| Summary: | Assessment of sustainability is an essential step in determining if action taken is sustainable. Early research in sustainability assessment was based on reconciling the three pillars (environmental, economic and social) using the weak sustainability model. Today there are numerous indicators (single and composite) for measuring impacts in the three systems (environmental, economic and social) using the strong sustainability model where current thinking emphasises the need for system thinking rather than the reductionist concept of pillars. Most existing indices/methods measure single aspects of sustainability and the more integrated indicators are aimed at national or global level assessments. A review of existing indicators, methods and models within the context of complex system sustainability showed that no single existing index, method or model was able to assess sustainability of complex systems since most fail to account for complex system characteristics such as system dynamics, interconnections and interdependencies of system components, system's ability to learn and remember, emergence of novel behaviours, co-evolution, etc. However, two analytical methods, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and risk assessment (RA), were found to have significant potential for addressing concerns regarding sustainability of complex systems as they were able to account for complex system characteristics. Thus LCA and RA were integrated in a new model to assess sustainability. The model is tested on case study product systems to illustrate applicability, potential issues and areas for improvement.
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