Climate crisis as a wicked problem – an analysis of climate action interventions

Abstract

Climate action is a necessity. While some suggest behavioural design as possible partial solutions for the facilitation of climate action, we argue that there are considerable problems with this approach. By defining the climate crisis as a wicked problem, we reject the behavioural design paradigm as a legitimate guiding plan for the type of action that the problem demands. As an alternative theory, we present John Dewey’s pragmatic philosophy and theory of thinking, thereby introducing new perspectives on climate action facilitation. By further discussing Nancy Fraser, we argue that human action must be seen and understood in the context of the global market’s political, ecological and care-related aspects. Our point is how a focus on individual fallible thinking and action obscures and hinders an understanding of and dealing with the climate crisis in all its wickedness.