Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Sustainable development Victoria Gippsland'

In the face of fierce environmental criticism, the World Bank (hereon Bank) claims to have embraced the idea of sustainable development and reformed its operations. Yet serious questions remain about the extent to which the Bank has adapted to the idea of sustainable development, about if and how it has integrated the idea into its lending operations and about how to satisfactorily conceptualise this topic. ' This study's underlying premise is that existing wisdom provides a patchy and unconvincing account of the content and function of the Bank's idea istainable development. The core purpose of the thesis is to address these unresolved issues. In order to do so, the thesis adopts a neo-Gramscian conceptual framework and examines the Bank's doption, deployment and operationahsation of the idea. The focal point of the analysis is the expansive Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project (LVEMP) in East Africa, which the Bank claims is a 'comprehensive' and 'model' example of its sustainable development operations.

In order to consolidate a sustainable renewable energy infrastructure, the Australian state of Victoria requires an advancement and development of any feasible renewable energy alternatives. There is a large onshore wind energy market in Victoria but the state currently has no offshore wind technology under consideration or proposal. Australia, and Victoria, has a vast coast line with desirable wind resources for offshore wind implementation. In order to definitively investigate the potential for such technology, a simulation was designed to test the amount of power that could be produced in Victoria by using real life wind speed data sets. The simulation output was analyzed in conjunction with an analysis of the social, political, environmental and economic considerations that could increase or decrease the potential for this technology. 11 simulation scenarios were tested and analyzed, two of which produced a positive net present value by the conclusion of its commissioned operational life. It was found that there is the potential for development of this technology within certain locations in Victoria but it would face several barriers to implementation. The most prominent barriers are competition with a thriving coal and fossil energy industry and competition with more economically desirable alternative renewable technologies such as onshore wind energy.

Includes abstract.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 209-224).
This study examined whether sustainable tourism development could be achieved in the Lake Victoria shore region of southern Uganda, based on the physical environment indicators of sustainable tourism. This arose out of the observation that tourism in this region was developing in an unplanned manner which was likely to be environmentally destructive. The study was conducted as a cross-sectional descriptive survey involving an analytical research design. Its objectives include: to identify the spatial and temporal characteristics of the tourism sites; to assess their performance relative to the physical environment indicators of sustainable tourism; to examine the factors explaining the performance of the sites; and to develop a planning approach that will help attain sustainable tourism development. Data were collected using survey, non-survey and geo-spatial methods. The survey methods included interviews and questionnaires, which were administered to planning and environment officials, local residents and visitors selected using various sample methods. Documentary analysis, field observation, remote sensing and experimentation were among the nonsurvey and geo-spatial methods used. Data were analysed using qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques, which included documentary analysis, statistical techniques involving, chi square, data reduction, ANOVA, and correlation and regression analysis. Results indicate that lakeshore tourism sites are increasing in both number and size, which is gradually resulting in a clustered spatial patterning, especially in urban areas. Sites are receiving an increasing number of visitors, mainly nationals and day visitors. Apart from conservation areas, the contribution of the sites to nature conservation is concluded to be minimal and their management of solid and sewage waste, water quality and use intensity generally poor. Moreover, tourism planning and development control was found to either be limited or lacking, a situation that has resulted in unregulated tourism development. This poses a significant threat, not only to the fragile physical environment of the lakeshore region, but also to the future of lakeshore tourism itself. Analysis of the results show that there are significant relationships between spatial distribution of sites, their characteristics, site performance and factors explaining the performance and planning for sustainable tourism development in the region. Further analysis indicates that each of these variables may significantly predict planning, especially at site and local government level. Accordingly, a linear regression model-based planning approach is developed. This study explains how the model, when rooted in incremental planning theory, can be applied in order to plan for sustainable tourism in the lakeshore region. It highlights the variables and the sequence in which tourism planning efforts can be applied. The study concludes that, although this planning approach may not provide a panacea to the achievement of sustainable tourism development in the lakeshore region, it represents a valuable contribution towards the understanding of sustainable tourism planning. With the identification of critical tourism planning intervention points, the Lake Victoria shore region may be able to develop into a major tourism destination that is environmentally sustainable.

During the years the awareness of gender issues has increased in the international arena and the importance of including gender aspects in development projects has been emphasised. This Master’s thesis is based on a case study of the VI Agroforestry Project (VIAFP) in Uganda and is one of the two subprojects of the study Sustainable development around the Lake Victoria basin, with the purpose to investigate the importance of local anchoring and active participation in the work towards sustainable development. The aim of this subproject is to investigate how gender roles among men and women in Kalisizo zone, in the Masaka and Rakai districts, in Uganda, affect the VI Agroforestry Project and if the project in return affects the gender roles.

The study is primarily based on interviews with farmers involved in the VIAFP activities in Kalisizo zone and shows that the project and the gender roles affect each other more or less in both ways. The women are somewhat more active in both farming and the activities connected with the household, and therefore also more engaged in the project activities and meetings. However, the gender roles have changed in the way that men have increased their interest in farming activities since they joined the VI Agroforestry Project. Both men and women involved in the VIAFP activities have more work on their farm than before they joined the project, but it seems as if they think it is worth the extra effort to gain more in the end. However, the project has to consider the fact that women often have a bigger workload to start with.

It is important for the VIAFP to adjust the activities and the feedback to different wishes and needs within the communities so that everyone feels they gain from the project activities, and also so that everyone who wants to participate at different activities have the opportunity to do so. Since the majority of the staff are Ugandans the ways of implying values from the North into the communities are less than if this had not been the case.

The study is published in two versions, both as a Master's thesis for the Environmental Science Programme, Linköping University and as a Minor Field Study for Sida. The differences between the versions are only editorial.

To manage common resources such as water bodies, forests and the air is complex since several stakeholders are involved and affected by the use of the resource. One way to manage common resources is through co-management. Co-management is a decentralized method that empowers the local level and enables collaboration between the government and the local community. Co-management within fishing communities can be realized through so called Beach Management Units (BMUs). Around Lake Victoria, there are 1087 BMUs. One of these BMUs is located in Ggaba, Kampala, Uganda and the purpose of this study is to highlight benefits and shortcomings connected to co-management within fisheries. The study aims to explore if and how sustainability aspects are tackled through the co-management of fisheries. The data was collected using qualitative semi-structured interviews where six BMU members contributed with their experiences. In addition, data was collected from a qualitative content analysis on two BMU guideline documents, representing the central level. The results showed that the Ggaba BMU provides a platform for creating control through collaboration. The local levels’ perception on co-management within fisheries seems to correspond with the central level’s aim of the management. Another indication is that the BMU has brought upon positive effects on economic, social and ecological aspects on the society of Ggaba. However, corruption and illegal fishing are two identified barriers which seems to limit the function of the Ggaba BMU and the level of co-management.
Gemsamma resurser så som vattendrag, skogar och atmosfären är komplexa att hantera eftersom flera aktörer är involverade och påverkas av resursanvändningen. Ett sätt att hantera gemensamma resurser är genom samförvaltning. Samförvaltning är en decentraliserad förvaltningsmetod som möjliggör ett samarbete mellan den lokala och statliga nivån vid beslutsfattande. Omkring Victoriasjön realiseras samförvaltning genom så kallade Beach Management Units (BMUs). Dessa utgörs av 1087 stycken varav en BMU är lokaliserad i Ggaba, Kampala, Uganda. Syftet med denna studie är att belysa fördelar och brister kopplade till samförvaltning av fiske. Vidare syftar studien till att undersöka om och hur aspekter inom hållbar utveckling kan tacklas genom det decentraliserade styret av fiske. Data insamlades genom sex stycken kvalitativa, semistrukturerade intervjuer. Dessutom gjordes en kvalitativ innehållsanalys av två BMU-riktlinjedokument, vilka representerar den centrala nivån. Det empiriska materialet visade att Ggaba BMU utgör en plattform för strukturering, kontroll och samarbete. Den lokala nivåns syn på samförvaltning inom fiske verkar överensstämma med den centrala nivåns avsikt av samförvaltning. Resultatet indikerar även att BMUn har påverkat ekonomiska, sociala och ekologiska aspekter i Ggaba på ett positivt sätt. Problem med korruption och olagligt fiske identifierades dock, vilka verkar begränsa BMUns funktion och möjligheterna till samförvaltning.

The Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) is endowed with natural resources which are drivers for sustainable development at local, national and regional levels. However, these resources are adversely affected by dynamic social, economic, environmental and political factors. Poor coordination and ineffective knowledge management programmes among various players within the LVB has led to duplication of efforts as substantial information and knowledge generated is unavailable to users. As a result, over-exploitation of natural resources has resulted in unsustainable development of the LVB. This study sought to establish the role of knowledge management in promoting sustainable development of the LVB. Specific objectives were to: determine the role of knowledge management in sustainable development of LVB; determine challenges and barriers hindering effective knowledge management; establish tools and technology that can be used to enhance knowledge management; and establish the strategies used by organisations in LVB to manage knowledge generated for sustainable development. A descriptive survey design was used in this study targeting 98 (with 76.5% response rate) officers of various ranks working in 26 organisations involved in development programmes/projects and located in the five partner states within the LVB. Data was collected using self administered questionnaires and a desk review. Findings showed most respondents agreeing that knowledge management is a systematic utilisation of policies, processes, activities and tools which empower organisations to apply knowledge to improve effectiveness, innovation and quality. Up to 93.9% of the organisations facilitated discovery, capture, storage and retrieval of knowledge. Most organisations encouraged documentation of lessons learnt, with some making it mandatory to deposit key documents in the library. Paper-based media was the most preferred knowledge storage format. Lack of an open-minded sharing environment, bureaucratic procedures and poor information systems were the common barriers to knowledge management, while lack of time (68.4%) was an obstacle to proper xvi documentation. The internet was the most popular knowledge management tool/technology; though technical issues were the most critical problems affecting ICT use (71.4%). Based on these findings, this study recommends a holistic and coordinated approach to knowledge management among all institutions working in the LVB to address the challenges of sustainable development in the basin.
Information Science
M. Inf. (Information Science)

School gardens are a place to increase food literacy and food system education, empowering students to take control over their own health and food system. The core components of sustainable school gardens use have been identified within the literature. This study aimed to describe school gardens in School District 61 (SD61) on South Vancouver Island and explore what school stakeholders identified as important to supporting their school garden and what elements of sustainable garden integration were present. To address these questions a school garden survey and observation tool was adapted by a stakeholder group from existing instruments and administered to 24 schools in SD61. Sixteen schools completed the survey (response rate of 64%), and there were 22 garden observations conducted. Descriptive statistics were used to explore the data. The analysis showed that professional development, volunteerism, school garden irrigation, courses that allow teachers and students regular time in the garden, District policy were the weakest supported areas for school gardens, while educational material, administration buy-in, garden committee, networks, technical assistance, and garden upkeep were the highest supported areas. Overall, SD61 could offer further organizational and physical infrastructure, resources, and support to strengthen the institutionalization of gardens. Further research is required, specifically on the surveying, monitoring and evaluation of gardens in order to make continued adjustments to program delivery to ensure their use and longevity.
Graduate
2019-11-27

Public decisions impact each of our lives, now and into the future. We entrust them to politicians and civil servants, expecting our elected and paid representatives to act in the public interest and to deliver on the promises they make to us. This thesis explores what has led to the arguably limited achievement of sustainable development by public decision-makers, despite three decades of increasing international, national, and subnational commitments to it. Thirty-five interviews and a survey (n=98) of current or former Victorian Public Sector employees provide insights into public decision-making. Inductive thematic and statistical analyses across case studies and cohorts, network mapping, and systems thinking are applied to draw and validate conclusions stemming from those insights. Forty influences, ranging from the personal characteristics of individual decision-makers to the definition, availability and use of evidence, are found to have the potential to both help and hinder the achievement of desired public outcomes. Regression and distributional analyses show that the importance of these influences varies, depending on context and perspective. For example: participants whose work focused on achieving sustainable development have quite different influence importance hierarchies compared to their more general decision-making focused peers; and, participants with a more 'upbeat' approach focus more on influences individuals can impact than their less 'upbeat' colleagues. Network mapping of the linkages between influences illustrates the importance of interconnected approaches to their management, and a theory on the level of control individuals can exert upon each is proposed. Additionally, considerations of sustainable development are found to be influenced by: the presence of reinforcing feedback loops within the decision-making system; apparently limited awareness of the ability to change or evolve the system; inconsistent goal definition (interviewees provide seven definitions of sustainable development); and heuristics (a third of participants are unaware of the Sustainable Development Goals, and of those indicating awareness a number demonstrate poorer understanding than they self-assess). Seventy-eight percent of participants indicate people have more influence upon public outcomes than formal frameworks, suggesting the latter are of limited value. Other solutions discussed include: tweaking existing processes to encourage thinking and awareness of sustainable development; highlighting individual's agency; applying the understandings of system leverage points gained herein; and, a suite of interviewee ideas for enhancing public decision effectiveness or longevity. This thesis concludes that public decision-makers recognise unmet public expectations and do their best to address them. But, they are often overwhelmed by the system's complexity and underestimate the impact they can reasonably have upon it, leaving many of them feeling as frustrated and powerless as the public they endeavour to serve. However, it also suggests that public decision makers who believe they can personally drive change, are more likely to do so and that greater self-efficacy within the public sector will lead to a lessening of the gap between public aspirations and delivered public outcomes. The identified influences and solutions, presented amidst a previously unavailable and rich set of insights and other factors identified in the literature, provide a basis on which to enhance these practices. Further, it is suggested that these conclusions and the influences identified apply not only to sustainable development in Victoria but to many other public decision-making issues and geographic scales, broadening the potential application of the findings.

Planners often invoke wellbeing, sustainability, and related concepts when discussing planning initiatives, all of which are contested within their own separate literatures. Some of these planners, however, have begun drawing connections between the disciplines, a connection that very few in the planning academic literature are recognizing and studying. Using the Greater Victoria Happiness Index Partnership (HIP) in British Columbia as its primary case study, this thesis draws upon HIP’s experience in creating regional wellbeing indicators to better understand this relationship. It will investigate the efficacy of their efforts in affecting regional policy, explore their as well as the academic understandings of the wellbeing/sustainable development relationship, and draw recommendations that ultimately suggest a new means of applying this relationship in planning and other realms of public policy.
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Research Thesis  Submitted  in  Fulfilment  of  the  Requirements  for  the  Degree  of  Doctor  of   Philosophy  in  Economics, School of Economic & Business Sciences Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, SA
The world is facing a sustainability crisis due to depletion and degradation of environmental and natural resources faster than they can be generated. Many of these resources are not partitioned by private property rights, and are held as state property, common property, or as open-access. Common Property Resources (CPRs) have two distinct attributes: (1) limited or nontrivial exclusion (it is difficult to exclude multiple individuals or users from appropriating from the resource) and (2) substractability (the resource features rivalry in consumption), meaning that appropriation by one reduces the overall resource availability and thus, subtracts from what can be appropriated by others. Examples include fisheries, grazing lands, irrigation systems, and ground water basins. Because no one has property rights or control over such resources, users of CPRs are frequently assumed to be caught in an inescapable dilemma - overexploitation of the resource. Thus, unlike the ‘invisible hand’ of Adam Smith in competitive markets, in the case of CPRs the self-interested behavior does not yield economic efficiency or optimal outcome or Pareto optimality. This study sought to understand the evolution of management dynamics and operation of governance structures developed by resource users and other stakeholders in three large scale CPRs in Kenya. The objectives are to (1) examine the evolution of management dynamics. (2) Examine the management model applied and its functioning. (3) Explore the governance structures and challenges of implementing them. (4) Explore critical variables related to user groups, institutional arrangements and external environment in the resource system. (5) Suggest measures to improve on the management and governance of the resource system. In addition, the study gives a comparative analysis of the management models applied in the three CPR systems. The general theoretical literature on CPRs has focused mainly on two basic but important conditions or categories. First, small scale communally owned and governed resources, in ii terms of the physical or geographical size of the resource system with well-defined boundaries. Secondly, group or users size, characterized by small numbers with similar identities and interests. This study therefore, contributes to literature by using large scale CPR case studies in terms of physical size of resource system and number of users and examining the evolution and dynamics in the management model and governance structures. A Qualitative Research (QR) methodology is adopted and analytical tools of institutional analysis and an empirical foundation based on field data applied. A survey research design is used. Both primary and secondary data was sourced and a pilot study was conducted to test reliability of research instruments. Data is documented, compiled and presented in form of tables, figures and general descriptions. Data analysis and synthesising is done by working through the data to arrive at a conclusion to answer the research questions and achieve the purpose of the study. The study findings show that management and governance issues in the three CPRs have evolved over time both in terms of the scale and involvement of other stakeholders in decision making process in the resource system. Specifically, the collaborations among state agencies, other stakeholders and resource users through their associations has enabled monitoring and enforcement not only be effective but also legitimate and consequently, lead to sustainable resource use. The management models used in the three CPR case studies are identified as the Partnership Fisheries Management (PFM) in Lake Victoria fishery, Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) in Mwea Rice Irrigation Scheme and Holistic Management Framework (HMF) in Laikipia group grazing lands. The governance structures applied in the three CPRs are generally position, boundary, choice or authority, aggregation, information, payoff and scope rules. The degree of application of each set of rules however, depends on the nature of the resource system. They are designed, developed, implemented, monitored, enforced, sanctioned and arbitrated by the resource users, state lead agencies, departments and ministries iii and other stakeholders or actors. Each of these actors are involved in varying degrees in the various phases depending on their role and interest in the resource system. The management and governance structures can be strengthened and improved by enhancing certain administrative, health, safety, environmental issues and increased state support and involvement in the resource system. The co-management model design which is applied in the three CPRs yield various benefits to the resource-dependent community, public, state and resource system because it incorporates state and local (resource users) managers in decision making. However, the degree of participation of other stakeholders, challenges faced and other internal and external factors, depend on the nature of CPR, ownership and control of the CPR by resource users and the technical infrastructural investments required for the operation of the system. These results add to existing knowledge on Sustainable Development (SD) environment nexus by providing facts to multidisciplinary environmental and natural resources scholars regarding the dynamics of large scale CPR systems. Provide an in depth understanding of CPR management issues for the formulation of national strategies for SD, fisheries, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), and irrigation farming. Lastly, they provide ways of responding to increasing challenges of shared water resources (Lake Victoria) in addition to strengthening of relations within the East African Community (EAC). Key words: Actors, bio-physical and community attributes Common Property Resources, governance structures, institutions, large scale, management models, resource users, resource systems
GR2018

International students make a major contribution to Australia, financially and through adding to human capital for a skilled workforce. Given the significant role that international students play in Australia's education, their employment and an understanding of their related issues requires further examination. In response to the demand for greater employability and graduate attributes, Australian institutions have increasingly embedded Work Integrated Learning (WIL) into their curricula. In order to conduct successful WIL programmes, it is of great importance to gain an insight into the experience and perceptions of key stakeholders, especially international students who are a valuable student cohort in Australian Universities. In designing WIL models, Australian institutions largely assume that students, regardless of their background and context, desire the same certain outcomes which are often common to most, a "one size fits all‟ solution. To date, the effectiveness of a uniform application of WIL models has attracted little attention, especially from the perspectives of international students who, on completion, return to their country where they encounter different working environments, and business protocols. This study employs a qualitative approach to data collection and analysis and uses two instruments for collecting data, namely an online survey and semi-structured interviews. The two groups of stakeholders who participated in the study were Chinese graduates from Victoria University (VU) who undertook some form of WIL or work placement in Australia as part of their coursework, and VU staff who were engaged in the management, supervision, development or delivery of WIL programmes. Chinese students represent the largest international student cohort at VU; therefore, this particular student cohort was identified as a key focus of the study. This study explores and interprets the experiences and perceptions of international students and staff from VU regarding the value of WIL programmes in terms of graduate attributes, graduate employability, challenges and institutional support. It reveals several main themes regarding the experience and perceptions of WIL by VU international students and staff. These themes revolve around the contribution of WIL to the development of international students‟ language, interpersonal skills, technical knowledge, cultural awareness, and personal attributes. For each theme, the study analyses the expectations of international students, the development of relevant skills through WIL, and the extent to which these skills are transferrable to the work settings in their home country. The study also examines the challenges that international students face as a result of their international student status, the lack of prior work experience, the lack of an understanding of the Australian labour market, and their financial constraints. It also explores the extent to which the University provides support for WIL and provides suggestions to improve the development and implementation of WIL programmes. These themes are discussed with specific reference to VU's Chinese student cohort. Graduate employability for international students is the running concept that informs and connects emerging themes for the key findings of the study. It is found that VU's placement models have, to a large extent, been implemented in alignment with the University's core values and missions for graduate employability. However, mostly the same approach has been used to facilitate the delivery of WIL to students while the practical needs and circumstances of international students are not always attended to. The findings of the research reinforce those of previous studies, which acknowledge the positive benefits of WIL to the outcomes of international graduate students. On the other hand, it also raises concerns over the multiple challenges that international students face during their WIL participation. These include language and communication barriers, inadequate knowledge of the workplace, cultural differences, and international student status. The study shows that there are some differences between the employment culture in Australia and China that suggest the WIL models for international students in general, and Chinese students in particular, by VU should be developed and implemented with more attention to the particular needs of students and take into account their possible context of employment following their graduation. The findings indicate that more support needs to be allocated to international students since the challenges they face are specific in nature, differing from those needs of domestic students.