Climate change as a 'wicked problem'

Wicked problems are just that. They are multidimensional challenges that are difficult to resolve due to incomplete or contradictory information, differing views on the nature of the problem, or complex interactions with other issues. Wicked problems often blend into other issues and only become visible when their serious effects are felt.

One such problem is climate change: a long-term issue for which the urgency of immediate action is increasingly evident. Long labelled a wicked problem, efforts to cut back on the greenhouse gas emissions which cause climate change have been slow, uneven, and politically divisive.