Renegotiating the Environment
1st Edition
Published on 1. October 2003
Book
Paperback/Softback
192 pages
978-1-86287-473-2 (ISBN)
Description
Environmental managers, scientists and activists are accustomed to seeing politics in a negative light. Politics equals self-interest, which means the power structures, assumptions and behaviours which, many would argue, are the reason for our seeming inability to deal with a range of environmental issues, including the toughest questions of salinity, land degradation, and coastal development. The authors of Renegotiating the Environment argue that, rather than seeing the politics of self-interest as an impediment, managers should learn to acknowledge, understand and use politics to generate better outcomes. Better environmental governance will be achieved by a process of evolution rather than by imposition of changes in response to conventional diagnostic and analytical frameworks. But rather than just waiting for this evolution to progress of its own accord, Stewart and Jones argue that it can be pushed forward by understanding of politics that allows for the energy and interests of groups and individuals to be harnessed rather than stifled, in order to achieve more consensual (and hence more sustainable) solutions. For managers, scientists and even for activists, this is a new and different way of approaching environmental problems. Renegotiating the Environment supports its case through detailed case studies and theoretical analysis as well as offering practical guidance for managers interested in implementing governance-based responses to environmental problems.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Annandale, NSW
Australia
Weight
240 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-86287-473-2 (9781862874732)
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Schweitzer Classification
Content
Major Themes Why 'renegotiate' the environment? How does politics change environmental policy? The processes of environmental politics Institutional theory What makes institutions change? What is 'governance'? Environmental governance How do we know it works? Conclusion Sharing Water: Towards River Governance The structure of conflict Managing rivers Wildlife and the Macquarie Marshes Wine, mines and salinity in the Hunter River Pollution and the Hawkesbury-Nepean River Comparing the three outcomes Policy capacity Conclusion The Green Battlefield: Regional Forest Agreements in Three States What are Regional Forest Agreements? New South Wales - a green win? Tasmania - an industry win Western Australia - the RFA that collapsed Comparing the three arguments Policy ideas Information A balanced result? Conclusion Whose City, Whose View? M2 toll road - the juggernaut Sydney airport Byron Bay Cities and the environment What Works? Evaluating the effectiveness of conflict resolution Consensus as a measure of success Rating the case studies Making sense of the case studies Political support Leadership Productive pluralism Policy learning The conditions for environmental governance Towards Environmental Governance Creating environmental governance Political management Analysis Influencing power Promoting accountability Conflict resolution Civilising conflict Create and disseminate technical information that will enhance quality and focus of the debate Leadership Translate' scientific information into concepts that can be understood Select targets that are policy-relevant Find practical links between outcomes and what people can do Management for governance: a hypothetical example The relationship between environmental governance and environmental management Implications for Public Sector Management Constraints and limitations How good is governance for the environment? The scope for practising governance Bureaucratic culture and accountability Advantages of governance Social equity Change management The limitations of politics? Politics and governance Table of Cases/ Table of Statutes/ Index