• Offered by Crawford School of Public Policy
  • ANU College ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
  • Classification Advanced
  • Course subject Environmental Management & Development
  • Areas of interest Environmental Studies
  • Academic career PGRD
  • Course convener
    • Prof Robert Costanza
  • Mode of delivery In Person
  • Offered in Winter Session 2017
     See Future Offerings
Environmental Assessment (EMDV8103)

To a large extent, policies drive   environmental outcomes.  Accordingly, we need to develop ways to   consider how policies create and deal with pressing environmental issues as   well as mechanisms to force actions in order to improve outcomes.  This   course provides students with an understanding of the theory and practice of   key Environmental Assessment (EA) approaches that are the principle means of   integrating environmental considerations into governmental decision-making.    Course participants study how EAs have evolved since the 1960s to become   important strategies for institutionalizing environmental reform, the role of   public participation and science in environmental decision-making, and how   political, social and economic dynamics affect decisions.  Drawing upon   involvement by industry, state and civil society practitioners, participants   will learn to apply the basic principles of environmental assessment to   critically assess development proposals, develop public consultation   strategies, evaluate monitoring and mitigation in environmental management   plans. Following recent shifts to approaches informed by ecological   modernization and new environmental policy instruments, participants will   also consider the processes of categorizing social and environmental impacts,   of carrying out assessments, and of setting out minimum management standards,   have been extended beyond the conventional EA processes to environmental   management systems and standard and market- based regulation.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

On completion of this course students will be able to:

  •   Demonstrate a sound   understanding of the theoretical principles and conceptual development of   Environmental Assessment.
  •   Demonstrate an appreciation   of tools and processes for, and practice of, environmental assessment and management;
  •   Demonstrate skills in   assessing development projects, policies and program documents;
  •   Drawing on key social science   readings, analyze and evaluate environmental problems and policy problems   affecting EA practices.
  •   Evaluate the role, strengths   and limitations of various assessment tools among a suite of policy   approaches used in environmental decision making.
  •   Demonstrate understanding of   how complex socio-political and economic contexts affect environmental   decision making
  •   Identify, assess and   articulate how social relationships and political contexts affect how   assessment practices function, especially in shaping the trade-offs that   occur between competing interests during assessment processes.

Other Information

Students will learn to apply the basic principles of environmental assessment to critically assess development   proposals, develop public consultation strategies, and evaluate monitoring   and mitigation in environmental management plans, and consider how Strategic   Environmental Assessment (SEA) principles might be built into decision making.

Indicative Assessment

The course will be assessed on the basis of student performance in four primary task areas:

  •   3 reaction papers based on an   assigned reading (3 reaction papers of 300 words each times, worth 5% each =   15%);
  •   Seminar oral presentation (10%);  
  •   Assignment 1: Short essay on   contemporary EIA policy (2,000 words, 35%);   
  •   Assignment 2: Preparation of   a Preliminary Environmental Assessment for a real world project (2,500 words,   40%).

The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Workload

Contact hours 3 hours per week; study and assignment preparation 5 hours per week.

Preliminary Reading

Below is an indicative list of some of the material that students will consult with:

 

Harvey, N. and B. Clarke (2012). Environmental Impact Assessment in Practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [assigned reading]

 

Modak, P. and A. K. Biswas (1999). Conducting Environmental Impact Assessment for Developing Countries. United Nations University Press.

 

Morgan, Richard (1998). Environmental Impact Assessment: A Methodological Perspective. Springer.

 

Noble, Bram (2010). Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment: A Guide to Principles and Practice. Oxford University Press.

 

Petts, Judith (1999). Handbook of Environmental Impact Assessment. Oxford: Blackwell.

Fees

Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.  

If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.

Student Contribution Band:
2
Unit value:
6 units

If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.  Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.

Units EFTSL
6.00 0.12500

Course fees

Domestic International
Domestic fee paying students
Year Fee
2017 $3660
International fee paying students
Year Fee
2017 $4878
Note: Please note that fee information is for current year only.

Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.

The list of offerings for future years is indicative only.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
2017
2018
2019

Winter Session

Class number Class start date Last day to enrol Census date Class end date Mode Of Delivery Class Summary
6925 20 Jul 2017 20 Jul 2017 25 Aug 2017 21 Nov 2017 In Person N/A
6926 20 Jul 2017 20 Jul 2017 25 Aug 2017 21 Nov 2017 Online N/A

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