Meta-Decision Modeling of Wicked Environmental Policy Design Problems
a central hypothesis that environmental policy design problems are “ wicked ” because they involve a host of meta-decision choices , such as :
( i ) Which values should be used by decision makers to measure the outcomes of alternate policy and planning alternatives ( the value pluralism problem )?
( ii ) What is the logic of establishing space – time boundaries by which a policy or planning alternative is included in the set of policy and planning alternatives ( the system boundary problem )?
( iii ) Given the multiplicity of decision rules , how should decision makers choose which descriptive or normative decision rule / algorithm to apply in a given context ( the decision rule problem )?
( iv ) How shall the weights be assigned to the pluralistic values and actions on the basis of which decision makers judge their decisions ( the weighting problem )?
While these meta-decision choices that concern value pluralism , system boundaries , decision rules , and weighting procedures are contained in every decision confronted by planners and policymakers , it is hypothesized that there is no single “ best ” or “ optimal ” procedure ( i . e . governance structure ) to decide about meta-decision choices in complex social – ecological systems . The complexity and wickedness of these four meta-decision choices is elaborated in this paper in the specific context of tropical forest conservation versus economic development valuation conflicts .
In Part 2 , the formal decision theoretical concept of meta-decision choices is introduced . Next , in Part 3 , a generalized methodology of meta-decision models ( MDMs ) is described . The methodology aims to model wicked environmental policy design problems through a participatory mechanism to address dynamically evolving meta-decision choice problems . In Part 4 of this paper , the methodology for applying the proposed MDM in the three sampled tropical countries is presented . In particular , participatory workshop data is presented to address the meta-decision choice questions in the context of conservation versus development valuation trade-offs in three tropical countries . In Peru , the study site focuses on Madre de Dios region where South American region-wide road building projects and the implementation of hydropower mega-scale projects threatens the conservation of Amazonian watershed system . In Tanzania , recent eviction of pastoralists and farmers to allow for the expansion of Ruaha National Park system boundaries is in focus . In Vietnam , the study focuses on Bai Tu Long National Park and its surrounding areas that are increasingly pressured from urbanization , tourism , and mining industries . A three-day multi-stakeholder participatory workshop was implemented in each of the three tropical countries to more individual decision makers .
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