TY - JOUR

T1 - Addressing Complexity in Environmental Management and Governance

AU - Kirschke, Sabrina

AU - Newig, Jens

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2017 by the authors.

PY - 2017/6/7

Y1 - 2017/6/7

N2 - Governance for complex problem solving has been increasingly discussed in environmental sustainability research. Above all, researchers continuously observe that sustainability problems are complex or “wicked”, and suggest participatory models to address these problems in practice. In order to add to this debate, this study suggests a more differentiated theoretical approach to define governance for complex environmental problem solving than in previous studies. The approach consists of two vital steps: First, we operationalize complexity and define management strategies for solving environmental sustainability problems based on findings from psychology research. Second, we identify governance strategies that facilitate these management strategies. Linking those strategies suggests that the role of diverse institutions, actors, and interactions differs for five key dimensions of complexity: goals, variables, dynamics, interconnections, and informational uncertainty. The results strengthen systematic analyses of environmental sustainability problems in both theory and practice.

AB - Governance for complex problem solving has been increasingly discussed in environmental sustainability research. Above all, researchers continuously observe that sustainability problems are complex or “wicked”, and suggest participatory models to address these problems in practice. In order to add to this debate, this study suggests a more differentiated theoretical approach to define governance for complex environmental problem solving than in previous studies. The approach consists of two vital steps: First, we operationalize complexity and define management strategies for solving environmental sustainability problems based on findings from psychology research. Second, we identify governance strategies that facilitate these management strategies. Linking those strategies suggests that the role of diverse institutions, actors, and interactions differs for five key dimensions of complexity: goals, variables, dynamics, interconnections, and informational uncertainty. The results strengthen systematic analyses of environmental sustainability problems in both theory and practice.

KW - Sustainability Science

KW - complex problems

KW - complex problem solving

KW - governance

KW - Integrated Water Resources Management

KW - Water Framework Directive

KW - wicked problems

UR - http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/6/983

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85020283177&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/su9060983

DO - 10.3390/su9060983

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 9

JO - Sustainability

JF - Sustainability

SN - 2071-1050

IS - 6

M1 - 983

ER -