GES3250

Environmental Assessment and Decision Making ( 6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL)

Leader: TBA

Offered:
Clayton First semester 2006 (Day)
South Africa First semester 2006 (Day)

Synopsis: This unit deals with the processes by which the potential environmental consequences of development proposals are evaluated. These can be highly contentious because of the conflicting interests, types of knowledge and values of different stakeholders. The unit will examine the nature of the widely-adopted procedure of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and formulation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). It will explore legislative frameworks for decision-making and consider other decision-making tools such as cost-benefit analysis and environmental audits.

Assessment: Critical appraisal of an EIS document (1000 words): 20% + Report on site visit (1000 words): 20% + Group oral presentation (15 minutes): 20% + Examination (2 hours): 40%

Prerequisites: First year Geography sequence

Prohibitions: ENV3011