Publication Abstract

Developing diverse strategies is important to managing the complex challenges of marine social-ecological systems (SES). Applying the concepts behind 'wicked problems' and 'systems thinking' can help design pathways to guide SES governance towards a preferred future that responds to changing circumstances. In the present study, we build on the adaptive pathway literature to develop the Systemic Pathways to Desirable Futures framework (SPDF), a conceptual and visual tool designed to help coordinate independent initiatives in systemic favored routes and integrate additional traits such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The tool aims to promote more robust decision-making process in decentralized governance systems. We applied the SPDF in three marine SES cases in Europe, namely Macaronesia (with focus on tourism), the Tuscan Archipelago (with focus on tourism and seagrass conservation), and the Arctic Northeast Atlantic Ocean (with focus on pelagic fisheries ). Results show that from any possible option for a systemic pathway, there are trade-offs that should be considered and were evaluated in terms of the alignment with the sustainable development goals. A fully coordinated pathway is provided following the enabling capacity of articulation from the system, increasing the leveraging of each area towards their governance problems and SDG output. SPDF proved to be a valuable tool to map and coordinate plural efforts, and to integrate multiple worldviews into decision making under the wicked problems perspective.    

Bruno Oliveira, Angel Borja, Ben Boteler, Kathrin Kopke, Julie Bremner*, Frances Mynott*, Berthe Vastenhoud, David Lusseau