Showing papers in "Journal of Environmental Planning and Management in 2008"
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify conceptual and practical weaknesses of the concept of social learning and their implications for the design of participatory processes in natural resource management, and propose a framework to address them.
Abstract: Social learning is increasingly cited as an essential component of sustainable natural resource management and the promotion of desirable behavioural change. This paper attempts to contribute to the current debate about social learning and public participation by reviewing the many perspectives on social learning and associated claims and benefits. Based on this analysis the paper identifies conceptual and practical weaknesses of the concept of social learning and their implications for the design of participatory processes in natural resource management.
586 citations
TL;DR: To address the uncertainty in landscape planning, an adaptive planning method is proposed where monitoring plays an integral role to reduce uncertainty and is applied to a conceptual test in water resource planning addressing abiotic-biotic-cultural resources.
Abstract: Adaptive management, an established method in natural resource and ecosystem management, has not been widely applied to landscape planning due to the lack of an operational method that addresses the role of uncertainty and standardized monitoring protocols and methods. A review of adaptive management literature and practices reveals several key concepts and principles for adaptive planning: (1) management actions are best understood and practiced as experiments; (2) several plans/experiments can be implemented simultaneously; (3) monitoring of management actions are key; and (4) adaptive management can be understood as ‘learning by doing’. The paper identifies various uncertainties in landscape planning as the major obstacles for the adoption of an adaptive approach. To address the uncertainty in landscape planning, an adaptive planning method is proposed where monitoring plays an integral role to reduce uncertainty. The proposed method is then applied to a conceptual test in water resource planning addre...
140 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors identify institutional capacities supporting and constraining attempts to make policy assessment more integrated, including international policy commitments, the perception that assessment should support rather than determine policy, organisational traditions, and the sectorisation of policy making.
Abstract: Widely advocated as a means to make policy making more integrated, policy assessment remains weakly integrated in practice But explanations for this shortfall, such as lack of staff training and resources, ignore more fundamental institutional factors This paper identifies institutional capacities supporting and constraining attempts to make policy assessment more integrated A comparative empirical analysis of functionally equivalent assessment systems in four European jurisdictions finds that there are wide-ranging institutional constraints upon integration These include international policy commitments, the perception that assessment should support rather than determine policy, organisational traditions, and the sectorisation of policy making This paper concludes by exploring the potential for altering these institutions to make policy assessment more integrated
121 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a case study of an innovative public engagement process on the Hampshire waste strategy from the 1990s is presented, where approximately one third of the original participants have been interviewed to identify whether and how the experience had a lasting effect on them.
Abstract: Learning that transcends participation processes is critical if public engagement is to translate into a legacy of enhanced environmental citizenship. However, a lack of empirical evidence has limited discussion to date to largely ‘aspirational’ claims. This paper offers the first rigorous examination of whether public participation does generate beyond-process social learning. Initially we review the literature on public participation and environmental citizenship to identify the key dimensions of social learning. We then re-visit a well-worked case study of an innovative public engagement process on the Hampshire waste strategy from the 1990s. Approximately one third of the original participants have been interviewed to identify whether and how the experience had a lasting effect on them. Key methodological difficulties are discussed, not least the analytical difficulties of attributing learning to a process that happened ten years previously. However, we argue that there is evidence that both instrumen...
121 citations
TL;DR: The authors examines the issue of disproportionate costs of Water Framework Directive (WFD) implementation using public surveys as a means to inform policy and decision-making, and illustrates the role of stated preference research to elicit public opinions and perceptions towards socially acceptable levels of water quality and public willingness to pay (WTP) for the expected environmental benefits of the WFD.
Abstract: This paper examines the issue of disproportionate costs of Water Framework Directive (WFD) implementation using public surveys as a means to inform policy and decision making. Public taxpayers are asked their opinion regarding the implementation of the WFD and its costs. Taxpayers are expected to bear a large share of the cost of WFD implementation, be it through national taxation, local water pollution charges or higher market prices for water related goods and services. The paper's main objective is to illustrate the role of stated preference research to elicit public opinions and perceptions towards socially acceptable levels of water quality and public willingness to pay (WTP) for the expected environmental benefits of the WFD. Stated preference research can be used as a way to assess the concept of disproportionate costs to those who are expected to bear a large share of the costs of WFD implementation, and at the same time address the issue of public participation in the WFD. The survey results are ...
110 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the question of whether the presence of an environmental management system (EMS) has a positive impact on the eco-efficiency of companies based on the analysis of a large dataset on the environmental performance of European companies in five industrial sectors.
Abstract: Based on the analysis of a large dataset on the environmental performance of European companies in five industrial sectors, this paper examines the question of whether the presence of an environmental management system (EMS) has a positive impact on the eco-efficiency of companies. It begins with a review of evidence about the link between EMS and environmental performance in business organisations, finding that, despite much research, there is still little quantitative evidence. The second part of the paper uses three independent statistical methods (simple correlations, Jaggi-Freedman indices and a 'trend differences' approach) to assess whether companies and production sites with EMS perform better than those without and whether performance improves after an EMS has been introduced. The paper shows that there is currently no evidence that EMS have a consistent and significant positive impact on environmental performance. Policy action based on the simple assumption that companies with an EMS perform better than those without therefore seems inappropriate.
109 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the role and influence of local opposition within planning application outcomes for wind power developments is investigated. But it is shown that local opposition groups' power over such planning processes is very limited, and in fact extends only so far as delaying an outcome.
Abstract: There have been conflicting accounts of the role and influence of local opposition within planning application outcomes for wind power developments. There is an expanding literature that considers public responses to proposed renewable energy developments and much of this suggests that public opposition is a key factor in the slow growth in renewable energy capacity. However, this paper will show that local opposition groups' power over such planning processes is very limited, and in fact extends only so far as delaying an outcome. Through a thematic content analysis of objection letters to one particular proposed wind power development, the key issues raised in connection with the development will be highlighted. Subsequently, these issues will be compared with those discussed in the official report of the planning appeals process, and it will be shown that the concerns of local objectors had little influence over the eventual verdict.
105 citations
TL;DR: Based on extensive interviews with representatives of seven key stakeholder groups, the authors explores the effectiveness of such drivers to engage SMEs with environmental change and corporate social responsibility (CSR), and finds that most existing efforts such as environmental support programmes and award schemes do not have a great impact on the environmental and social performance of Hong Kong's SMEs.
Abstract: The environmental performance of Hong Kong's businesses is currently perceived as rather poor. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular are mostly unaware of the environmental impact of their business. Government and professional bodies have recently started to develop various initiatives to improve the SME sector's awareness of environmental and social issues, and external factors such as supply chain requirements, consumer preferences and energy prices are also exerting a growing influence. Based on extensive interviews with representatives of seven key stakeholder groups, this paper explores the effectiveness of such drivers to engage SMEs with environmental change and corporate social responsibility (CSR). It finds that most existing efforts, such as environmental support programmes and award schemes, do not have a great impact on the environmental and social performance of Hong Kong's SMEs.
86 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a causal framework linking settlement patterns to greenhouse gas emissions via landscape impacts (deforestation, carbon sequestration by soils and plants, urban heat island), infrastructure impacts (transportation related emissions, waste management-related emissions, electric transmission and distribution losses) and buildings (residential, commercial).
Abstract: This paper investigates how land use relates to greenhouse gas emissions, using data sources that are readily available to municipal planners. It presents a causal framework linking settlement patterns to greenhouse gas emissions via landscape impacts (deforestation, carbon sequestration by soils and plants, urban heat island), infrastructure impacts (transportation-related emissions, waste management-related emissions, electric transmission and distribution losses) and buildings (residential, commercial). This is not a full accounting because it does not include impacts from industrial activities, agriculture and consumer behavior not related to land use, such as food consumption and air travel. Exploratory case studies of municipalities lying along a gradient of increasing population density suggest that per-capita carbon dioxide emissions vary widely, following an inverted ‘U’ shape, with post-war suburbs riding the pinnacle. Reflecting their central regional roles, municipalities with good jobs-to-hou...
79 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors measure the benefits of the urban forest by examining its effect on housing prices and find that greener vegetation around a property has a positive, significant effect on house prices.
Abstract: This paper measures the benefits of the urban forest by examining its effect on housing prices. A Geographic Information System is used to develop a measure of the urban forest, the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index, from satellite imagery and to construct other variables from a variety of sources. Spatial hedonic housing price models for the Indianapolis/Marion County area are estimated. The models indicate that greener vegetation around a property has a positive, significant effect on housing price, holding everything else constant. This effect is dominated by measures at the neighborhood level. These findings indicate that property owners value the urban forest, at least in part, by the premium they pay to live in neighborhoods with greener, denser vegetation. These findings also indicate that public action to maintain and enhance the urban forest may be warranted. Planners and urban foresters can use these findings to inform public and policy debates over urban forestry programs and proposals.
73 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a mixed logit approach is used to determine whether green space can be valued on the basis of its constituent characteristics and, if so, what characteristics are preferred and the results indicate that preferences vary depending on whether the green space in question is a small local park or a larger municipal park.
Abstract: Although many cities have guidelines on the quantity of green open space that should accompany residential development, there is less guidance on the type or facilities of these spaces. The study uses an approach to determine whether green space can be valued on the basis of its constituent characteristics and, if so, what characteristics are preferred. The results indicate that preferences vary depending on whether the green space in question is a small local park or a larger municipal park. However, where a base alternative of usual park destination is included in the analysis, the results are affected by collinearity and the actual availability of relevant green space attributes in these destinations. A mixed logit approach is used to tease out this effect from the underlying preference values.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present the first national study on environmental inequalities in France and apply the Anglo-American concept of environmental justice focusing on the distribution of environmental burdens, to the French setting and test the hypothesis that poor and immigrant communities are disproportionately exposed to environmental risks.
Abstract: This paper presents the first national study on environmental inequalities in France. It applies the Anglo-American concept of environmental justice, focusing on the distribution of environmental burdens, to the French setting and tests the hypothesis that poor and immigrant communities are disproportionately exposed to environmental risks. The location of eight types of hazardous sites (industrial and nuclear sites, incinerators, waste management facilities) and the socio-economic characteristics of populations are associated at the commune, or town, level for all 36 600 French towns. The analysis, descriptive and multivariate, uses simple and spatial regression techniques. It shows that towns with high proportions of immigrants tend to host more hazardous sites, even controlling for population size, income, degree of industrialization of the town and region. The study establishes the presence of environmental inequities in France and raises new public policy questions. However, it does not inve...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors studied landowner motivations and preferences for watershed restoration efforts in five watersheds in Western Oregon and found that landowner perspectives vary by socio-economic, cultural, and land use characteristics.
Abstract: Collaborative watershed management initiatives have increased tremendously over the past decade. One of the critical questions for these initiatives is how to influence private land management practices to improve watershed health. This article researches landowner motivations and preferences for watershed restoration efforts in five watersheds in Western Oregon. Based on a survey of 446 landowners and 80 personal interviews, the research revealed that landowner perspectives vary by socio-economic, cultural, and land use characteristics. They are strongly motivated by a concern for future generations and interpersonal influence is particularly important. Finances, time, and unfamiliarity were all significant barriers to the adoption of conservation practices. The findings also revealed considerable variation among landowners as to their trusted sources of information and preferred outreach methods. Beyond the findings in Oregon, the research suggests that watershed initiatives need to understand landowner...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors highlight the need for Journal of Environmental Planning and Management (JEM) 473 to publish a survey on multicultural planning and its impact on people's lives.
Abstract: and standardised solutions that often emerge from an equity perspective can have a negative impact on many people as a result of ignoring the immense diversity between households. With regard to multicultural planning, the authors highlight the need for Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 473
TL;DR: In this paper, the effect of urban planning and road development on the health risk of students attending schools near major roadways was investigated in nine large metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) of the USA.
Abstract: This study addresses the effect of urban planning and road development on the health risk of students attending schools near major roadways. The proximity of public schools and students was quantified to Interstate, US and state highways in nine large Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) of the USA. In total among the surveyed schools and students, over 30% fell within 400 m of a major roadway and over 10% were within 100 m. For some MSAs almost half of the student population attended schools near (≤400m) major roadways, resulting in a potentially increased risk for asthma and other chronic respiratory problems, especially in schools representing the urban fringe locale. It was concluded that proximity of major roadways should be an important factor in considering sites for new schools and developing policies for reducing the exposure in existing schools. The findings provide an important reference point for coordinating future urban development, transportation and environmental policies.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored conflict in recreational use of the Black Forest Nature Park (BFNP) by six different nature sports groups as a function of infrastructure, forest management and other users.
Abstract: This study explores conflict in recreational use of the Black Forest Nature Park (BFNP) by six different nature sports groups as a function of infrastructure, forest management and other users. A multi-step, methodological triangulation conflict model from US recreation management was applied and tested in the Park. Results from two groups, hikers and mountain bikers, are analysed in depth. The main conflict potentials were due to infrastructure and value conflicts. These were influenced by various visitor characteristics such as resource attachment, experiences, activity-style, expectations and motives. Results of quantitative data analysis were further interpreted by interviews with agency and group leaders. This methodological combination reveals a robust understanding of recreation conflict and management in the BFNP.
TL;DR: In this paper, survey data from more than 1700 Japanese facilities as well as follow-up interviews to identify the determinants of ISO certification, examine the differences between early, recent and in-process certifiers, and to understand how ISO 14001 certification affects various environmental and managerial outcomes in Japan.
Abstract: Since establishment of the ISO 14001 environmental management system in 1996, Japanese facilities have led the world in numbers of certifications. This research utilises survey data from more than 1700 Japanese facilities as well as follow-up interviews to identify the determinants of ISO certification, to examine the differences between early, recent and in-process certifiers, and to understand how ISO 14001 certification affects various environmental and managerial outcomes in Japan. Findings show that ISO certified facilities are larger and report higher levels of environmental management capacity. In addition, early certifiers are more likely to have established voluntary environmental agreements and are more active in international trade and business. Findings also provide evidence that while many facilities believe that ISO 14001 certification is excessively costly, they also report that certification has resulted in the establishment of new energy efficiency and waste reduction targets and higher t...
TL;DR: The authors examined the effects of distance, local authority consultation efforts, experience and other factors on attitudes towards non-hazardous solid waste landfill developments in two examples of a potential and actual host communities.
Abstract: One of the most controversial planning issues internationally is the siting of waste disposal infrastructure in local communities. Compensation is viewed as a possible solution to siting difficulties in many countries. However, existing empirical evidence is conflicting as to whether or not compensation-based siting has reduced opposition to such developments. Thus, before compensation policy can be considered as the solution for recognising social costs and introducing equity into the waste planning system, it is important to understand why people reject waste disposal infrastructure developments and if this rejection continues over the lifetime of facility operations. This paper utilises information gathered through surveys to examine the effects of distance, local authority consultation efforts, experience and other factors, on attitudes towards non-hazardous solid waste landfill developments in two examples of a potential and actual host communities. Our findings suggest distance proxies expectations ...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore the role of environmental movement organizations (EMOs) in land-use planning, including domain creation (establishment of new or modified landscape planning boundaries) and regime change (adoption of new and modified legal and planning rules).
Abstract: The paper explores the roles of environmental movement organisations (EMOs) in land-use planning, including domain creation (establishment of new or modified landscape planning boundaries) and regime change (adoption of new or modified legal and planning rules). The research involved two case studies of land-use planning processes: the Niagara Escarpment and Oak Ridges Moraine, Ontario, Canada. The two cases together reveal an evolution of land-use planning towards collaborative processes on mainly private lands in Southern Ontario during the period from 1960 to 2002. The results suggest that EMOs can create new planning domains through agenda setting activities, build landscape value and vision, educate governments and the public, and work to maintain and alter regimes. Collaborative planning has emerged as an important process in which some EMOs are now participating.
TL;DR: The authors examined how concepts of social capital and external aid delivery influenced community performance in conservation of mangrove ecosystems after the 2004 tsunami and found that social capital represents a potential for collective action, but design of aid programmes may prevent such action.
Abstract: This study focuses on the human-ecological dimension of disaster resilience after the 2004 tsunami. The paper examines how concepts of social capital and external aid delivery influence community performance in conservation of mangrove ecosystems. Experiences are reported through the words of local informants in six villages in Thailand. Findings indicate that social capital represents a potential for collective action, but design of aid programmes may prevent such action. Programmes that emphasised bottom-up aid delivery mobilised local social capital and directed it toward obtaining resources that fit local needs and capabilities. Alternatively, top-down aid programmes provided significant resources, but oppressed mobilisation of social capital. Implications are that disaster stricken communities should be treated as active participants, rather than the more common perspective that views them as vulnerable and in a state of helplessness.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examine how brownfields developers and community support organizations operating in socio-economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods work to increase awareness of projects in the community, build trust between stakeholders and create mechanisms for community members to participate in brownfields decision making.
Abstract: Brownfields programmes provide environmental justice to distressed communities by applying private sector remediation and real estate expertise to abandoned and contaminated properties. This study examines how brownfields developers and community support organisations operating in socio-economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods work to increase awareness of projects in the community, build trust between stakeholders and create mechanisms for community members to participate in brownfields decision making. Analysis of case study data from brownfields sites in four US cities shows that developers and non-governmental organisations can play important roles in fashioning redevelopment outcomes which benefit both developers and communities. When standard required outreach efforts are combined with non-traditional community involvement mechanisms, the result is often long-term support for redevelopment projects.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors developed a theoretical model that explains why farmers may require a premium in excess of the decrease in profits to adopt a conservation plan, and may even require an additional premium in the case where adoption of the plan is associated with a mean increase in profits.
Abstract: Programs that reimburse farmers for the cost of implementing more environmentally benign management practices are becoming increasingly popular in both the US and the EU. Utilizing the random utility and random profit difference approaches, the paper develops a theoretical model that explains why farmers may require a premium in excess of the decrease in profits to adopt a conservation plan, and may even require a premium in the case where adoption of the plan is associated with a mean increase in profits. This premium is estimated using a survey of farmers in conjunction with predictions of changes in production costs.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a framework for the analysis of external costs of environmental burdens, namely an impact pathway analysis, often coupled with the inventory stage of life cycle assessment (LCA).
Abstract: The paper presents a framework for the analysis of external costs of environmental burdens, namely an impact pathway analysis, often coupled with the inventory stage of life cycle assessment (LCA). The ground rule is: quantify as much as possible in terms of burdens (pollutant emissions, etc.), impacts, and their monetary equivalent, then use multi-criteria analysis (MCA) for any remaining impacts that are considered to be too uncertain or defy quantification through to monetization. Although MCA could be used directly on estimates of burdens or impacts, monetary valuation provides a mechanism for consistent weighting of impacts categories based on assessment of public preference. Further advantages of extending LCA through detailed impact assessment combined with monetary valuation are that it greatly simplifies MCA by combining a large number of different environmental impact categories, thereby avoiding an unmanageably large number of criteria, and also facilitates cost benefit analysis (CBA)....
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used semi-structured interviews with key individuals and a questionnaire survey of land managers to evaluate concepts and perceptions of wild land in Scotland and proposed a new typology for wild land management.
Abstract: Concepts of wild land have recreational, ecological and cultural dimensions, and place varying emphasis on physical landscape attributes and the perceptions of users. In Scotland, national and NGO policies show reasonable consistency in interpreting and defining ‘wild land’, emphasising the (perception of) lack of current human influence as a key criterion. This research used semi-structured interviews with key individuals and a questionnaire survey of land managers to evaluate concepts and perceptions of wild land in Scotland. Recognising that the conceptual and spatial definition of wild land is a key issue, a new typology is proposed. Weaknesses in the policy framework, as well as key potential threats to, and opportunities associated with, wild landscapes are identified. Management initiatives are fitted to the typology and divided into four management themes. Key recommendations are: (i) that national policy for wild landscapes needs to incorporate criteria, which recognise the multiple values derivi...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide a balanced and accessible summary of the findings of recent economic research on the impact of growth in international trade and investment on environmental quality and the potential impact that trade liberalisation policy may have on the environment.
Abstract: The continued growth in world trade and investment flows has led to a renewed interest among researchers and policy makers in the potential impact that trade liberalisation policy may have on the environment. The aim of this paper is to provide a balanced and accessible summary of the findings of recent economic research on the impact of growth in international trade and investment on environmental quality.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors employ a contingent valuation (CV) study to estimate the value of the economic benefits generated by the Akrotiri wetland in Cyprus, and suggest economic instruments that can facilitate the implementation of such policies.
Abstract: This paper employs a contingent valuation (CV) study to estimate the value of the economic benefits generated by the Akrotiri wetland in Cyprus. It aims to show how CV estimation results can inform efficient, effective and sustainable wetland conservation policies, as required by the European Union's Water Framework Directive, and to suggest economic instruments that can facilitate the implementation of such policies. The results indicate that the design of these instruments require the capturing of both the use and non-use values generated by wetland services and functions.
TL;DR: Kindon, R. Pain and M. Kesby as mentioned in this paper discuss the role of participatory action research approaches and methods: connecting people, participation and place, edited by S. Kindon et al.
Abstract: Participatory Action Research approaches and methods: connecting people, participation and place, edited by S. Kindon, R. Pain and M. Kesby, Routledge Studies in Human Geography, 2007, £75.00 (hard...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined what factors determine the importance of ecological information in political decision making of urban land use in Helsinki, southern Finland, and found that ecological information becomes more important if there are significant conservation values connected to a plan area, contacts and appeals from plan participants, strong media attention or if a decision maker focuses more on the issue due to personal interests and values.
Abstract: The objective of this paper is to examine what factors determine the importance of ecological information in political decision making of urban land use in Helsinki, southern Finland. Results from the interviews of politicians and city officials show that ecological information becomes more important if there are significant conservation values connected to a plan area, contacts and appeals from plan participants, strong media attention or if a decision maker focuses more on the issue due to personal interests and values. Balancing the weight of recreational and cultural values may be one of the most difficult tasks for decision makers to handle.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the practices and effects of stakeholder involvement in scoping processes conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and found variation in approaches used by states and relatively high levels of perceived effectiveness.
Abstract: Focusing on environmental review practice in state departments of transportation in the US, the study examines the practices and effects of stakeholder involvement in scoping processes conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Based on a survey of environmental review staff in 46 of the 50 states, the study finds variation in approaches used by states and relatively high levels of perceived effectiveness. The findings include a number of internal and external factors that contribute to effectiveness and highlight the impacts of participation on the content and outcomes of scoping processes.
TL;DR: In this article, an analytic framework from complex adaptive systems theory is used to guide the Sierra Nevada Conservancy to deploy its resources more effectively than broader-scale application of a single, agency-wide strategy relying on a more static model.
Abstract: Conservation organizations rely increasingly on integrated planning approaches that explicitly address social and economic goals while pursuing ecological conservation. Moreover, the spatial and temporal scale at which these organizations operate is growing. The Sierra Nevada Conservancy, established as a new state agency by California legislation in 2004 to pursue social, economic and ecological sustainability across a 25 million acre region, exemplifies this large-scale, integrated approach. Therefore, the new agency faces a complex set of policy objectives that must be pursued across a widely varying geography of social, economic and ecological conditions. Using the Conservancy's fire management program area as an example, the paper illustrates how application of an analytic framework from complex adaptive systems theory can guide the Conservancy to deploy its resources more effectively than broader-scale application of a single, agency-wide strategy relying on a more static model. Therefore, ...