problem-types.html

Types of problems in Environmental Science

Decision types

Figure 1. Types of environmental problems and decisions (adapted from Cunningham & Saigo 2001).

	alignment between costs and values
	good	poor
simple	EASY regulations	CPR community rules
complex	INFORMATION more research	WICKED political processes

The application of the "precautionary principle" is an example of making a decision in a complex system with poor alignment of values, i.e. addressing a WICKED problem.

The question as posed by Hertwich et al 2000-

How do we move uncertain scientific information into the policy arena?

link to wicked-problems.html