Dealing with wicked problems in socio-ecological systems affected by industrial disasters: A framework for collaborative and adaptive governance.

Abstract

This paper puts forward an analytical framework for collaborative and adaptive governance in dealing with so-called wicked problems in socio-ecological systems that are affected by industrial disasters. Wicked problems are dilemmas in social and political planning that resist clear definitions and predetermined solutions. An industrial disaster can be transformed into a wicked problem when organizations face institutional complexity, and multiple interests emerge during the damage-recovery phase whenever the available information is confusing. Mitigation actions are associated with incomplete knowledge of the various interests involved and with different perspectives on values. In this context, approaches to public, collaborative, and adaptive governance can help show how to proceed in the face of industrial disasters that turn into wicked problems. These governance regimes operate at multiple levels, consider interdependencies, integrate adjacent policies, promote innovation and social learning, and recognize that solutions are not unique but require continuous adjustments. In this paper, we draw up an analytical framework to enable transformative adaptations to be made to industrial disaster-recovery processes. The proposed framework has some applications for improving the handling of industrial disasters and therefore has relevance for those studying and managing disaster relief and resilience-planning.