The ambiguities of uncertainty: A review of uncertainty frameworks relevant to the assessment of environmental change

As awareness of deep uncertainties in many disciplines has grown over the last half-century, researchers have developed frameworks, typologies, and taxonomies to understand, analyse, communicate them. Uncertainty analysis is critically important fields study that deal with large, complex, societally-coupled problems, such as those dealing environmental change. However, yet, no wide-ranging review exists systematically compares features these frameworks. This paper surveys a very large number uncertainty frameworks (N = 156) relevant assessment change, identifying their key highlighting conceptual foundations It shows although authors employed similar methods classification, significant ambiguities may exist because overlapping concepts or polysemous terminology. Further this, philosophical inconsistencies are pervasive argues synthesis into one general applicability likely unachievable, given ambiguity meaning much lexicon, more fruitful approach would be start by examining understandings practitioners themselves.