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Addressing Complexity in Environmental Management and Governance

Author

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  • Sabrina Kirschke

    (Faculty of Sustainability, Leuphana University Lüneburg, Scharnhorststrasse 1, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany)

  • Jens Newig

    (Faculty of Sustainability, Leuphana University Lüneburg, Scharnhorststrasse 1, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany)

Abstract

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Sabrina Kirschke & Jens Newig, 2017. "Addressing Complexity in Environmental Management and Governance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-18, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:6:p:983-:d:100727
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Hadi Jaber & Franck Marle & Ludovic-Alexandre Vidal & Ilkan Sarigol & Lionel Didiez, 2021. "A Framework to Evaluate Project Complexity Using the Fuzzy TOPSIS Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-35, March.
    3. Amna Farrukh & Sanjay Mathrani & Aymen Sajjad, 2022. "A natural resource and institutional theory‐based view of green‐lean‐six sigma drivers for environmental management," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 1074-1090, March.
    4. Nii A. Addy & Laurette Dubé, 2018. "Addressing Complex Societal Problems: Enabling Multiple Dimensions of Proximity to Sustain Partnerships for Collective Impact in Quebec," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-28, March.
    5. Melanie M. Bakema & Constanza Parra & Philip McCann, 2018. "Analyzing the Social Lead-Up to a Human-Induced Disaster: The Gas Extraction-Earthquake Nexus in Groningen, The Netherlands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-20, October.
    6. Tamara Avellán & Angela Hahn & Sabrina Kirschke & Andrea Müller & Lucia Benavides & Serena Caucci, 2022. "Co-Generating Knowledge in Nexus Research for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment," Resources, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-25, October.
    7. Sabrina Kirschke & Lulu Zhang & Kristin Meyer, 2018. "Decoding the Wickedness of Resource Nexus Problems—Examples from Water-Soil Nexus Problems in China," Resources, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-15, October.

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