Simple Critical Infrastructure Maps by Vinay Gupta

Your favorite books and links
Post Reply
User avatar
figmenter
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2016 9:39 am
Location: NL

Simple Critical Infrastructure Maps by Vinay Gupta

Post by figmenter »

In light of the recent discussions on the IPCC Report and Deep Adaptation, I want to draw your attention to some of the work of Vinay Gupta. He has worked in crisis zones around the world and has developed a tool for identifying critical failure points for the survival of individuals, groups, organizations and nation states. He calls the tool Simple Critical Infrastructure Maps (SCIM).

At the individual level he identifies six ways to die: too hot, too cold, too hungry, too thirsty, too injured and too sick. The first two are covered by shelter, the second two are covered by supplies and the last two are covered by security.

Critical elements for groups to survive are: communications, gathering space, transportion and resouce control.

For organizations to survive, they need at least: a shared map, a shared plan and a shared succession model.

For nation states the list is: jurisdiction, citizens, territory, effective organizations and international recognition.

The Integrated Needs Analysis Matrix then has the critical elements for individuals, groups, organizations and nation states on one axis and on the other axis where these needs are met, going from individual over household and city to region and world. The matrix for a typical developed world nation for example shows quite clearly the heavy dependency on energy.

A PDF explaining the tool in more detail can be found here.

I highly recommend watching a video where Vinay Gupta talks about his work with the slides from a similar talk.

daylen
Posts: 2528
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2015 4:17 am
Location: Lawrence, KS

Re: Simple Critical Infrastructure Maps by Vinay Gupta

Post by daylen »

:o I'm excited.

7Wannabe5
Posts: 9370
Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2013 9:03 am

Re: Simple Critical Infrastructure Maps by Vinay Gupta

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

Very interesting. I can see direct relationship to permaculture zones.

User avatar
figmenter
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2016 9:39 am
Location: NL

Re: Simple Critical Infrastructure Maps by Vinay Gupta

Post by figmenter »

I had several AHA-moments with this material. I liked the simplification of what is needed for basic survival of individuals, groups, organizations and nation states. This makes the problem of crisis management easier to reason about.

One of my biggest AHA-moments was where Gupta shows where the different crisis responses / organizations / movements lie on the matrix. It showed me that the different responses cover different areas. Each has their own focal point.
  • Survivalism focusses on the needs of individuals and groups on an individual level;
  • Green Wizards focusses on the needs of individuals and groups on the level of individuals and households;
  • Transition Towns have their focus on the needs of groups and organizations on the level of neighborhoods and towns;
  • Dark Mountain focusses on groups and organizations at the region and country level.

7Wannabe5
Posts: 9370
Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2013 9:03 am

Re: Simple Critical Infrastructure Maps by Vinay Gupta

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

Yeah, I liked the overlay of Survivalism/Green Wizards/Transition Towns/Dark Mountain graphic too. The matrix showing which responses were more motivated or designed in alignment with Threat vs. Recovery was also enlightening. I find myself most comfortably engaged at the Green Wizards level, because Survivalism has always made me wonder a bit "..and then what?' , because the severe emergency/disaster phase of any given catastrophe, by its very nature, usually burns out fairly quick;y. OTOH, I suffer from a lack of fear of public speaking combined with an ability to quickly generate hare-brained ideas on the fly, so a Transition Town Meeting is not a safe place for me if I hope to maintain a life of freedom and semi-sloth.

Post Reply