P-graph) theory for network synthesis, information theory for complex system analysis, ecological economics, systems ecology, computer simulation, and water. The model is based on both continuous and agent-based models, optimal control algorithms, and law and ethics. This is a powerful combination expertise not commonly found in research groups elsewhere. It is the intent to focus this considerable expertise on a major effort find solutions to sustainability issues, rather simply conducting a problem characterization as often done. This means to develop powerful theories embedded in computer-based methods capable of finding combinations of policies, technologies, and practices that can create pathways for moving human society towards sustainability. In summary, we propose to use modern science and engineering to develop the tools that will make it possible to achieve many of the goals outlined in the Papal Encyclical Laudato Si. The Symposium is one of the major activities of the Workgroup.

Members, Laudato Si Institute-PPCU Workgroup on Global Sustainability::

• Fr. Anselm Szuromi, D.Sc. (Co-Leader) Pazmany Peter Catholic University, Hungary
• Heriberto Cabezas, Ph.D. (Co-Leader) Pazmany Peter Catholic University, Hungary
• Ferenc Friedler, D.Sc. (Mathematics) Pazmany Peter Catholic University, Hungary
• Emoke Korzenszky, Ph.D. (Global Issues) Pazmany Peter Catholic University, Hungary
• Urmila Diwekar, Ph.D. (Modeling) Vishwamitra Research Institute, USA
• Audrey Mayer, Ph.D. (Ecology) Michigan Technological University, USA
• Joshua Farley, Ph.D. (Economics) University of Vermont, USA
• Yogendra Shastri, Ph.D. (Simulation) Indian Institute of Technology, India
• Diogo Bolster, Ph.D. (Engineering) University of Notre Dame, USA
• Vicente Rico Ramirez, Ph.D. (Game Th.) Celaya Institute of Technology, Mexico