Confronting CUPs: nature, politics, technology and hope

Peter M. Weiske, Stephen Dovers, William J. Durch and John Handmer

Chapter 7 in Re-imagining Risk and Disruption, 2026, pp 136-146 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter reflects on the utility of the complex unbounded problems (CUPs) framework to improve understanding of and responses to risk and disruption. It summarises the current state of understanding and response, identifying other realised or potential CUPs as candidates for consideration. Drawing on the fields of disaster risk reduction, national and global security, Earth systems science, complex adaptive systems and more, we have explored the what, how and why of CUPs, and their geopolitical, environmental, technological, social and political impacts. Combined with the massively increased level of porosity that our technologies have created, where information and impacts can operate at lightning speed, we have also seen that, far too often, problem-matching and solubility efforts are ineffective, ignored or restrained with almost ritualised unsoundness. The prospects of nuclear or biological incidents, rising inequality, accelerating climate change, AI and multiple simultaneous bread-basket failures, highlight the urgency of radical improvements – using the CUP lens we have presented here to sharpen our understanding of the possibilities of both disaster and risk reduction. Although it can be difficult to find in the face of complex, seemingly intractable problems, optimism can see a future where countries strive for the best solution together. This is not entirely fantasy, as within the four CUPs examined here, there are many positive elements. This stance can also be founded on examples of people and nations proving capable of responding to crises in at least a partially sound manner.

Keywords: Problem-matching; Solubility; Populism; Institutional Capacity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035375264
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