Wicked problems are a special subset of particularly complex issues that current problem-solving tools fail tofully address. Because of this deficiency, a new tool for evaluating and resolving wicked problems must be developed. Theories such as anti-positivism and systems thinking are explored in order to understand the nature of wicked problems, which are often defined by the involvement of multiple stakeholders as well as non-linear interrelations between various elements of the problem. Although traditional problem-solving methods are inadequate for wicked problems, there are certain tools that are more appropriate for handling such problems. These tools include the analytic hierarchy process, positional analysis, mess maps and heat maps. With their organized structures, visual languages and collaborative processes, these methods provide features that are well suited for tackling wicked problems. However, no single tool incorporates all of the necessary features. Therefore, a combination of the tools explored can yield a new and even more effective tool for wicked problems. This new tool, called STORM, is demonstrated through an evaluation of oil shale exploitation in Estonia. With Estonia currently dependent on energy from oil shale despite the environmental drawbacks, the situation is an ideal example of a wicked problem. The Estonian example shows how STORM can provide a greater understanding of wicked problems and allow resolutions to be negotiated. As sustainable development issues are usually considered to be wickedto sustainable development research.

The activities of modern society create an unsustainable trajectory for life on planetearth. The issues related to that, as summed up in the sustainability challenge, are interdependentand complex, thus effective solutions must be systemic and involve diverse stakeholders.One proposed tool from the field of Strategic Sustainable Development (SSD) to operationalizeparticipatory multi-stakeholder engagement is the procedure ABCD. But a procedure is onlyone aspect, how it is used determines its success. Through exploring Polyvagal Theory andrelated approaches (PRA), this research suggests an approach to support ABCD practitionersin conducting good facilitation by incorporating a practical understanding of the human nervoussystem. To do so, 15 PRA- and six ABCD-facilitators were interviewed, an advisory boardworkshop with four experts was conducted, and a survey with 13 SSD practitioners gave feedbackon a first draft to iteratively produce a guidebook prototype for PRA-informed ABCDfacilitation. It consists of central PRA-informed concepts, 10 principles, five categories ofmethods, and specific amendments for the ABCD procedure. Almost all parts of the guidebookprototype saw high approval for usefulness and applicability. The results of this research suggestthat PRA-informed ABCD facilitation might support a transition towards sustainability,although its application depends on the context of the procedure.

Global ecosystem degradation challenging ecological and social thresholds demands urgent responses that address systemically the complex interrelationships between humans and nature. To improve the adaptive capacity of the social systems and strengthen its resilience to respond to external challenges affecting landscapes, multi-stakeholder approaches for landscape restoration involving diverse actors expressing different perspectives are important. While historically absent groups are recognised as the actors that, when meaningfully engaged, achieve transformational change, the literature is unclear on how this is achieved.This research aims to better understand the particular elements that enhance and limit the ability to establish a diverse range of participants within multi-stakeholder processes for landscape restoration. Using semi-structured interviews with practitioners with relevant experience in engaging historically absent groups, we found that including diversity is an iterative process of forming a microcosm as a complex, adaptive system representing the wider landscape through building on synergies and filling the gaps. A wide range of specific strategies exist to address concrete and structural obstacles hindering participation. Moreover, the specific role of the facilitator, their intangible skills that allow them to be capable of self- awareness, deep reflection and listening, are a key leverage point to navigate the complexity around many systemic obstacles preventing actors on the edge of systems from participating.

O sistema de certificação florestal FSC, cujo objetivo institucional é reduzir os impactos negativos da exploração predatória de florestas, é um mecanismo criado e governado por atores da sociedade civil. Sem dispor de poder governamental para regulamentar a forma de atuação do setor privado, o FSC define regras socioambientais de produção que são seguidas por milhares de empresas em centenas de países, representando cerca de 20% das áreas florestais produtivas. Atualmente o FSC reúne entre seus afiliados as principais organizações ambientalistas, movimentos sociais e empresas florestais do mundo. Estudar os mecanismos internos de funcionamento do FSC, utilizados para manter o apoio desta densa rede de organizações, cada qual com seus interesses específicos e muitas vezes antagônicos, de modo que consiga ser, ao mesmo tempo, uma oportunidade de ganhos para empresas privadas e uma estratégia de redução de impactos socioambientais para organizações ambientais e sociais, é o objetivo central desta dissertação de mestrado. Para isso foi analisado o desenho institucional do FSC e os mecanismos utilizados no processo de tomada de decisões, por meio de um estudo das últimas duas Assembléias Gerais do FSC (2005 e 2008), instância máxima de decisão do sistema. Este estudo foi realizado a partir de análises dos resultados das decisões tomadas nestas ocasiões, e de interpretações factuais do processo de negociação que existe entre os diferentes setores envolvidos. Estas assembléias constituem reais arenas de negociação entre os diversos atores interessados no setor florestal, sejam empresas privadas, organizações ambientalistas ou movimentos sociais, ambos com poder igualitário de voto em todas as decisões que definem o funcionamento do sistema. As análises realizadas nesta dissertação demonstraram que este desenho institucional de tomada de decisões é fundamental para a legitimação do sistema, e é em grande parte responsável por manter o apoio dos diversos setores. Ao compartilharem as decisões, prevalece um ambiente de confiança e cooperação entre os atores, que resulta em uma percepção de co-responsabilidade sobre a configuração do sistema. Esta situação não apresenta nenhum sinal de estabilidade, pelo contrário, é através das freqüentes contestações por parte dos atores que a legitimidade do sistema se reafirma periodicamente nos resultados obtidos nas Assembléias Gerais. Os resultados desta dissertação contribuem para o entendimento dos novos mecanismos de governança, onde a sociedade civil passa a ter um papel fundamental no enfrentamento dos grandes desafios globais. / The FSC forest certification system, which institutional goal is to reduce the negative impacts of predatory use of forests, is a mechanism created and managed by civil society actors. Without the governmental power to regulate the behavior of the private sector, the FSC has defined social and environmental standards that are followed by thousands of companies in hundreds of countries, representing around 20% of the world productive forest area. Currently FSC has the support of the major environmentalist organizations, social movements and private companies in the world. The central objective of this dissertation is to study the internal FSC mechanisms, applied to maintain the support of this dense network of organizations, each of those with its specific and most of the time opposed interests, able to be, at the same time, an opportunity of benefits for private companies, and a strategy to reduce the social and environmental impacts of harvesting activities for the civil society organizations. In order to achieve this, the FSC institutional design and decision making process were assessed, through an analysis of two FSC General Assemblies (2005 and 2008). The study has evaluated the results of the decisions that were taken by the FSC members in these two occasions, and the negotiation processes between the different stakeholders that were in place for the approval of such decisions. The FSC General Assembly configures a real negotiation arena, where private companies, environmentalists and social organizations have equal voting power in all decisions that affect the functioning of the system. The analyses demonstrates that the institutional design that defines the decision making process in FSC is crucial for the legitimacy of the system, and is in great part responsible to maintain the support of such diverse stakeholders group. Once the decisions are taken collectively, there´s a prevailing environment of trust and cooperation among stakeholders, resulting in a perception of co-responsibility over the general configuration of the system. This is far away from a stable situation, but rather it´s due to the frequent conflicts among stakeholders that the system´s legitimacy is periodically reaffirmed in the FSC General Assemblies. The result of this dissertation is a contribution for the general understanding of the new governance mechanisms, where civil society plays a fundamental role in addressing the major global challenges.

O sistema de certificação florestal FSC, cujo objetivo institucional é reduzir os impactos negativos da exploração predatória de florestas, é um mecanismo criado e governado por atores da sociedade civil. Sem dispor de poder governamental para regulamentar a forma de atuação do setor privado, o FSC define regras socioambientais de produção que são seguidas por milhares de empresas em centenas de países, representando cerca de 20% das áreas florestais produtivas. Atualmente o FSC reúne entre seus afiliados as principais organizações ambientalistas, movimentos sociais e empresas florestais do mundo. Estudar os mecanismos internos de funcionamento do FSC, utilizados para manter o apoio desta densa rede de organizações, cada qual com seus interesses específicos e muitas vezes antagônicos, de modo que consiga ser, ao mesmo tempo, uma oportunidade de ganhos para empresas privadas e uma estratégia de redução de impactos socioambientais para organizações ambientais e sociais, é o objetivo central desta dissertação de mestrado. Para isso foi analisado o desenho institucional do FSC e os mecanismos utilizados no processo de tomada de decisões, por meio de um estudo das últimas duas Assembléias Gerais do FSC (2005 e 2008), instância máxima de decisão do sistema. Este estudo foi realizado a partir de análises dos resultados das decisões tomadas nestas ocasiões, e de interpretações factuais do processo de negociação que existe entre os diferentes setores envolvidos. Estas assembléias constituem reais arenas de negociação entre os diversos atores interessados no setor florestal, sejam empresas privadas, organizações ambientalistas ou movimentos sociais, ambos com poder igualitário de voto em todas as decisões que definem o funcionamento do sistema. As análises realizadas nesta dissertação demonstraram que este desenho institucional de tomada de decisões é fundamental para a legitimação do sistema, e é em grande parte responsável por manter o apoio dos diversos setores. Ao compartilharem as decisões, prevalece um ambiente de confiança e cooperação entre os atores, que resulta em uma percepção de co-responsabilidade sobre a configuração do sistema. Esta situação não apresenta nenhum sinal de estabilidade, pelo contrário, é através das freqüentes contestações por parte dos atores que a legitimidade do sistema se reafirma periodicamente nos resultados obtidos nas Assembléias Gerais. Os resultados desta dissertação contribuem para o entendimento dos novos mecanismos de governança, onde a sociedade civil passa a ter um papel fundamental no enfrentamento dos grandes desafios globais. / The FSC forest certification system, which institutional goal is to reduce the negative impacts of predatory use of forests, is a mechanism created and managed by civil society actors. Without the governmental power to regulate the behavior of the private sector, the FSC has defined social and environmental standards that are followed by thousands of companies in hundreds of countries, representing around 20% of the world productive forest area. Currently FSC has the support of the major environmentalist organizations, social movements and private companies in the world. The central objective of this dissertation is to study the internal FSC mechanisms, applied to maintain the support of this dense network of organizations, each of those with its specific and most of the time opposed interests, able to be, at the same time, an opportunity of benefits for private companies, and a strategy to reduce the social and environmental impacts of harvesting activities for the civil society organizations. In order to achieve this, the FSC institutional design and decision making process were assessed, through an analysis of two FSC General Assemblies (2005 and 2008). The study has evaluated the results of the decisions that were taken by the FSC members in these two occasions, and the negotiation processes between the different stakeholders that were in place for the approval of such decisions. The FSC General Assembly configures a real negotiation arena, where private companies, environmentalists and social organizations have equal voting power in all decisions that affect the functioning of the system. The analyses demonstrates that the institutional design that defines the decision making process in FSC is crucial for the legitimacy of the system, and is in great part responsible to maintain the support of such diverse stakeholders group. Once the decisions are taken collectively, there´s a prevailing environment of trust and cooperation among stakeholders, resulting in a perception of co-responsibility over the general configuration of the system. This is far away from a stable situation, but rather it´s due to the frequent conflicts among stakeholders that the system´s legitimacy is periodically reaffirmed in the FSC General Assemblies. The result of this dissertation is a contribution for the general understanding of the new governance mechanisms, where civil society plays a fundamental role in addressing the major global challenges.