Wicked problems are those that have no clear “right” or “wrong” solutions, or technical fixes. Rather, finding the single best solution to these dilemmas is a matter of perspective and the interconnectedness among scientific and social elements means that any resolution carries advantages and disadvantages for stakeholders. As a consequence, wicked problems often include intractable forces that make “solving” these problems all but impossible. Therefore, “management” becomes the default objective for stakeholders involved in environmental governance of wicked problems. This course explores the environmental governance of wicked problems in environmental policy and politics. We will use the lenses of systems theory, policy networks, and adaptive governance and management among others to explore the emergence of wicked problems as well as the current management approaches used by governance institutions to cope with these challenges. Credit: 1 Unit (3 semester-hours).