Addressing deep uncertainty using adaptive policies: Introduction to section 2

摘要

In a broad sense, uncertainty can be simply defined as missing knowledge; i.e., the absence of information. With respect to policymaking, uncertainty refers to the gap between available knowledge and the knowledge policymakers would need in order to make the best policy choice. This uncertainty clearly involves subjectivity, since it is related to satisfaction with existing knowledge, which is colored by the underlying values and perspectives of the policymaker (and the various actors involved in the policymaking process). Uncertainty can be associated with all aspects of a policy problem (e.g., the system of interest, the world outside the system, the outcomes from the system, the weights stakeholders place on the various outcomes, etc.).