Taming the wicked problem of climate change with “virtuous challenges”: An integrated management heuristic

Climate change is widely regarded as a "wicked problem" due to its complexity, interconnectedness, and the numerous stakeholders involved in finding a solution. The wickedness of climate change is further compounded by effects which are often nonlinear and uncertain, making it difficult to...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental management 2023-12, Vol.347, p.119136-119136, Article 119136
Main Authors: Weaver, David, Moyle, Brent D., McLennan, Char-lee, Casali, Luca
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
agrowth
climate change
environmental management
governance
leadership
Management heuristic
Panarchy
poverty
soft transformative governance
stakeholders
Virtuous challenge
Wicked problem
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Summary:Climate change is widely regarded as a "wicked problem" due to its complexity, interconnectedness, and the numerous stakeholders involved in finding a solution. The wickedness of climate change is further compounded by effects which are often nonlinear and uncertain, making it difficult to predict and manage its impacts. This paper builds on the growing body of knowledge on wicked problems by proposing an integrated heuristic that facilitates management in diverse economic and sociopolitical contexts by capturing the origins and dynamics of contemporary global socioenvironmental wicked problems and their potential resolution. The heuristic can also serve as the basis for a holistic wicked problem macro-theory. It is recognised that wicked problems such as climate change amplify into crisis states due to poverty and rigidity traps embedded within a system panarchy, which impede effective action for adaptation and mitigation. The concept of the “virtuous challenge” is embedded within the heuristic as a vital link in governance to enable effective leadership in the management of contemporary wicked problems through focused incremental transformation and a shift to an “agrowth” imperative. It is acknowledged that collaboration between stakeholders in the Global North and Global South is necessary for successful responses to virtuous challenges. •Wicked problems are contextualised within an integrated conceptual heuristic•“Virtuous challenges” in the heuristic facilitate wicked problem governance•Tree-planting is a virtuous challenge relevant to climate change•The heuristic provides the basis for a wicked problem macro-theory
ISSN:0301-4797
1095-8630
DOI:10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119136