The Ecosystem of Wicked Problems – ECOSYSTEMATIC

tend to fragment agencies by problem, rather like mailbox pigeonholes, but the long emergency will require managing complex systems over long time periods.

In the case of super-wicked problems, there are extra issues: time is running out to find a ‘solution’, there is no central orchestrating authority, those seeking to solve the issue are also in part causing it, and there is what can be called ‘hyperbolic discounting’, which massively favours immediate rewards over rewards arriving much later.

Across the globe, we face extraordinary challenges: climate change; lack of affordable shelter; food insecurity; racism; sexism; social inequities; large-scale displacement, migration, and resettlement; biodiversity loss, habitat degradation, and animal abuse; continuing violence; and declining mental health. Just to name a few.

clients and decision makers with conflicting values, and where the ramifications in the whole system are thoroughly confusing."8 In other words, wicked problems are ill-defined and unique in their causes, character, and solution.

This happens because the unintended consequences (in the reinforcing loop) snowball slowly over a long period of time, often unnoticed at first but continuing to accumulate (like rust) as the wrong solution is repeatedly applied.