Dissertations / Theses: 'Environmental policy Victoria Citizen participation'

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Ng, Hang-sau, and 伍杏修. "Participation of grassroots' organization in environmental protection policy." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1992. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31249346.

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Brzezinski, Danielle. "Ecological and Policy Implications of Voluntary Participation in Fisheries Management." Fogler Library, University of Maine, 2009. http://www.library.umaine.edu/theses/pdf/BrzezinskiD2009.pdf.

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Uithaler, Eldrid Marlon. "Evaluating the effectiveness of public participation in the environmental impact assessment process in South Africa." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5928.

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This research is based on reflections of various practitioners and their views on how public participation processes may or may not contribute to effective EIA decisions. It is therefore grounded in what is described as practitioner-based research. To study comparative development activities effectively, one must draw on many disciplines and construct a balanced understanding of historical and contemporary development processes. No single conventional disciplinary area of research is able to integrate the issues of public participation, EIA and decision-making in the context of the current development debate. The emergence of Trans-disciplinary areas of research allows for such integration. The Africa Earth Observatory Network (AEON) institute creates the space for this study to achieve an integrated response to the question of the effectiveness of public participation in EIA and decision-making. This further creates the opportunity to contribute and expand the growing body of knowledge and literature of public participation in the earth stewardship science discipline. Making use of triangulation, this study fulfils four major tasks: firstly, an assessment is made on the historical and theoretical importance, process and outcome of both EIA and public participation internationally and in South Africa. Secondly, three prominent case studies (i) the Coega IDZ, (ii) the Pondoland N2 Toll Road, and (iii) the anticipated Hydraulic Fracturing in the Karoo each focusses on concerns of an environmental, socio-economic, and political nature to assess if the public participation process has had influence, if any, on the final decisions for these projects to go-ahead. Thirdly, a survey was conducted to establish the views and perceptions of practitioners in the EIA and public participation domain on the effectiveness of public participation in EIA processes. Lastly, face-to-face interviews were conducted with various ‘pracademics’, i.e. consultants, practitioners, government, and non-governmental officials to establish their views on how public participation may or may not influence EIA decisions. Utilising the International Association for Public Participation’s (IAP2) participation spectrum as an evaluation tool, this research explores thirteen key criteria normally attributed to effective public participation. This provides a scale (inform, involve, consult, collaborate) to assess whether public participation in EIA in South Africa is least effective (inform) or most effective (collaborate). My research confirms that in South Africa an enabling environment to address impacts on our environment is emerging. One of the main challenges remains putting in place robust, clear and effective regulations, models or approaches that provide for effective public participation and decision-making in EIAs. My research also suggests that the legislation on which EIA is based cannot by itself guarantee the effectiveness of public participation processes. In practice, EIA is an institutional process of power division between different actors, and the practitioner or ‘pracademic’ has to play a more fundamental role to ensure effectiveness and fairness in the public participation process. Academic commentators should therefore call for new approaches that emphasise collaborative interaction between decision-makers and the public as well as deliberation amongst participants.

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Cooper, Judith Patricia. "Public participation in the Environmental Assessment and Review Process : the role of intervenor funding." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 1988. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/28344.

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This thesis examines the opportunities for public participation in the federal Environmental Assessment and Review Process (EARP) and the influence of intervenor funding on that input; the application of EARP to Military Flying Activites in Labrador and Quebec is used as a case study. The analytical approach is critical and based on a public interest perspective. Five research questions are posed based on an interpretation of four normative objectives for the EAR Process and identification of several areas of EARP that restrict public access to decision making. The research questions ask to what extent intervenor funding would increase overall participation in the Process; whether funding would affect the ability of intervenors to be involved in stages of the Process where public input is limited; whether intervenor funding would ensure that the values and interests of public groups are more actively considered at each stage of the Process; how intervenor funding affects the quality and quantity of public input to the Process; and how the administration of the funding program affects public participation in the case study. Questionnaires were developed from these questions and three participant groups in the case study were interviewed. The results of these interviews are summarized and evaluated against the normative objectives and a set of six evaluative criteria - representativeness, educational, accountability, fairness, effectiveness, and efficiency. The criteria are developed from a theoretical rationale for financially supported public participation in EARP. The first general conclusion of this research is that the EAR Process is fundamentally flawed. Notwithstanding incremental reforms like intervenor funding, the assumptions of Environmental Impact Assessment and the structure of EARP treat project assessment as a project specific venture amenable to prediction and technical analysis. In fact is is inseparable from a value-laden and political development planning process. The EAR Process understates this essentially political character yet vests the most significant decision making author^ in the hands of those with the most to gain from project development. After recognition of this problem, this analysis makes recommendations, based on the analysis of the case study, that could assist EARP in approaching the normative objectives. First, while the proponent improved public consultation by 1985, and in the formal review, public involvement in the Initial Environmental Evaluation (IEE) in 1981 was inadequate. I therefore recommend that the affected publics be involved in decision making at the initial assessment stage of EARP and allowed an avenue of appeal. To support this recommendation the information used for initial assessment decisions needs to be comprehensive and readily accessible. In addition FEARO should provide an independent audit of these decisions. Second, while financial support to caribou research by the proponent since 1986 is laudable, project monitoring should have occurred since the release of the IEE. I therefore recommend that project monitoring be a required element of any application of the EAR Process, after an IEE and a formal review; it should include the affected publics in an advisory capacity and during implementation. Third, the EAR Process does not effectively deal with issues of fundamentally differing values; in this case study the viability of territories under land claims negotiations and the militarization of the Canadian arctic are avoided and unfairly unrepresented. To deal with this problem I recommend that public input be sought when drafting of the Panel's Terms of Reference for a public review. Fourth, information was withheld from intervenors from several government departments during the review. All government departments should be legally required to supply prompt and complete responses to reasonable information requests when they pertain to any stage of the EAR Process. Fifth, the funding program has so far been well administered; while funding has increased public access to the Process for remote settlements, further study is required to assess whether funds were sufficient to allow adequate regional representation. Finally, the credibility of the funding program is thrown into doubt by the participation of the Department of Regional Industrial Expansion in setting up an independent funding committee, their withdrawal from the same, and later support for a pro-development group after the funding was disbursed. An intervenor funding policy is required to regularize funding allocation from one independent agency for the duration of the review.
Applied Science, Faculty of
Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of
Graduate

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Yu, Wai-kin Nicol, and 余偉健. "Public and private parties' participation in housing development in Hong Kong." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2000. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31260445.

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Spitz, Andrea. "Crossing over : interactive video as a tool to enable the increased participation of illiterate and semi-literate communities in environmental management." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15960.

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Bibliography: pages 53-57.
This dissertation has four main aims: 1. To assess whether multi-media (particularly interactive video) can be used in illiterate and semi-literate communities as a tool for both increased environmental awareness and increased participation in various stages of the development process. 2. To assess whether interactive video as an approach in itself facilitates empowerment of target communities. 3. To create a visual communication experience which combines the rigours of academic research with the practical application of academic theories in the field. 4. To foster a sensitivity in the "reader" towards access to information.

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Theron, Izak Petrus. "Integrating conservation and development : community participation in ecotourism projects : an investigation into community participation in ecotourism development projects in order to ensure the integration of protected area conservation and rural development, with particular reference to a case study at Cathedral Peak in the Natal Drakensberg Park." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18595.

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This study arises out of a proposal of the Natal Parks Board (NPB) to develop a 200 bed hutted camp at Cathedral Peak in the Natal Drakensberg. In line with the NPB's stated commitment to the principles of Integrated Environmental Management (IEM), a multidisciplinary group, comprising five students from the Masters programme of the Department of Environmental and Geographical Sciences of the University of Cape Town, was commissioned to conduct a Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment (PEIA) on the proposed development. The author was one of the members of this study team, hereafter referred to as the Masters Group, which conducted the PEIA at Cathedral Peak under the supervision of the Environmental Evaluation Unit of the University of Cape Town.

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Wall, Don. "Earth Tones: How Environmental Journalism and Environmental Ethics Influence Environmental Citizenship." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2007. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc3907/.

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Environmental ethics and environmental journalism are influencing the developing philosophy of environmental citizenship. This philosophy involves the ideas that people are part of the environment, that the future depends on a healthy environment, and that action on behalf of the environment is necessary. It applies to individuals, communities, large and small companies and corporations, governments, and a coalition of nations. Environmental philosophers and environmental journalists can work together, in a symbiotic way, to foster discussions among citizens and policy makers about ideas as well as events, and thus, influence attitudes and policies, and continue to influence environmental citizenship. Environmental citizenship as an extension of democracy offers the best chance for undoing the manmade problems which are degrading the quality of life on Earth. A healthier environment is the will of the people. An informed, voting public will succeed in creating a healthier environment. Pioneering work by philosophers and journalists, especially over the last forty-five years has brought the dialogue about environmental problems to an unprecedented level and continues to offer encouragement to the mindful evolution of mankind. These ecological discussions of rights and responsibilities, intrinsic and economic values, pragmatism and utilitarianism, culture and spirit, are increasingly being applied to a developing idea of sustainability, and are, thus, helping to expand ideas about what it means to be a citizen in a democracy.

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Zeelie, Hein. "Environmental concern in South Africa : an analysis of elite and public attitudes and their implications for public policy." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/53413.

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Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2003.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa, like so many other developing countries, is confronted with a very complex situation: although large-scale environmental degradation is threatening the future of the country, environmental matters are not regarded as of sufficient importance amongst the general population for them to contribute to environmental improvements. Most of the country's populations, many argue, are simply too poor and too focused on fulfilling short-term survival needs to give priority to the environment. Employing the 2001 World Values Survey, this study analyzes the attitudes of the general public of South Africa towards environmental matters. These attitudes are contrasted with those of the elites, who have a disproportionate influence over policy-making, by looking at the 2000 South African National Leadership Opinion Survey. This study finds that, as hypothesized, the general population of the country is quite unwilling (or unable) to contribute materially or financially to environmental improvements, especially in relation to the elites. In the final part of the study, these findings are employed in the development of a set of guidelines that policy-makers can use to increase the probability of developing successful and effective environmental policies. These guidelines take into account the nature and dimensions of popular attitudes, and consider ways in which environmental policies can foster the support of a public that is confronted with so many other serious issues.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika, soos soveel ander ontwikkelende lande, is gekonfronteer met 'n baie komplekse situasie: alhoewel grootskaalse degradasie van die omgewing die toekoms van die land bedreig, sien die algemene publiek nie omgewingskwessies as belangrik genoeg om 'n bydrae te lewer nie. Die argument is dat te veel van die land se bevolking net te arm of te gefokus is op die bevrediging van kort-termyn oorlewingsbehoeftes om prioriteit te gee aan omgewingskwessies. Deur gebruik te maak van die 2001 Wêreld Waardestudie, analiseer hierdie studie die houdings van die Suid-Afrikaanse publiek teenoor omgewingskwessies. Hierdie houdings word gekontrasteer met die van die elites, wat 'n disproporsionele invloed het oor die beleidsmakingsproses, deur gebruik te maak van die 2000 Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Leierskap Opinie Studie. Die studie vind dat, soos gehipotiseer, die publiek onwillig (of net nie in staat) is om bydrae te lewer tot die oplossing van omgewingskwessies, veral in vergelyking met die elites. In die finale afdeling van hierdie studie word die bevindinge gebruik om 'n stel riglyne te ontwikkel wat deur beleidmakers gebruik kan word om die waarskynlikheid van suksesvolle en effektiewe omgewingsbeleid te verbeter. Hierdie riglyne neem in ag die natuur en dimensies van publieke houdings, en bring na vore maniere waardeur omgewingsbeleide die ondersteuning van 'n publiek, wat gekonfronteer word met soveel ander ernstige kwessies, kan opbou.

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Ingle, Beau Steven. "Collaborative Partnerships and Invasive Species Management: Filling the Voids in Management." The Ohio State University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366326076.

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Mangoldt, Charlotte von. "Student environmentalism in Beijing, China." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2016. https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:ef524063-dda5-4cda-a73a-f0d56b95f527.

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This dissertation explores student environmentalism in Beijing, China. It traces students' political norms and values, explains their activism and experience of pollution, and investigates the role of environmental non-governmental organisation (ENGOs) in forming youth environmentalism. To serve these objectives, the work takes forward theories on youth activism and agency and recent debates on environmental health, environmentalism and ENGOs. This study was designed as a qualitative research project based primarily on interviews and complemented by ethnographic methods, content analysis, pictorial evidence and survey results provided by the Jane Goodall Institute China. Research findings and methodology are presented in four papers and a framing document. My work challenges labels of agency and activism as either protest and resistance or 'quiescence' and questions the influence of globalisation on activists' norms and values. I put forward 'fragmented activism' as a new concept to capture the nature of youth environmental activism in Beijing. I contribute to environmental health literature by tracing how young people develop discursive mechanisms to mitigate the fear of air pollution and argue that their response offers invaluable insights into the interplay between space and the body in polluted environments. This thesis further shows that the repertoire of student environmental associations in Beijing represents a type of 'place based environmentalism' (Smith, 2001) but argues that, whilst this may be a contradictory response to contemporary environmental issues, it is not usefully assessed against abstract and normative notions of what environmentalism should be. I also challenge scholarly assessments of ENGO action. By exploring ENGO strategies in China that rely on extant societal and governmental narratives about good citizenship and moral values - instead of radical alternatives to mainstream development models or political processes - I argue for new research paradigms guiding the study of environmental movements.

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Ferrari, Marcelle Correia 1989. "Comunicação ambiental e democracia digital = as consultas públicas do Ministério do Meio Ambiente e do Centro de Gestão e Estudos Estratégicos para a Rio+20." [s.n.], 2014. http://repositorio.unicamp.br/jspui/handle/REPOSIP/270685.

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Orientador: Maria das Graças Conde Caldas
Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Estudos da Linguagem
Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-26T03:52:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ferrari_MarcelleCorreia_M.pdf: 7187491 bytes, checksum: 8dd8b05fea9720b256f8f5665204bddf (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014
Resumo: As mudanças no cenário mundial da comunicação suscitaram a necessidade de envolver a população de forma mais participativa e interativa, dentro do contexto de democracia digital. Como a comunicação estatal deve atender aos interesses públicos, foi desenvolvido um programa (no âmbito do Governo Federal) que incentiva a população a debater assuntos de seu interesse: as consultas públicas digitais. Estas consultas fazem parte do procedimento de implantação do governo eletrônico em todo o país e representam um avanço nas relações entre Estado e Sociedade. Entretanto, embora possibilitem, não garantem a participação e contato do cidadão com o governo. Esta pesquisa faz uma reflexão sobre a percepção pública dos brasileiros sobre a área ambiental por meio de pesquisas realizadas e verifica a importância da participação da sociedade por meio de consultas públicas digitais na área ambiental para a Conferência Rio+20. Uma delas realizada pelo Ministério do Meio Ambiente, em 2011, para receber propostas de diferentes setores da sociedade civil sobre os temas centrais debatidos na Conferência do Rio. A segunda, elaborada/desenvolvida pelo Centro de Gestão e Estudos Estratégicos, do Ministério de Ciência (CGEE), Tecnologia e Inovação (MCTI) em 2012, sobre os conceitos públicos de Economia Verde e Desenvolvimento Sustentável. Trata-se de um Estudo de Caso múltiplo (YIN, 2001), de natureza exploratória e qualitativa, de análise de conteúdo. O referencial teórico deste trabalho está ancorado nas Pesquisas Deliberativas de James Fishkin (2005) e nos conceitos de democracia digital. Os resultados do trabalho apontam para avanços significativos no campo da democracia digital, uma vez que as consultas públicas analisadas se mostraram como meios importantes de mobilização social, contribuindo para uma participação mais ativa em processos decisórios sobre a área ambiental
Abstract: Changes in the global communications scene raised the need to involve the public in a more participatory and interactive manner within the context of digital democracy. As the state-owned communications must meet the public interest, a program (under the Federal Government) that encourages people to discuss subjects of interest was developed: the digital public consultations. These public consultations are part of a deployment procedure of e-government throughout the country and represent a breakthrough in relations between state and society. However, although it provides, it does not ensure the participation and citizen contact with government. This research is a reflection on the public perception of brazilians on the environmental area through research performed and verifies the importance of the participation of society through digital public consultations in the environmental area for the Rio +20 Conference. One of them held by the Ministry of Environment in 2011para receive proposals from different sectors of civil society on the central themes discussed at the Rio Conference The second, prepared / developed by the Center for Management and Strategic Studies, Ministry of Science (CGEE) Technology and Innovation (MCTI) in 2012, on public concepts of Green Economy and Sustainable Development. This is a multiple case study (Yin, 2001), exploratory and qualitative, with content analysis. The theoretical framework of this work is grounded in Deliberative Research James Fishkin (2005) and the concepts of digital democracy. The results indicate significant advances in the field of digital democracy, since the public consultations analyzed present themselves as important means of social mobilization, contributing to a more active participation in decision-making processes on the environmental area
Mestrado
Divulgação Científica e Cultural
Mestra em Divulgação Científica e Cultural

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Adams, Jennifer. "Community response to environmental change : a case study of Montreal's West Island 1981-1991." Thesis, McGill University, 1992. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=69612.

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The Burton, Kates and White model of community response to environmental change is used to study a rapidly developing suburb of Montreal. Between 1973 and 1988, 11 376 single family dwellings were built in the 'West Island'. A geographic information system (GIS) analysis shows 40 percent of vacant land was developed between 1983 and 1989, over half this was for low density housing. A study of citizens' perceptions of the changes shows 72 percent of residents felt local environmental conditions were the same or better than when they first moved to the area (average 14 years) and 71 percent felt the quality of the community was the same or better. The condition of wooded areas was the largest determinant of perception of local environmental conditions and "friendliness" was most closely related to evaluations of community quality. A history of environmental activism describes a sector of the population as having crossed a "threshold of tolerance" and taken action to protect valued natural assets of the community.

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Law, Yuk-lan Paris, and 羅玉蘭. "Community mobilization in sustainable development." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1999. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31259947.

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Mwebaza, Rose. "The right to public participation in environmental decision making a comparative study of the legal regimes for the participation of indigneous [sic] people in the conservation and management of protected areas in Australia and Uganda /." Phd thesis, Australia : Macquarie University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1959.14/22980.

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"August 2006"
Thesis (PhD) -- Macquarie University, Division of Law, 2007.
Bibliography: p. 343-364.
Abstract -- Candidate's certification -- Acknowledgements -- Acronyms -- Chapter one -- Chapter two: Linking public participation to environmental decision making and natural resources management -- Chapter three: The right to public participation -- Chapter four: Implementing the right to public participation in environmental decision making : the participation of indigenous peoples in the conservation and management of protected areas -- Chapter five: The legal and policy regime for the participation of indigenous peoples in the conservation and management of protected areas in Australia -- Chapter six: The legal and policy regime for the participation of indigenous peoples in the conservation and management of protected areas in Uganda -- Chapter seven: Implementing public participation in environmental decision making in Australia and Uganda : a comparative analysis -- Chapter eight: The right to public participation in enviromental decision making and natural resources management : summary and conclusions -- Bibliography.
In recognition of the importance of public participation as a basis for good governance and democracy, Mr Kofi Annan, Secretary General to the United Nations, has noted that: "Good governance demands the consent and participation of the governed and the full participation and lasting involvement of all citizens in the future of their nation. The will of the people must be the basis of governmental authority. That is the foundation of democracy. That is the foundation of good governance Good governance will give every citizen, young or old, man or woman, a real and lasting stake in the future of his or her society". The above quotation encapsulates the essence of what this thesis has set out to do; to examine the concept of public participation and its application in environmental governance within the context of the participation of indigenous peoples in the conservation and management of protected areas in Australia and Uganda. The concept of public participation is of such intrinsic importance that it has emerged as one of the fundamental principles underpinning environmental governance and therefore forms the basis for this study. -- Environmental governance, as a concept that captures the ideal of public participation, is basically about decisions and the manner in which they are made. It is about who has 'a seat at the table' during deliberations and how the interests of affected communities and ecosystems are represented. It is also about how decision makers are held responsible for the integrity of the process and for the results of their decisions. It relates to business people, property owners, farmers and consumers. Environmental governance is also about the management of actions relating to the environment and sustainable development. It includes individual choices and actions like participating in public hearings or joining local watchdog groups or, as consumers, choosing to purchase environmentally friendly products. -- The basic principles behind good governance and good environmental decision making have been accepted for more than a decade. The 178 nations that attended the Rio Summit in 1992 all endorsed these nvironmental governance principles when they signed the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (Rio Declaration) - a charter of 27 principles meant to guide the world community towards sustainable development. The international community re-emphasised the importance of these principles at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002. -- The right to public participation in nvironmental decision making and natural resources management is one of the 27 principles endorsed by the nations of the world and is embodied in the provisions of Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration.
Environmental decisions occur in many contexts. They range from personal choices like whether to walk or drive to work, how much firewood to burn, or whether to have another child. They encompass the business decisions that communities or corporations make about where to locate their facilities, how much to emphasise eco-friendly product design and how much land to preserve. They include national laws enacted to conserve the environment, to regulate pollution, manage public land or regulate trade. They take into account international commitments made to regulate trade in endangered species or limit acid rain or C02 emissions. -- Environmental decisions also involve a wide range of actors: individuals; local, state and national governments; community and tribal authorities such as indigenous peoples; civic organisations; interested groups; labour unions; national and transactional corporations; scientists; and international bodies such as the United Nations, the European Union, and the World Trade Organisation. -- Each of the actors have different interests, different levels of authority and different information, making their actions complex and frequently putting their decisions at odds with each other and with ecological processes that sustain the natural systems we depend on. -- Accordingly, this thesis aims to examine participation in environmental decision making in a way that demonstrates these complexities and interdependencies. It will explore the theoretical and conceptual basis for public participation and how it is incorporated into international and domestic environmental and natural resources law and policy. -- It will examine public participation in the context of the legal and policy framework for the conservation and management of protected areas and will use case studies involving the participation of indigeneous peoples in Australia and Uganda to provide the basis for a comparative analysis. -- The thesis will also faces on a comparative analysis of the effectiveness and meaningfulness of the process for public participation in environmental decision making in Australia and Uganda. There is extensive literature on the purposes to which participation may be put; the stages in the project cycle at which it should be employed; the level and power with regard to the decision making process which should be afforded to the participants; the methods which may be appropriate under the different circumstances, as well as detailed descriptions of methods; approaches and forms or typologies of public participation; and the benefits and problems of such participation.
However, there is not much significant literature that examines and analyses the meaningfulness and effectiveness of the contextual processes of such participation. This is despite the widespread belief in the importance and value of public participation, particularly by local and indigenous communities, even in the face of disillusionment caused by deceit, manipulation and tokenism. Accordingly, the thesis will use case studies to demonstrate the meaningfulness and effectiveness or otherwise of public participation in environmental decision making in protected area management. -- Increasingly, the terminology of sustainable development is more appropriate to describe contemporary policy objectives in this area, with an emphasis on promoting local livelihood and poverty alleviation within the constraints of ecosystem management. However, the domestic legal frameworks, and institutional development, in Australia and Uganda tend to reflect earlier concepts of environmental and natural resources management (referred to as environmental management in this thesis). There are some significant differences between a North (developed) nation and a South (developing) nation, in terms of the emphasis on economic objectives, political stability, resources and legal and administrative capacity. The thesis intends to explore these differences for the comparative analysis and to draw on them to highlight the complexities and interdependencies of public participation by indigenous peoples in environmental decision making, natural resources and protected area management.
Mode of access: World Wide Web.
377 p

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Darbas, Toni School of Science &amp Technology Studies UNSW. "Democracy, consultation and socio-environmental degradation : diagnostic insights from the Western Sydney/Hawkesbury-Nepean region." Awarded by:University of New South Wales. School of Science and Technology Studies, 2002. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/19281.

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The use of community consultation to address socio-environmental degradation is entwined with contested democratic principles polarising views of its role. I frame this problem by examining three democratic paradigms faced with two contemporary problems. The deliberative argument that preferences require enrichment with debate mediates between the liberal-aggregative view that preferences are individual, private and amenable to aggregation and the view that participation in public life is foundational. Viewing consultation as deliberative reconciles the liberal-aggregative view of consultation as the illegitimate elevation of unrepresentative minority groups with the participationist view that consultation constitutes a step towards participatory democracy. Theorists of social reflexivity, however, point to an elided politics of knowledge challenging technoscience's exemption from politically garnered consent. Also neglected by much democratic theory is how functional differentiation renders self-referential legal, political, technoscientific and administrative domains increasingly unaccountable. I employ Habermas' procedural theory that public spheres allow social irritations into the political domain where they can be encoded into laws capable of systemic interjection in response, along with a dialogic extension accommodating the politics of knowledge. I then use this procedural-dialogic deliberative understanding of democracy to elucidate the context and outcomes of the NSW State's consultative strategy. The NSW state, institutionally compelled to underwrite economic growth, implicating itself in that growth's socio-environmental side effects provoking widespread contestation. The resulting Environmental Planning and Assessment Act (1979) and its adjunctive consultative provisions helped highlight the socio-environmental degradation of the Hawkesbury Nepean River Catchment via Western Sydney's urban sprawl, politicising the region. The convenement of a consultative forum to oversee a contaminated site audit within the region facilitated incisive lay critique of the technoscientific underpinnings of administrative underwriting of socio-environmental degradation. The discomforted NSW State tightened environmental policy, gutted the EP&A Act's consultative provisions and removed regional dialogic forums and institutions. I conclude that the socio-economic accord equating economic growth with social progress is both entrenched and besieged, destabilising the political/administrative/technoscientific regime built upon it. This withdrawal of avenues for critique risks deeper estrangement between reflexive society and the NSW State generative of electoral volatility.

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Handelman, Corinne. "Natural Area Stewardship Volunteers| Motivations, Attitudes, Behaviors." Thesis, Portland State University, 2013. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=1543073.

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To better understand the value of those who engage in environmental stewardship of natural areas, we studied volunteer steward's motivation to participate, their sustainable behaviors and attitudes toward stewardship-related constructs. Specifically, we designed and conducted a survey of volunteers who work as stewards in urban natural areas in Portland, Oregon. We hypothesize that as volunteer frequency increases: participants will be more motivated to participate for environmental reasons, volunteers will be more likely to feel a strong connection to the stewardship site, participants will be more likely to engage in public pro-environmental behaviors, and their level of environmental literacy will increase. Participants were sampled using a face-to-face survey methodology over the course of late winter and spring of 2012 during 18 different Portland Parks and Recreation sponsored stewardship events. We examined the motivations, attitudes and behaviors of the volunteers, and devised appropriate management implications for those organizing volunteer efforts. We equated a three-tiered typology of environmental literacy, based upon the frequency of volunteer participation, and analyzed our survey data using a principal component analysis, generalized linear models, and a qualitative coding analysis. The most frequent participants showed a higher likelihood of participation in public environmental behaviors, whereas participants at all frequency levels were also likely to participate in private environmental behaviors, such as removing invasive plants in one's yard. Volunteers across all frequencies of participation were motivated to engage in stewardship events by a desire to help the environment. By understanding volunteers' motivations and linked behaviors, park managers may gain insights about the recruitment, retention, and messaging of volunteers upon whom they may depend to achieve restoration goals. We recommend considering volunteers' motivations and benefits derived from participation in messaging to recruit and retain volunteers. Additionally, park managers should take advantage of educational opportunities linked to stewardship events, such as training programs and chances for volunteer mentorship.

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Howard, Lesley. "Membership representation in the issue-focus selection process of national environmental nonprofit organizations." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 1994. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/42067.

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Public interest groups, environmental nonprofit organizations (ENPOs) among them, play a large role in the formulation and implementation of public policy. Much of their legitimacy comes from their claim that they represent their members' interests. This thesis examines ENPO communication forms to ascertain whether and how ENPOs seek their members' opinions, and if so, whether or not those opinions influence the ENPOs' issue-focus selection process, which is the issues on which the ENPO's financial and human resources will be expended.

The research addresses these questions at two related levels of representation: internal to the organization (e. g., how do ENPOs seek their members' opinions) and inter - organizational (e.g., what role do ENPOs play in the political arena). On the level of internal democracy, elitist theory and Seymour Martin Lipset's "factors that encourage organizational democracy" provide a base for interpreting the results. At the inter-organizational level both pluralist and elitist theories of democratic governance provide the base for interpretation of the results. Finally, speculation is made about ENPO membership as "symbolic" political participation

The results suggest that support for both pluralist and elitist interpretation of both internal and inter-organizational democracy may be appropriate. All ENPOs use a variety of communication forms to inform their members, and all ENPO survey respondents stated that they are open to membership suggestions. The findings also suggest that another appropriate interpretation of ENPO membership may be that membership is a symbolic purchase of political participation.
Master of Urban Affairs

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Wong, Wing-sum, and 黃詠森. "Environmental levy and green citizenship on plastic shopping bags behaviours in Hong Kong." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2012. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B48543792.

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The Environmental Levy Scheme on Plastic Shopping was enforced in July 2009. The Levy aimed to create a direct fiscal disincentive to reduce the indiscriminate use of Plastic Shopping Bags and encourage consumers to switch to reusable shopping bags. In theory, fiscal instruments are more efficient and effective to change people’s behaviour, but its impacts towards attitude are still in question. Also, the level of green citizenship, which emphasising that people have the responsibility to protect and sustain the environment, is a good indicator to know people’s attitudes towards the environment, but the Hong Kong government tends to rely on fiscal disincentives to change people’s behaviour, Green Citizenship had never been addressed. Green citizenship is a personal commitment to learn more about the environment and to take responsible environmental action. Environmental citizenship encourages individuals, communities and organizations to think about the environmental rights and responsibilities we all have as residents of the planet Earth (Environmental Canada, 2006). This study carried out a questionnaire research to identify the policy effect that the Levy in Hong Kong have on environmental attitudes and behaviours, as well as to identify the relative impact of economic incentive versus Green Citizenship on green attitudes and behaviours. The survey was conducted from 25th April to 9th May 2012 for two weeks in the form of internet survey. The research found that the Environmental Levy Scheme on Plastic Shopping Bags affected citizens’ behaviour and attitude to reduce the use of plastic shopping bags, and also changed people’s behavioural intention to act pro-environmentally, if their beliefs are strong enough to override the disadvantages brought by pro-environmentally actions. However, the level of green citizenship in Hong Kong is still in a private level, the sense of green citizenship of the society is still weak, thus, a comprehensive education programme should be carried out by both the society (bottom-up) and the government (top-bottom) to raise the level of green citizenship of the society.
published_or_final_version
Environmental Management
Master
Master of Science in Environmental Management

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Makabeni, Yonela. "Environmental impacts of informal economic activities in a low cost housing development, case study of Dunoon, Cape Town." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/2874.

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Thesis (Master of Environmental Management)--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018.
Over the past decades, environmental problems associated with low-cost housing developments have been reported on a national and global scale (see Sowman and Urquhart, 1998 and also Norville, 2003). Poor community participation in the early stages of project design and lack of public involvement in decision making regarding low cost housing development are said to have contributed to these environmental issues. The environmental issues that have been reported so far relate to escalating water quality due to poor storm water management and improper waste disposal which poses a threat to the natural environment. While there is as emerging view that the nature of environmental problems experienced in these settlements are due to a lack of participation by local people in decision making, there is virtual no studies that have located this analysis within the theoretical debate of modernist planning. The issue that has been ignored thus far is the fact that low cost housing development (in generally) still resembles the spatial pattern of both the modernist and apartheid planning orthodox. It is thus from this context that the local people are increasingly excluded from participating in decision making. This form of modernist development is contrary to the ethos of sustainable development. In essence, sustainable development, as a new development theory, also adheres to the notion of local citizenry involvement in development for the benefits of the future generation. The research study further argues that poor people need to participate in decision making regarding the design and delivery of these houses (Oelefse, 1997). Therefore, the study investigated the underlying environmental implications associated with informal economic activities in a low cost housing establishment. The research study adopted a qualitative research design and an inductive approach. Dunoon was used as a case study for the research. The study used two sampling techniques, purposive sampling and random sampling,were used. Interviews, questionnaires and observations were used to collect data from the residents, informal businesses in Dunoon and key stakeholders from the Department of Environmnental Affairs as well as City of Cape Town. The findings of the thesis illustrate that long-term environmental impacts that are visible in the low-cost housing development of Dunoon are triggered by informal economic activities that are practised by the local people to make a living. In this regard, this thesis argues that local people need to be involved in the early planning and design stages of low-cost housing development. They need to be involved in all development stages to ensure that they drive the vision of the development. Lack of involvement of the local people in the initial stages of decision-making on the project triggered severe long term environmental impacts. The study then concludes that long-term environmental impacts in Dunoon are intertwined with the escalation of informal economic activities initiated by the local people in order to cope with harsh economic realities. These informal activities are a form of reaction to the imposed version of development. Thus, the environmental problems that emerged out of this pattern of human activities must be analysed by means of conceptualising the Dunoon low-cost housing as a product of modernist planning philosophy. Based on the information gathered and discussed in this thesis, it is concluded that the low-cost housing development is a product of modernist planning.

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Berenguel, Orlando Leonardo 1974. "A experiencia de trabalho de catadores de reciclaveis dentro da dinamica e gestão territorial de Bragança Paulista - SP." [s.n.], 2008. http://repositorio.unicamp.br/jspui/handle/REPOSIP/287495.

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Orientador: Arleude Bortolozzi
Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociencias
Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-11T16:28:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Berenguel_OrlandoLeonardo_M.pdf: 7302317 bytes, checksum: 49b001d220661f5ce7dc8eb27e0081ec (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008
Resumo: Nesta dissertação, parte-se da idéia de que a crise ambiental urbana e a excessiva geração de resíduos sólidos têm motivado uma série de conflitos e disputas no que tange ao lixo urbano. Este estudo vale-se do ¿território usado¿ como categoria de análise social do espaço e, com isso, propõe um olhar sobre as ¿relações de poder¿. Através da análise do território urbano, procurou-se compreender o trabalho do catador de recicláveis na dinâmica e gestão territorial do município de Bragança Paulista ¿ SP. O catador de recicláveis é tratado neste estudo como o sujeito que depende dos resíduos para a sua própria sobrevivência. A análise realizada tenta verificar como as relações de poder são estabelecidas nas diferentes formas de organização do trabalho de catação dentro deste território, e como os diferentes atores criam suas estratégias de convivência ou não-convivência. A pesquisa foi realizada junto a catadores que participam de um Projeto Piloto de Coleta Seletiva, mantido pelo setor de assistência social da administração municipal, e junto a catadores que atuam de maneira autônoma. Durante a pesquisa foram ouvidos o poder público municipal, catadores de recicláveis, moradores, comerciantes e administradores de condomínios, com o intuito de se entender como os conflitos se estabelecem em torno do lixo urbano. Com relação aos catadores constatou-se a existência de uma precarização das relações do trabalho, tais como a falta de estrutura física, de equipamentos, de registro em carteira de trabalho. A interpretação da dinâmica territorial identificou a necessidade de se buscar uma ¿gestão territorial integrada¿ de Bragança Paulista, como uma estratégia capaz de encaminhar soluções para os conflitos de interesses estabelecidos em torno do lixo urbano
Abstract: This dissertation presents the idea that urban environmental crisis and the excessive generation of solid waste has led a series of conflicts and disputes around urban waste. This study applies to the "used territory" as a category of analysis the social like space and thus proposes a look at the "relations of power". It is by examining the urban area which sought to understand the work of self-employed proletarians of recyclable dynamic and territorial management in the municipality of Bragança Paulista - SP. The self-employed proletarians of recyclable are treated in this study as a person who that depends for it¿s for own survival. The analysis tries to see how the relationships of power are established in various forms of work organization of collect recyclable materials within this territory and how the different actors create their strategies of coexistence or non-existence. The research was conducted with the self-employed proletarians involved a Pilot Project for Selective Collection, maintained by the social welfare sector of the municipal administration and among the self-employed proletarians that act on a standalone. During the search were heard to the municipal government, self-employed proletarians of recyclable, residents, traders and managers of condominiums, with the aim to understand how conflicts are established around the urban waste. Regarding the self-employed proletarians it was the existence of deteriorating job relations, such as lack of physical structure, equipment, record a portfolio of work. The interpretation of the dynamics territorial identified the need to seek an "integrated territorial management" of Bragança Paulista, as a strategy able to provide solutions to conflicts and interests around the established urban waste
Mestrado
Análise Ambiental e Dinâmica Territorial
Mestre em Geografia

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Zia, Asim. "Cooperative and non-cooperative decision behaviors in response to the inspection and maintenance program in the Atlanta Airshed, 1997-2001." Diss., Available online, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2004:, 2004. http://etd.gatech.edu/theses/available/etd-07112004-211918/unrestricted/zia%5Fasim%5F200407%5Fphd.pdf.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2005. Directed by Bryan Norton.
Norton, Bryan, Committee Chair ; Rodgers, Michael, Committee Member ; Bozeman, Barry, Committee Member ; DeHart-Davis, Leisha, Committee Member ; Noonan, Douglas, Committee Member. Includes bibliographical references.

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Kensicki, Linda Jean. "Media construction of an elitist environmental movement new frontiers for second level agenda setting and political activism /." Access restricted to users with UT Austin EID Full text (PDF) from UMI/Dissertation Abstracts International, 2001. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/utexas/fullcit?p3034551.

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Chapman, Kelly. "Complexity and creative capacity : reformulating the problem of knowledge transfer in environmental management." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2013. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/696.

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The Ningaloo Reef is Australia’s largest fringing coral reef and an iconic tourist destination; however tourism development in Ningaloo has been ad hoc and the area is challenged by human pressure on numerous fronts. In response to these challenges a number of research agencies brought together a range of scientists to study the effects of human interaction on the reef. Moving from research to practice has been understood to depend on the adaptive capacity of the institutions responsible for governing human activities, in this case in the Ningaloo area. Knowledge transfer describes the suite of strategies used to try to bridge the gap between research and management. Knowledge transfer efforts, however, seldom have the desired impact of seeing research applied to decision-making. The ubiquity of knowledge transfer difficulties across disciplines suggests a common root to the problem, based in our shared cultural assumptions. This study pairs a multidisciplinary theoretical investigation with action research to shed light on why knowledge transfer efforts so often fall short in terms of seeing research applied to practice. Recent environmental management perspectives on knowledge transfer illustrate the shift towards stakeholder participation as a means of improving knowledge transfer success. As such, the action research study involved the researcher embedding herself in the Ningaloo community for 18 months, adopting the role of a knowledge broker and engaging and collaborating with modelling researchers and local stakeholders on knowledge transfer efforts. However, despite intensive stakeholder engagement, evaluation interviews at the end of the process indicated that although the knowledge transfer process had the effect of catalysing relationships between stakeholder groups in the region, and between regional stakeholders and scientists, it appeared to have relatively little effect on the representational knowledge of local stakeholders or the actual application of research in practice. This led to the question of whether knowledge transfer is itself is part of the research uptake problem, as per the principles of problem formulation, which specify that resolving seemingly intractable problems requires examining the assumptions that underpin our thinking about the problem situation. On this basis, the theoretical component of this study explored the Newtonian assumptions that inform our understanding of knowledge transfer. An alternative complexity-based ontology is proposed, unifying the metaphysics of materialism and idealism, based on a synthesis of process philosophy, mathematical logic, quantum theory, general systems theory and the complexity sciences. The phenomena of cognition, learning, knowledge and organising are compared in relation to how they’ve been understood within the Newtonian paradigm, and how they are now being explained from the perspective of a complexity-based paradigm. By reframing the action research results from a complexity perspective, the Ningaloo knowledge transfer process does not constitute a failure in terms of enhancing the capacity of the Ningaloo system to make more sustainable decisions. Rather, the increased connectivity between stakeholder groups and scientists can be viewed as more importantly enhancing the creative capacity of Ningaloo’s governance system. It is posited that the research uptake problem should be reformulated from the basis of complexity paradigm, and the notions of knowledge transfer and adaptive capacity reconceptualised accordingly. Instead of devising rational objective arguments for someone else to improve the ‘adaptive capacity’ of human systems, scientists should focus instead on improving their own creative capacity in their local interactions.

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Saywell, David Russell. "Participation in environmental policy and decision making in Australia : a story of the politics of consensus and unholy alliances." Master's thesis, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/1885/147893.

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Molapo, Keneiloe. "Towards developing an environmental management system for Michaelhouse Boys' School in KwaZulu-Natal." Thesis, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/4791.

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Educational institutions are obliged in tenns of the Constitution as well as a number of National Policies to manage their environment in a sustainable manner and to provide a healthy environment for the employees and learners. Michaelhouse is also obliged by the Constitution and National Policies to manage its environment in a holistic manner. Michaelhouse is a private boy's school situated in the Balgowan valley in the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal. For this reason and for the school's own individual gain, the school's management wishes to fulfill two objectives. First, to produce environmentally sensitive citizens. Second, to acquire the expertise to administer the school in an environmentally sensitive and holistic manner. Although Michaelhouse has had an environmental discussion group since 1996, issues were discussed on an ad hoc basis. Likewise, there have been a number of environmental initiatives in the school, however these initiatives were fragmented. Due to the fragmented initiatives, the management realised the need for environmental management. The school approached the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Natal, Durban for assistance in this regard. Two projects were fonnulated to meet the school's set goals. The first was an Environmental Education (EE) project to fulfil the first objective. The second project aimed to fulfil the second objective, that is, to acquire the expertise to administer the school in an environmentally sensitive manner is described in this thesis. An Environmental Management System (EMS) was identified as the best system to ensure sound environmental management perfonnance. The baseline information provided in this thesis is expected to contribute towards the development of this EMS. South African legislation at the national level with regard to environmental management was reviewed in order to ascertain how environmental problems are dealt with. In order to obtain the necessary information, the study involved three distinct tasks. The first was the pilot study to detennine the way the questionnaire would be structured and the type of questions to be asked. The second was development of the school's environmental mission statement. The third, an environmental audit which had two components; administering of questionnaires to the residents and the inspection of the school's environment. The three main problems identified in the school were the management of water, waste and vegetation. The supply of water was found adequate for the entire school and the water quality acceptable. The only problem found was excess use of water due to multiple uses in the school. It is proposed that a water policy be developed which will include the monitoring of water use. Two types of waste were identified, solid waste and low-medium hazardous waste. The former requires proper management which includes reintroducing recycling, but also other methods were recommended to be incorporated in the waste management process such as minimisation and re-use. Low-medium hazardous waste requires disposal in an appropriate manner and the use of a designated landfill was recommended. With regard to vegetation, the study dealt with the significance of exotic and indigenous trees in the school. The main problem found was that exotic tree stumps are undermining the sewage pipes. The researcher was not able to deal with this issue due to lack of expertise in this field, but it was recommended that the assistance of experts be requested to trace the location of these pipes. In order to have control over the environmental concerns and the environment at large, the development of an environmental policy for Michaelhouse School was found necessary. It was considered essential because it is a building block for an EMS. The policy was developed in collaboration with the School's Environmental Committee. This baseline information contained in this thesis will provide a means of assessing the performance of an EMS once it is put in place. It is therefore concluded, that for the EMS to be effective, it should include all sectors of the entire school property and it was recommended that a full audit be conducted of other sectors of the school.
Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

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"The role of environmental non-governmental organizations in environmental decision making process: a case study of Hong Kong." 2007. http://library.cuhk.edu.hk/record=b5893124.

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Yeung Wang On.
Thesis submitted in: November 2006.
Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-117).
Abstracts in English and Chinese.
Abstract --- p.i
Abstract (Chinese)/ 摘要(中文) --- p.iii
Acknowledgement --- p.v
Contents --- p.vi
Figures and Tables --- p.vii
Abbreviations --- p.viii
Chapter Chapter 1: --- Introduction --- p.1
Chapter Chapter 2: --- Literature Review --- p.17
Chapter Chapter 3: --- Long Valley Case Study (1998-2003) --- p.41
Chapter Chapter 4: --- Victoria Harbour Reclamation Case Study (1994-2005) --- p.68
Chapter Chapter 5: --- Conclusion --- p.99
Bibliography --- p.106

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Tamm, Sabine Susan. "Successful cooperative arrangements for environmental stewardship : a study of BC parks and environmental nongovernment organisations." Thesis, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/9797.

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These are challenging times for parks and protected areas in British Columbia as these areas have increased in size and use, while resources for managing them have shrunk considerably. Environmental nongovernment organisations (ENGOs) have recognized these threats and as a result are becoming increasingly involved in the stewardship of parks and protected areas. As the provincial government authority responsible for their management, BC Parks acknowledges that the needs and aspirations of people living in and around these areas must somehow be integrated in their management in order to ensure their long-term viability, and that ENGOs have valuable knowledge and skills to offer in this regard. As a result, cooperative arrangements, or partnerships, are being increasingly explored as a mutually beneficial means of forwarding BC Parks' mandate of conservation and recreation, and the mandate of similarly-minded ENGOs. The central purpose of this thesis is to identify essential criteria that must be met for cooperative arrangements between ENGOs and BC Parks to be successful. The study focusses on four current, successful partnerships. Research methods included a literature review and interviews with representatives from each of the participating BC Parks districts and ENGOs. The thesis presents a number of key findings that have significant import to the successful planning, implementation and management of cooperative arrangements for parks and protected areas. In addition to the criteria identified as central to their success, certain process-based actions have relevance to fulfilling the criteria. The level of trust between partners also has an impact on relations, which is enhanced when the criteria are met and over the course of time. The expectations of parties with regard to the extent of power-sharing and how this is exhibited in the cooperative arrangement also affects the perceived level of success of partners and therefore their commitment to the partnership.

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Kasai, Erika. "Public participation in Canadian environmental decision-making : form without function?" Thesis, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/10439.

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The purpose of this thesis is to critically examine elements of public participation in environmental decision-making and to propose that public participation processes may be made more meaningful through the provision of comprehensive and flexible procedural mechanisms coupled with a true ability to affect the outcome of the process, rather than through simply granting more rights. Over the years, natural resources management has grown as a response to ecological concerns over the state and future of our environment. The law too, has developed to accommodate environmental concerns and define legal rights and procedures. Public participation becomes a vehicle for ensuring that affected interests are taken into account in environmental decision-making. In Chapter 1, the established and traditional means of involving the public in environmental decision-making such as litigation and public hearings are examined; however, they have been characterized as too restrictive, not only in terms of the parties who are included, but also the issues. Furthermore, agency administration of complex resource management issues has fuelled public discontent, as many groups understand it is an inherently political process and doubt its legitimacy. In exploring this phenomenon, this paper is first placed in a theoretical context, drawing upon ecological, legal, and ethical philosophies. However, it is also informed by the perspectives of local environmental groups and residents. The turn to other techniques, or Alternative Dispute Resolution, may seem a logical and appropriate evolution, suggesting ways for all affected parties to be involved. Chapter 2 reviews different forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution which provide some principles about the use of mediation and agreements to supplement the regulatory processes of resource management. It is important to consider the mediation process itself, the desire to remedy what is considered to be the failings of the traditional adversarial system, the psychological dynamics of the process, and the parameters for successful negotiations leading to implementation. Chapter 3 commences with an analysis of the legal context of public participation in British Columbia. It determines the discretionary authority of the administrative agencies, and the formal window of opportunity for public input, under the (federal) Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and the (provincial) British Columbia Environmental Assessment Act. This chapter also discusses an additional and interesting vehicle for public participation, although not yet implemented in British Columbia - the Environmental Bill of Rights. Chapter 4 provides a more concrete setting for the use of public participation processes, through the use of a case study - the British Columbia Transit Sky Train Extension Project. The "NIMBY", or "Not In My Backyard" scenario involved has the potential to facilitate negotiation; however, real inroads will be made through improving existing legal avenues of participation such as consultation. In fact, this key concern has been the sore point with respect to the Sky Train Project for many residents of Vancouver. In conclusion, the utility of public participation processes expressed in environmental legislation is reliant not only upon the ability of the law to be flexible enough to serve the various natural resource interests of all stakeholders, but also to be conducted in a manner that is inclusory and substantive.

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Pickering, Kristin Leigh Morgan. "An anthropological response to the call for cultural midwives based on three case studies of communities." Thesis, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/1957/28466.

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The ecological crisis, recognized by scientists as well as an increasing number of lay people urges a response from a variety of disciplines. The consideration of sustainability requires the help of a variety of disciplines, including anthropology, which can contribute an ability to identify cultural patterns that impede cultural change towards sustainability, skills to describe culturally appropriate responses to situations, and capabilities to cultivate changes in lifestyles as aspired to by the group. I tell the story of three groups focused on sustainable communities. I narrate these with a postmodern approach. In the case studies, I combined techniques from applied anthropology (rapid appraisal, participant observation, focus groups, and interviews) with postmodern techniques (consideration of context, shared authority, multi-vocality, and co-creative ethnography). This study explores the effectiveness of facilitating changes through the use of anthropology and empowering participants so they can continue to make changes. The study also explores the effectiveness of combining applied and postmodern techniques. One example of this, and the hallmark of the project, is the photographic, co-creative ethnography, which, representing the work of one local group, invited imagined future sustainable lifestyles, and continued to build community bonds between participants. The collaborative ethnography engaged individuals in the ethnographic process, inviting them to contribute their voices and images. In the case studies, I explored questions such as what are cultural obstacles to living a sustainable lifestyle, what specific cultural strengths can foster an ecological identity, and what can applied anthropology offer non-governmental organizations working on similar topics? I also explore emic definitions of what is the community, what are its needs, and what is sustainability? Further, objectives include reinvigorating community bonds, testing the assumption that public participation in the process is more effective than a process dictated by an outside expert, and exploring the dual role of participant and researcher. I compared the two local case studies of communities of interest in community and sustainability with a national organization working similarly towards sustainability. After analysis of my research questions, I discuss the potential for the applied anthropologist as midwife based on my experiences with the case studies. The applied anthropologist attempts to respond to local level concerns and issues about the environment and reducing human impact, while building community. The action-oriented approach is similar to that of a midwife, which facilitates empowerment of the community involved to birth a more ecological identity. The approach has eight phases (recognition of a need, contact, dialogue, definition of needs, definition of the community, developing a plan of action, implementation, and evaluation), which provide opportunities for changes to occur in the behaviors and beliefs of the participants. The approach incorporates systems thinking to comprehend complex situations and to bring systematic approach to the process. The applied anthropologist as midwife fosters development of a sustainable community identity through the unique process.
Graduation date: 2003

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Mcinga, Beverly Nokuthula. "An assessment of the role of community partnerships in addressing environmental problems in KwaMashu Township, Durban." Thesis, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/4991.

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Partnerships are a recognized tool for addressing local level environmental problems. They involve knowledge-sharing and decision-making by both local authorities and communities. Two different partnerships developed in Durban's KwaMashu Township with a view to addressing environmental problems associated with a degraded small stream viz, the KwaMashu Development Association (KDA) and the KwaMashu Development Initiative (KDI). This thesis describes a study carried out on these two partnerships, comparing their efficacy in resolving the problems and the factors that contributed to the pollution of the stream. Specific environmental circumstances conducive to the degradation of the stream, as well as measures put in place to address them, were identified during a field survey. Semi-structured questionnaires were then used to interview members of the two partnerships to obtain information on how they developed and functioned as a unit. Information was also obtained from respective individuals, regarding their perception of the factors that contributed to the stream degradation and the effectiveness of their rehabilitation efforts. Although the study found both partnerships to be of the leverage type, there were significant differences between the socio-economic profile and political affiliations of members. The KDA partnership received funding for the project whereas the KDI received no funding, but had a vision. The Keep Durban Beautiful Association created an awareness relating to waste and open space management which was imparted to the KDT members and this enabled them to achieve the goals of the project. These different baselines clearly contributed to the differences in the effectiveness of the partnerships.
Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

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"Public participation as a factor in the development of policy : a case study pf the KwaZulu-Natal Waste Management Policy process, 1996- 2001." Thesis, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/2884.

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This study reviews some of the trends in the theory and practice of public participation processes as an element of policy development. It attempts to locate public participation within a theoretical framework for policy development based on the work of Kingdon (Agendas, Alternatives and Public Policies, 2nd ed. 1995) on policy streams, and that of Roe (Narrative Policy Analysis. 1994) on the use of discourse analysis. It uses the KwaZulu-Natal Waste Management Policy process as a case study and shows that it is possible to combine these two theories to come to a better understanding of the way in which policy is arrived at. The policy streams proposed by Kingdon are identified in the case study and the 'crisis', which moved the issue of waste management onto the decision agenda, is described. Two dominant narratives that emerge from a series of interviews are discerned, together with two counter narratives. By comparing and contrasting these a metanarrative is developed that meets Roe's criteria for telling a better story and so becomes the basis for the final policy. Public participation is shown as being a useful way of ensuring that alternative 'stories' are included in the shaping of policy and so allowing a metanarrative to emerge. Some conclusions about the implications of the analysis for future processes are drawn.
Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

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Martinson, Martti. "What is the enabling environment for local level youth participation? A comparative study of youth councils in the Australian state of Victoria and Estonia." Thesis, 2020. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/40988/.

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At a time of rapid change in the political involvement of young people, the creation of structures to facilitate the participation of young people in decision-making processes has been on the rise globally (Badham & Wade 2010; Farrow 2015). Youth councils are often created with the aim of representing the interests of young people in the community through advocacy, lobbying and provision of advice to decision-making bodies. At the same time the landscape of youth councils, particularly at a local government level, is varied and often lacking the evidence of best practice, an enabling environment and coordination. This mixed-methods comparative case study research analysed the current environment and context in which youth councils are operating, and the experiences of former and current members of youth councils and the professionals that support their work, in the Australian state of Victoria and in Estonia. Semi-structured interviews and an online survey across the two countries and in two languages were employed from 2016 until 2017 to map the experiences and identify youth councils’ successes, gaps and potential for improvement. Qualtrics software was used to collect, analyse and code the survey data; data from semi- structured interviews was coded manually. The coding process identified key nodes and sub- nodes. The results revealed that local level youth councils in Victoria and Estonia share many similarities, particularly in their aims, commonly undertaken activities and aspirations; however, there are also noticeable differences which can largely be attributed to the relevant legislative framework, policies, coordination mechanisms and resourcing for youth councils that exist in Estonia but not in Victoria. Through the results of this study, a framework for an enabling environment for youth councils was identified and conceptualised, using the Enabling Environment Index developed by CIVICUS (2013), the World Alliance for Citizen Participation, as a guide. The findings of this research also sought to provide an understanding of how the work of local level youth councils can be better supported and organised by policy, organisational and legislative measures to increase the effectiveness and benefits of these structures for young people and the community.

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Nkhata, Bimo Abraham. "A systemic approach for assessing community-based natural resource management : a case study of the Kafue Flats, Zambia." Thesis, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/9280.

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This dissertation seeks to expose through a systemic approach the complexity and centrality of governance in community-based natural resource management (CBNRM). This is premised on the hypothesis that an appreciation of this complexity and of drawing analytic distinctions between governance and management is necessary for successful interventions. The study adopts community-based environmental governance (CBEG) as the core heuristic variable in a conceptual framework for analysing CBNRM. The application of this framework generates empirical evidence concerning CBNRM processes adopted in the Kafue Flats socio-biophysical system. It is illustrated that CBNRM processes are established and implemented in a complex context. It is observed that social actors on the Kafue Flats usually do not constructively understand and appreciate this complexity. Several examples are demonstrated in which the thinking and actions of these actors reflect a limited conceptual framework of systems thinking and the inherent complexity in CBNRM. It is illustrated that these actors do not appreciate that CBNRM is a significant component of the governance of natural resource utilisation. This lack of appreciation is essentially identified as a contributing factor to poor performance. Ultimately, CBNRM processes are not only about sustainable use of natural resources; but also the nature and quality of relationships amongst social actors in CBEG. By drawing attention to these relationships, this study broadens our understanding of what goes into CBNRM processes. The implications of ignoring these relationships can be detrimental to the success of CBNRM. Accordingly, the establishment of productive CBNRM systems depends on how firmly CBEG issues and concerns are incorporated into CBNRM analyses and operations. Evidently, CBNRM cannot be pragmatically pursued in rigid socio-biophysical settings. It requires systemic and structural changes in the socio-political, economic and cultural mechanisms of CBEG. Thus, all cooperating partners, governments included, should accept that CBEG and CBNRM are inseparable. This understanding necessitates them to spearhead CBEG capacity building schemes at international, national and local levels.
Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

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"Development of a participatory virtual studio for ecological planning: a case study of wildfire simulation in ecological planning." 2002. http://library.cuhk.edu.hk/record=b5891205.

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Zhao Yibin.
Thesis submitted in: November 2001.
Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2002.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 103-111).
Abstracts in English and Chinese.
Abstract --- p.I
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT --- p.V
Table of Contents --- p.VIII
List of Tables --- p.IX
List of Figures --- p.X
Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1
Chapter 1.1 --- Research background and problem statement --- p.1
Chapter 1.2 --- Research objectives --- p.6
Chapter 1.3 --- Methodology --- p.7
Chapter 1.4 --- Significance of this study --- p.9
Chapter 1.5 --- Organization of the thesis --- p.10
Chapter Chapter 2 --- "Literature review: wildfire behavior simulation, Web GIS and public participation GIS" --- p.11
Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.11
Chapter 2.2 --- Investigating wildfire behavior --- p.12
Chapter 2.3 --- Modeling wildfire with GIS --- p.20
Chapter 2.4 --- Emergence of the Web GIS --- p.27
Chapter 2.5 --- New agenda from public participation --- p.28
Chapter 2.6 --- Summary --- p.31
Chapter Chapter 3 --- System design: requirements analysis and feasibility analysis --- p.34
Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.34
Chapter 3.2 --- Analysis of functions requirement --- p.35
Chapter 3.3 --- A host of solutions --- p.41
Chapter 3.4 --- Summary --- p.52
Chapter Chapter 4 --- Simulating the wildfire --- p.53
Chapter 4.1 --- Physical Setting of experiment area and data preparation --- p.53
Chapter 4.2 --- Adaptation and formularization of the Rothermel's fire behavior model --- p.60
Chapter 4.3 --- Fire spreading algorithm --- p.66
Chapter 4.4 --- Defining wildfire with Object Oriented Design (OOD) method --- p.71
Chapter 4.5 --- Summary --- p.74
Chapter Chapter 5 --- Participation process with interactive tools empowered by IT technologies --- p.76
Chapter 5.1 --- Comprehending the problem in an interactive way --- p.76
Chapter 5.2 --- Performing wildfire simulation --- p.81
Chapter 5.3 --- Submitting of end users comments --- p.84
Chapter 5.4 --- Discussion bulletin board --- p.94
Chapter 5.5 --- Summary --- p.96
Chapter Chapter 6 --- Discussions and conclusions --- p.98
Chapter 6.1 --- Research limitations and discussions --- p.98
Chapter 6.2 --- Conclusions --- p.99
BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.103
Appendix 1 .Defining MapService with ArcXML --- p.112
Appendix 2.Defining MapNotes with ArcXML --- p.112

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Niemeyer, Simon John. "Deliberation in the wilderness : transforming policy preferences through discourse." Phd thesis, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/1885/109788.

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This research examines the formation of policy preferences under conditions approaching the ideal of deliberative democracy. These scenarios specifically relate to complex and controversial environmental issues. The objective is to explore the possibilities for deliberative democracy and its implications for the policy process. The Far North Queensland Citizens' Jury (FNQCJ) was conducted over four days in January 2000, deliberating policy options for the Bloomfield Track, a controversial road within World Heritage listed rainforest. Policy preferences of participants were surveyed before and after deliberation using rank orderings of five policy options. 'Subjectivity' (beliefs and values) was also studied at three points using Q methodology. Analysis of the results reveals changes in subjectivity, which although comparatively small, has had a dramatic impact on policy preferences. The mechanism whereby policy preferences were transformed appears to involve the deactivation of symbolic assertions by interest groups and the activation of subjective states pertaining to common goods. Pre-deliberative policy preferences tended to reflect polarised (symbolic) discourses that dominated the issue publicly. Deliberation dissipated the distorting influence of symbolic politics and induced convergence toward a shared policy position appreciating the complexities of the issue for which deliberators sought integrated policy solutions, rather than juggling seemingly irreconcilable symbolic claims. Although this did not lead to absolute consensus, the differences in opinion among deliberators were readily accommodated in the formulation of policies. This appears to be a possible outcome of deliberation so long as outcomes are sensitive to the underlying reasons for particular positions. These findings suggest that policy preferences cannot be divorced from political context, including institutional arrangements. Under the status quo, citizens tend to be unduly influenced by the strategic arguments of interests, despite their capacity for better judgement. Without active citizen participation, policy discourses are shaped by dominant political actors, This results in a failure of policy preferences to reflect substantive dimensions of issues, perpetuating symbolic issues in public decision-making. By contrast, it appears that the deliberative process helps to reconstruct policy preferences according to theoretical ideals - peeling away the layers of confusion created by symbolic politics, which can result in poorly considered preferences. As such, it is concluded that deliberation serves to shape policy preferences to reflect community aspirations, which are consistent with the provision of common goods such as environmental protection, rather than individual concerns and prejudices.

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Avis, Wendy. "Women and environmental decision-making : A case study of the Squamish estuary management plan in British Columbia, Canada." Thesis, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/3690.

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An analysis of the literature on sustainability reveals that community decision making is an important component in the definition and implementation of sustainability. Although the importance of participation by all members of a community is stressed in the literature, analysis of marginalized groups focuses mainly on class and culture. When gender lines are explored, it is mostly within the context of the developing world. The purpose of this research was to examine the nature of women's participation in defining and implementing sustainability. This exploration had three objectives: to define effective public participation in the context of local level environmental decision making, to identify barriers to women inherent in public participation processes associated with environmental planning decisions and to make recommendations which eliminate barriers to women's participation in planning decisions. Barriers to women's participation were divided into three categories: institutional, community and societal. This research used a case study approach with multiple sources of evidence to examine these barriers. The public participation process involved in developing the Squamish Estuary Management Plan was analyzed to explore the nature and extent of women's participation. Research methods included document and newspaper coverage analysis, interviews and workshops. These revealed that specific barriers exist which discourage and prevent women from participating in planning decisions. At an institutional level, these included lack of trust, centralized decision-making, poor communication structures, an atmosphere that was not childfriendly and the failure to present the Plan in a way which was relevant to women's lives. Community barriers consisted of the fear of retaliation and the large number of community issues. Societal barriers identified were the devaluing of women's voices, level of income and the restrictions caused by women's societal roles. These barriers reduced the effectiveness of the public participation process. Results were used to develop a series of recommendations about how to encourage women's participation in decision-making, ensuring that women in communities are involved in shaping and defining sustainability.

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Dhliwayo, Mutuso. "An assessment of the implications of law, policy and institutional arrangements for community participation in transfrontier conservation in southern Africa." 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/2631.

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Proponents and advocates of transfrontier conservation in southern Africa have postulated rural communities living adjacent to conservation areas as one of the main determinants of the success of such initiatives and thus they should be potential beneficiaries along with the state and the private sector. This assertion is reflected in the various memoranda of understanding (MOU), treaties, policies and agreements establishing transfrontier conservation initiatives. For community participation to be effective, the laws, policies and institutions establishing transfrontier conservation in southern Africa must lead to the empowerment of these rural communities who commonly subsist on local natural resources and perceive them as opportunities to earn a living. I derive a principle and set of criteria and indicators that are used to analyse the legal, policy and institutional framework and its implications for community participation and empowerment in transfrontier conservation in southern Africa. The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park provides a case study. I argue that while provisions for community participation are made in the laws, policies and institutions under which transfrontier conservation is being initiated and implemented in the region, they are not sufficiently prescriptive about empowering communities to secure commitment from conservation agencies to enable communities to effectively participate in transfrontier conservation. It is suggested that as presently defined, the laws, policies and institutions may lead to community disempowerment from transfrontier conservation, as they allow too much scope for interpretations that weaken options for censure where agencies are not demonstrating commitment to community participation and empowerment in conservation.
Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

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Malaza, Khethiwe. "Protected area management and environmental decision-making : the case of Dlinza Forest Nature Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal." Thesis, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/4269.

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Colonial conservation emerged as colonial conservationists perceived the threat of deforestation, climatic change and famine. The sense that there were limits to nature's capacity to meet human demands, led to colonial conservationism which portrayed nature as separated from human life. Protected areas (PA's), both forest and game reserves, were created that excluded local people in terms of both access and management. In South Africa the National Forests Act 84 of 1998 has created new conditions in which there is a greater opportunity for communities to benefit from indigenous forests, which apart from their other uses are a valuable resource from the point of view of ecotourism. This study thus seeks to assess moves from exclusivist to community based forms of environmental decision-making (EDM) at Dlinza Forest Nature Reserve. This study provides an example of an ecotourism project started during the democratic period in South Africa and at the height of the global move to community conservation. First however it traces the management history of the forest in order to assess change in the management style over time. The study investigates rural people's attitudes towards the forest and it was found that although the forest was preserved for many years, the rural people still feel much attached to it as a result of the beliefs they have about it. The study contrasts different visions of the forest in terms of competing use and non-use values, and demonstrates that each group exercised its will and attempted to display "ownership" of the forest through a number of activities undertaken at the forest. An analysis of the public participation followed in terms of the ecotourism project was undertaken to determine the extent to which the rural community was involved. Theoretical models of environmental decision-making were applied in order to identify the mode of decisionmaking used historically and in the present. The results of the study show that poor rural people are still marginalized in EDM despite the new philosophies of PA management and the democratising shifts taking place in the country. Resistance to the policies and regulations of the reserve has been observed and this may lead to severe degradation of the resources that the reserve is meant to protect. The study thus recommends strengthening locally based EDM via partnerships as partnerships do not only provide relief for the consequences of conflict, they also strive for a win-win situation. The study concluded that greater involvement of the rural community requires a change in the mindset of conservation authorities, in particular with regard to the issue of representivity in EDM.
Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2004.

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Markowitz, Chelsea. "Stakeholder perceptions of public participation in development projects: a case study of the social impacts of the Mooi Mgeni Transfer Scheme Phase II." Thesis, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10539/21897.

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Thesis (M.A.(Development Studies))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, 2016.
Public participation has become an integral component of development projects, and is encouraged in the South African constitution as well as national laws governing the development and management of the environment. Especially in large infrastructure projects such as dams and water transfer systems, community participation is essential, as these projects leave great social and environmental footprints, with the benefits often accruing far beyond the immediately affected areas. Yet, there is little consensus on how this participation should manifest or what it should hope to achieve. This study sought to examine public participation processes through a case study of a dam and pipeline project, the Mooi Mgeni Transfer Scheme Phase II, particularly in terms of its social impacts. The study draws from the perspectives of all stakeholders involved, namely the various project authorities (government architects, implementing company, engineers, construction contractors), the interested and affected community members, and the independent authorities hired to monitor different aspects of the project. This study found that differing views of participation among these different actors greatly affected the participation that manifested in the project. While project authorities’ primary focus for participation was as a means to achieve project goals, community members expected that participation directly benefit them, whether through mitigating impacts or maximising benefits. These differences are complicated by conflicting conceptions of participation in South African legislation, and scant conflict management mechanisms. These conflicting views of participation led to conflict in participatory spaces, and resistance against the project. This study examines five participatory spaces, namely Environmental Impact Assessment public participation meetings, Environmental Monitoring Committee meetings, the engagement with marginalised communities, the engagement with expropriated landowners, and the engagement with relocated informal farm workers. The analysis illuminates the way that power manifests in participatory spaces and can work for or against community goals, and also the effectiveness of different community strategies to leverage their interests. It finds that trust between project authorities and community members is often lacking, but can significantly reduce conflict when it is present. When conflict does arise, if community members are able to upset the project from proceeding, they can make significant inroads in achieving their interests. However, marginalised contingents of the community are faced with ingrained disempowerment in participatory spaces which is difficult to overcome
GR2017

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41

Soto, Bartolomeu. "Application of a framework to assess wildlife policy and its implementation in Mocambique." Thesis, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/3602.

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Wildlife management in Moryambique has had a troubled history. The end of civil war and installment of a democratic Government provided opportunity to redefine policy and implementation of conservation. Weakened by civil strife and with wildlife decimated in many areas, Government sought approaches to conservation that would promote participation by investors and civil society, particularly rural communities. The intention is to acknowledge the rights of rural people to resources and the benefits that can accrue from their use. Partnerships are seen as a way in which Government can bring the required financial and human resources to bear whilst at the same time engendering positive attitudes to conservation in general, and to policy in particular. The purpose of this research is to examine, using two case study conservation areas, the consequences of Government's attempts to implement its policy. The philosophical basis for the research is that policy reform and implementation should be envisaged as a complex system comprising many interactions and that when this complexity is not acknowledged and addressed systemically, it predisposes the process of policy reform and implementation to failure. A principal cause of failure is considered to be that assumptions are not made explicit and this results in development and application of an approach that does not accord with reality. Further, because of the networked nature of the system, failure at one point can be magnified as its consequences are propagated through the system. A conceptual framework for policy reform and implementation is developed. This exposes some critical assumptions about Government's capacity to implement policy and the ways in which implementation is experienced by stakeholders, especially local communities. Context is provided by tracing the evolution of approaches to conservation in Moryambique from the pre-colonial era to the present. The findings are that Government does not have the capacity to implement its conservation policy and this is shown to have serious implications for how local people perceive and respond to Government approaches to conservation. Causal factors are analysed and assessed. It is concluded that the process of policy reform and implementation is complex but that a systems approach provides a simple and easily comprehended way in which this complexity can be interpreted and taken into account with potentially very significant benefits. Perceptions are shown to be a powerful determinant of response to policy reform and implementation. As these are commonly a basis for destructive tensions between parties, it is suggested that research directed at defining the principles that should underpin management of perceptions and tensions should be encouraged.
Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

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42

"Recycling--: a feasible solution for Hong Kong's waste problem?" 2000. http://library.cuhk.edu.hk/record=b5890172.

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by Maiken Schulz.
Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 49-51).
LIST OF TABLES --- p.iii
Chapter CHAPTER I - --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1
Chapter CHAPTER II - --- THE GENERAL CONCEPT OF RECYCLING --- p.4
Municipal Solid Waste --- p.4
The Waste Problem --- p.4
Ways to Reduce the Waste Volume --- p.6
Recycling Principals --- p.10
When to recycle --- p.10
What to recycle --- p.11
How to recycle --- p.13
The economics of recycling --- p.14
Chapter CHAPTER III - --- HONG KONG --- p.16
Hong Kong's Waste Problem --- p.16
Waste Content --- p.17
Reasons for the Waste Problem --- p.18
Increasing hygiene and convenience: --- p.18
Lack of material re-using schemes: --- p.19
Underdeveloped recycling of household waste: --- p.19
Lack of environmental consciousness: --- p.19
Hong Kong's Waste Management --- p.21
Looking back: Waste handling --- p.21
Landfills --- p.21
Looking Ahead: The Waste Reduction Framework Plan --- p.23
Hong Kong's Waste Recovery Industry --- p.23
Focus on Recycling --- p.26
Creating awareness --- p.26
Material Selection --- p.27
Collection system --- p.27
Summary --- p.28
Required Improvements --- p.28
Separation --- p.28
Collection --- p.29
Reprocessing --- p.29
Marketing --- p.29
Conclusion --- p.30
Chapter CHAPTER IV - --- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY --- p.31
Conceptual framework： the theory of reasoned action model --- p.31
Conceptual Model --- p.31
How the theory works --- p.32
Modifying the original model --- p.33
Research Design --- p.34
Hypothesis setting --- p.35
Data collection --- p.37
Analysis --- p.37
Structured Equation Modelling --- p.39
Test for Model Fit --- p.39
Financial Incentives --- p.40
Implications and Recommendations --- p.41
Implications of the findings --- p.41
Attitude towards the Act --- p.41
Subjective Norm --- p.42
Feasible approach to waste reduction through recycling --- p.43
APPENDIX --- p.46
BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.49

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43

Singini, Paulo Juliao Tomás. "Community-based forest husbandry : a case study from Mozambique." Thesis, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/3601.

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Natural resource harvesting still plays an important role in the economy of southern Africa. In Mozambique, the continuous exploitation of the most valuable components of the indigenous woodlands in locations such as the Catuane Administrative Post in Matutuine District, have put pressure on the natural resources so that concern has motivated this research in order to guide such actions in support of sustainable use. This was a preliminary study, the intention being to establish: • what are the necessary environmental conditions for the sustainability of silviculture? • which species may be candidates for cultivation? • whether local people would support cultivation of trees for charcoal and woodfuel; and • what the attitude of government and non-government organizations was to tree cultivation.? The research approach taken in this study was qualitative, relying on interviews, reviewing literature and documentary analysis. Respondents were drawn from different categories such as the local communities of the study area, experts in silviculture, government officials and NGO employees. The study shows that environmental conditions are harsh and are not particularly favourable for the cultivation of trees. Nevertheless, a review of information on the requirements and properties of woody species indicates that there . are candidate species that could be considered for cultivation, but productivity is likely to be low. Although there is some support for cultivation of trees, motivation is weak and strong extension support will be required to achieve success. The findings show, however that whilst there is policy support it is not accompanied by support on the ground. It is suggested that this reflects failure to appreciate the value of co-operative management and suggestions are made as to how these can be improved.
Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.

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44

"An assessment of the implementation of the community environmental management programme in Zambia : a case study of Luansobe Settlement - Mufulira district." Thesis, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/3092.

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This dissertation comprises two components. Component A consists of background to the research and includes the problem statement, aim and objectives. It also includes the literature review, which provides details on the concept of community-based natural resources management (CBNRM) and its benefits as a participatory approach adopted in the management of natural resources. Component B is presented as a research paper that complies with the requirements of the selected journal for purposes of publication shown in appendix I. Relevant information on the purpose of the study and background to the concept of CBNRM from component A is included in component B for purposes of the research paper. It also includes research findings, analysis and conclusions of the study. CBNRM has been identified as a feasible participatory approach to natural resources management based on community needs and priorities. This research reviews the implementation of the Community Environmental Management Programme (CEMP) as a participatory approach adopted by the Zambian Government to address growing environmental concerns, with particular reference to deforestation, as a result of human activities. This study focuses on Luansobe settlement in Mufulira district, one of eight districts in which the CEMP is being implemented as a pilot project. Luansobe is located in the peri-urban area of Mufulira. The majority of the people living in the area are unemployed and live below the poverty datum line. These people are largely dependent on natural resources for their livelihoods. Unfortunately, some of the activities people are engaged in are having adverse impacts on the resources, in particular forest resources. The main sources of livelihoods are charcoal production and subsistence farming, which are contributing greatly to the deforestation of the surrounding Nsato Forest Reserve. The CEMP is intended to set up institutional structures at national, district and community levels to address the problem of deforestation and the related poverty levels. This is under the premise that this situation can be improved with good management and community involvement. The study reviewed literature on the concept of CBNRM with particular reference to co-management as one form of a participatory approach with shared responsibility on the management of natural resources between government and local communities. The significance of community involvement in the use and management of forest resources is highlighted. The factors necessary for the effective implementation of joint management programmes are also highlighted and their importance in achieving conservation, community development and good governance. A case study was reviewed to show the importance of these indicators to the successful implementation of such participatory programmes. A list of indicators was compiled as the basis for the assessment of the implementation of the CEMP. A review of government documents provided background information on the establishment of the CEMP, the need for its implementation in Luansobe and the structures put in place at national, district and community levels to implement the programme. These data were supplemented by information gathered through semi-structured interviews with purposively selected key informants and workshops with local community members. Information obtained showed that the institutional structures implementing the CEMP on the ground are different from those set out in documents and are deficient of communication links among the stakeholders, especially community members. This has had negative effects on the representativeness of decisions made regarding the implementation of the programme and accountability of leaders to community members. This has further affected the implementation of projects under the CEMP intended to improve people's livelihoods through alternative sources of income that promote the sustainable use of forest resources.
Thesis (M.Sc.)- University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

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45

Nash, Simon Joseph. "Integrating citizens' agendas in New Zealand local government environmental planning and decision-making : an examination of two wastewater planning processes and implications for deliberative democracy : a dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Policy at Massey University, Turitea, Palmerston North, New Zealand." 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10179/780.

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This research considers the problem of ensuring citizens having meaningful opportunities to provide input in local government environmental planning and decision-making. Planning processes are often as much a product of uncertain human behaviours as they are the result of rational activity and formal institutional arrangements. Both the conduct and outcomes of these processes are heavily influenced by conflicts between actors’ underlying perspectives, yet these perspectives are hard to define and their influence is very poorly understood by researchers. Instead, local government research focuses almost exclusively on institutional arrangements and substantive debates over physical resources. This research focuses on the influence of epistemological and procedural dimensions of actors’ perspectives on the integration of citizens’ agendas in environmental planning and decision-making in New Zealand local government. From a deliberative democratic perspective, I examine obstacles to the conduct of an effective integrative process and consider possible practical and theoretical responses. The research studies two local government wastewater planning processes. It combines Q-methodology with interviews, observation and documentary analysis. This approach allows me to identify actors’ subjective perspectives and to consider their influence on planning and decision-making. This combination of methods has not previously been used in local government research in New Zealand. The research shows that while conflicts between actors’ perspectives pose significant barriers to the integration of citizens’ agendas, they can also offer opportunities for addressing those barriers. Integration is clearly limited by a positivist, rationalist perspective that privileges objectivity in knowledge and planning practices. Integration is further limited by a competitive adversarial perspective. Nevertheless, there is also potential where deliberative perspectives are present that are more value-critical and that seek intersubjective understanding of actors’ inputs. Such compromise-seeking perspectives contribute to more communicatively rational planning and more legitimate and durable decisions. The thesis argues that councils should foster a change among actors towards a more deliberative perspective and should champion such behaviour themselves. Such change is often obstructed by the tacit, unacknowledged, yet persistent, nature of most actors’ perspectives. The thesis concludes that while transformation of perspectives is unrealistic, a more communicatively rational planning approach is achievable as a basis for legitimate decisions that more effectively integrate citizens’ agendas.

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Lubke, Victoria. "Environmental discourse in the eThekwini Municipality : the eThekwini catchments project." Thesis, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/2504.

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Worldwide, it has been recognised that local governments are uniquely placed to bring about positive environmental change in their areas of jurisdiction. This research was conducted to assess how one South African local municipality, the eThekwini Municipality, Durban, is faring in its efforts to achieve sustainability. Hajer's (1993, 1995, 2003) discourse approach to environmental policy making was used as the key theoretical and methodological basis of the research. This approach recognises the power of discourse in shaping how society's relationship with the environment should be managed and sustained. In global environmental politics, ecological modernisation has emerged as the dominant environmental policy discourse and reflects a weak approach to sustainability. An alternative is the strong sustainability discourse, which argues that sustainability cannot be achieved without giving attention to issues of social and environmental justice and including local communities in environmental policy making. These two discourses are used to structure the assessment of environmental policy discourse in the eThekwini Municipality. A recent municipal project, "eThekwini Catchments 2002: A Strategic Tool for Planning" was used as the research case study. The project provides an assessment of the environmental health of each of the 18 river catchments identified in the municipal area, using environmental indicators. The intention of the project was for this information to be used by municipal planners as a tool for environmental decision-making. Municipal officials, representing several municipal sectors, and the project consultants were interviewed to determine their perspectives on the project. The interview transcripts, as well as the Catchments Project report and other municipal documents, were analysed using Hajer's discourse methodology to uncover the key discourses operating in the municipality that influence environmental policy making. Municipal discourse was then reviewed in terms of the EM and strong sustainability discourses to determine whether the municipality is moving towards stronger sustainability. This research also contributes to an improved understanding of how discourse shapes environmental policy projects and their outcomes. By identifying the environmental discourse dynamics at work, it is possible to stimulate a more deliberate approach to environmental policy making to bring about positive environmental change in the municipality.
Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2004.

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47

Achiam, Cecilia Maria. "Linking visual preferences to planning sustainably : using stormwater management in a rural community as a case study." Thesis, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/12284.

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While many communities have readily adopted "sustainability" as one of the community objectives in their planning documents, the actual application of sustainable practices has proven to be challenging for planners and communities. Some of the primary reasons for these challenges may include: • the disconnect between communities visual preferences and sustainable landscapes; • the limitations of current public consultation processes to solicit representational and meaningful input from the community due to the "shopping list" approach to developing official community plans encouraged by the Local Government Act; • the failure of conventional public consultation processes to reach certain segments of the community because of cultural differences or reluctance to publicly "speak one's mind"; and • the difficulties in the prioritization of the information from the public consultation processes into holistic planning policies. In the mean time, current research from various disciplines has established evidence to suggest incongruence between visual preferences and ecologically sustainable landscapes: preference for specific landscape typologies does not seem to be affected by the ecological performance of the landscape. The gap in ecological knowledge about sustainability may have contributed to this situation. The bridging of this gap between knowledge and preference was explored through the application of visual preferences for stormwater management in a rural context. The coastal community of Royston on Vancouver Island was used as a case study for a visual preference survey pilot project. The survey results were synthesized to identify a community aesthetic for Royston and to transform into criteria for selecting sustainable stormwater management best management practices that are appropriate to a rural community to reflect: • the community's preferred aesthetic based on the results from the visual preference survey to promote better acceptance of sustainable working landscapes; • the goals and objectives, and the policies adopted in the Royston Local Area Plan; • the economic realities of a small community; and • flexibility to address new development needs and the necessity to "retrofit" stormwater management practices into existing developments

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48

Muttaqin, Muhammad Zahrul. "Designing payments for environmental services (PES) to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) in Indonesia." Phd thesis, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/1885/155792.

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REDD+ is an initiative proposed to compensate parties who can demonstrate that they have already reduced emissions from their forests. One of the mechanisms that can be used to implement it is payment for environmental services (PES). Many studies on PES suggest that property rights are the most influential factor in determining the workability of PES schemes. In an Indonesian context, where the State dominates the ownership of forest areas and where the implementation of laws and related regulations are usually problematic, portraying the formal and informal regulations related to forest tenure is essential in order to comprehend the implications of forest policies and practices for PES. Hence, the central question of this study is "How can PES be designed for state forests in Indonesia to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation?" The study shows that conflicting interests between customary communities and the State in relation to the ownership of forest resources in Papua have produced tenure insecurity in the management of Papuan forests. The study also shows the significance of the role that customary communities play in forest management in Papua. The customary communities in Papua have limited access to forest resources despite their claims to ownership of the forests. In contrast, the study shows the insignificant role of local communities in forest management in Riau since they do not have access to forest. The absence of community rights over forest resources, the interest of communities in the development of oil palm plantations, and the overlapping regulations related to land and forest management in Riau Province, all need to be considered in the establishment of community-based forest management. The study provides different options to strengthen tenure arrangements since local communities in Papua and Riau Provinces have different positions in terms of accessing state forests. The study stresses that the political will of the government is essential to improve forest tenure so that local communities can have better access to state forests. Delineating forest boundaries is a priority to ensure that development of institutional arrangements takes place. In relation to the development of PES for REDD+, it is concluded that the development of an appropriate community-based forest management system will have a positive impact on tenure security and the reduction of technical constraints, although it may increase the investment costs. Whilst REDD+ programs in Indonesia are now being implemented, community access to state forests is an important aspect that is still to be considered. The study proposes a two-stage PES for REDD+ as the design for involving communities in REDD+ projects by considering the conditionality, transparency, voluntariness and additionality of PES. The two-stage PES for REDD+ consists of initial and PES periods. The initial period is designed to improve tenure arrangements for local communities and the PES period is designed to implement the PES scheme. This study proposes that acknowledging current customary forest practices and implementing REDD+ at the district level, are two policy shifts that need to be undertaken by the Indonesian government to implement PES for REDD+.

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49

McCarthy, Megan Emma. "Environmental impact assessment and organisational change in Transport SA & ETSA Corporation / Megan Emma McCarthy." 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/2440/19898.

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Includes bibliographical references (leaves 379-409)
2 v. : ill. ; 30 cm.
Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library.
Develops a framework for evaluating environmental impact assessment (EIA) and organisational change, and examines the influence of the EIA system on two government organisations within South Australia, Transport SA and ETSA . Finally analyses patterns of organisational change process in South Australia in comparision with experience in the United States.
Thesis (Ph.D.(Arts))--Adelaide University, Dept. of Geographical and Environmental Studies, 2001

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50

McCarthy, Megan Emma. "Environmental impact assessment and organisational change in Transport SA & ETSA Corporation / Megan Emma McCarthy." Thesis, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/2440/19898.

Full text

Abstract:

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 379-409)
2 v. : ill. ; 30 cm.
Develops a framework for evaluating environmental impact assessment (EIA) and organisational change, and examines the influence of the EIA system on two government organisations within South Australia, Transport SA and ETSA . Finally analyses patterns of organisational change process in South Australia in comparision with experience in the United States.
Thesis (Ph.D.(Arts))--Adelaide University, Dept. of Geographical and Environmental Studies, 2001

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Environmental policy Victoria Citizen participation'

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