Machine learning, agent-based modelling and other new paradigms for the analysis of sustainability and sustainable investing

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The aim of this research proposal is to provide analytical insights and basic components for decision support tools to sustainability investors (e.g, Canadian pension funds), and investees (countries, cities, firms, utilities, etc.). ****To incorporate sustainability in their business strategies, both of these investors and investees could examine a variety of things such as, for example, 'green' product design approaches and environmentally-friendly societal infrastructures. But, in the end, it will always be the human individuals in society who will drive the development of these approaches and infrastructures, hence the focus of this proposal which is composed of 3 parts: ****(I) a mathematical treatment of the emergence of poverty and social strata in an economy of purely Homo economicus people; ****(II) agent-based modelling and simulations that superimpose the Homo reciprocans facet of people onto the Homo economicus in artificial societies, and determine the appropriate mix of social solidarities that drive healthy decisions & choices for sustainable development; ****(III) characterization of current states of real societies in light of the results of Parts I and II, with the intention to determine the possible trajectories that these societies ought to follow to move out of un-sustainability.**********