The Comprehensive Environmental Decision Making (CEDM) paradigm developed through this research conceptualizes CEDM through a particular way of seeing a commitment to man's relationship with his environment. Previous research has explored CEDK but the idea remains ill-defined. The challenge in this research is to reestablish the guiding ideas of the government-environment-citizens matrix, while at the same time describe a meaning and means of operation suitable for environmental professionals working in industry today, where the man-environment commitment is critical to economic growth and environmental quality. In this research a meaning and means of operation begins with Lynton K. Caldwell's guiding ideas. As an avenue of implementation, government structures established through The National Environmental Policy Act and the Pollution Prevention Act provide policy reinforcement. Accepting policy as a CEDM avenue the requirements of environmental understanding, information and perception are developed through aspects of the environment and sustainable development with rational ecology ultimately providing the guideposts and criteria whereby CEDM may be judged. Citizens are those environmental professionals where an ethic is shaped through systems learning with the Environmental Management System used as a framework to establish the CEDM network of relationships in the workplace. The professional's socially binding value is hypothesized as an obligation not to do harm. With this value orientation, rational ethics and systems thinking provide guidelines that direct the professional in evaluating and optimizing policy and business structures. The CEDM paradigm is illustrated as a social choice mechanism suited to the 1990s and beyond by using case studies to apply policy directions.

Zhao Yibin. / Thesis submitted in: November 2001. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 103-111). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.I / ACKNOWLEDGEMENT --- p.V / Table of Contents --- p.VIII / List of Tables --- p.IX / List of Figures --- p.X / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Research background and problem statement --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Research objectives --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3 --- Methodology --- p.7 / Chapter 1.4 --- Significance of this study --- p.9 / Chapter 1.5 --- Organization of the thesis --- p.10 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- "Literature review: wildfire behavior simulation, Web GIS and public participation GIS" --- p.11 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.11 / Chapter 2.2 --- Investigating wildfire behavior --- p.12 / Chapter 2.3 --- Modeling wildfire with GIS --- p.20 / Chapter 2.4 --- Emergence of the Web GIS --- p.27 / Chapter 2.5 --- New agenda from public participation --- p.28 / Chapter 2.6 --- Summary --- p.31 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- System design: requirements analysis and feasibility analysis --- p.34 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.34 / Chapter 3.2 --- Analysis of functions requirement --- p.35 / Chapter 3.3 --- A host of solutions --- p.41 / Chapter 3.4 --- Summary --- p.52 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Simulating the wildfire --- p.53 / Chapter 4.1 --- Physical Setting of experiment area and data preparation --- p.53 / Chapter 4.2 --- Adaptation and formularization of the Rothermel's fire behavior model --- p.60 / Chapter 4.3 --- Fire spreading algorithm --- p.66 / Chapter 4.4 --- Defining wildfire with Object Oriented Design (OOD) method --- p.71 / Chapter 4.5 --- Summary --- p.74 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Participation process with interactive tools empowered by IT technologies --- p.76 / Chapter 5.1 --- Comprehending the problem in an interactive way --- p.76 / Chapter 5.2 --- Performing wildfire simulation --- p.81 / Chapter 5.3 --- Submitting of end users comments --- p.84 / Chapter 5.4 --- Discussion bulletin board --- p.94 / Chapter 5.5 --- Summary --- p.96 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Discussions and conclusions --- p.98 / Chapter 6.1 --- Research limitations and discussions --- p.98 / Chapter 6.2 --- Conclusions --- p.99 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.103 / Appendix 1 .Defining MapService with ArcXML --- p.112 / Appendix 2.Defining MapNotes with ArcXML --- p.112

Colonial conservation emerged as colonial conservationists perceived the threat of deforestation, climatic change and famine. The sense that there were limits to nature's capacity to meet human demands, led to colonial conservationism which portrayed nature as separated from human life. Protected areas (PA's), both forest and game reserves, were created that excluded local people in terms of both access and management. In South Africa the National Forests Act 84 of 1998 has created new conditions in which there is a greater opportunity for communities to benefit from indigenous forests, which apart from their other uses are a valuable resource from the point of view of ecotourism. This study thus seeks to assess moves from exclusivist to community based forms of environmental decision-making (EDM) at Dlinza Forest Nature Reserve. This study provides an example of an ecotourism project started during the democratic period in South Africa and at the height of the global move to community conservation. First however it traces the management history of the forest in order to assess change in the management style over time. The study investigates rural people's attitudes towards the forest and it was found that although the forest was preserved for many years, the rural people still feel much attached to it as a result of the beliefs they have about it. The study contrasts different visions of the forest in terms of competing use and non-use values, and demonstrates that each group exercised its will and attempted to display "ownership" of the forest through a number of activities undertaken at the forest. An analysis of the public participation followed in terms of the ecotourism project was undertaken to determine the extent to which the rural community was involved. Theoretical models of environmental decision-making were applied in order to identify the mode of decisionmaking used historically and in the present. The results of the study show that poor rural people are still marginalized in EDM despite the new philosophies of PA management and the democratising shifts taking place in the country. Resistance to the policies and regulations of the reserve has been observed and this may lead to severe degradation of the resources that the reserve is meant to protect. The study thus recommends strengthening locally based EDM via partnerships as partnerships do not only provide relief for the consequences of conflict, they also strive for a win-win situation. The study concluded that greater involvement of the rural community requires a change in the mindset of conservation authorities, in particular with regard to the issue of representivity in EDM. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2004.

In the search to reduce the various divides between the developed and the developing world, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is seen as an enabler in resource-constrained environments. However, the impact of ICT for Development (ICT4D) implementations is contested, and the ability to facilitate sustained change remains elusive. Sustainability emerged as a key lesson from the failure of early ICT4D projects, and has served as a focal point in facilitating ICT4D success. However, interpretation of the concepts of sustainability and sustainable development seems to be multiple and disconnected from practice, and is rarely translated into a useful construct for guiding project-level actions. The focus of international development is gradually shifting from donated aid towards capability and choice, empowerment, and per-poor initiatives. However, the reality remains that multiple organisations with varying levels of power, resources, and influence determine the outcomes and the sustainability of benefits from a development intervention. This research investigates mechanisms to sustain benefit by exploring the interface between various role players through the lens of decision-making. It builds on the view that the value created by the virtual ‘organisation’ of stakeholders in an ICT4D implementation results from the sum of its decisions, and develops a framework for decision-making with a view on sustaining benefits. The work follows a Design Science Research methodology, comprising an iterative process for the development, testing, and improvement of the framework based on three literature reviews, two case studies, and an expert review. The research answers the primary research question, namely: What are the elements of a framework that support strategic decision-making for the design and implementation of ICT4D interventions in resource-constrained environments, in support of sustained benefit? The knowledge contribution is primarily at the concept and methodological level. In addition to framework development, the decision problem in ICT4D is defined, andthe concept of sustained benefit is proposed as a means of operationalizing sustainability. This research illustrates the role of decision concepts in structuring the complexity of ICT4D problems. It introduces an alternative perspective into the debate on sustainability in ICT4D, and provides a basis for the future development of theory. / Information Systems / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Systems)

The issue of environmental risks from the pharmaceutical endocrine disrupter 17 alpha-ethinyl oestradiol (EE2), which is an active ingredient in the contraceptive pill, confronts government responsibilities for citizens' health with potential environmental risks from its presence in aquatic ecosystems. Further to a risk appraisal process conducted under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) between 2006 and 2012, the European Commission recommended the imposition of an environmental quality standard for EE2. In 2013, this recommendation was rejected by politicians. The outcome was both contested and commended. The UK Government was particularly vehement in its opposition and claimed that the risk assessment process for EE2 was not robust. The UK Government also insisted that it had swayed opinion of other EU Member States to convince them that action for EE2 was not proportionate given the extremely elevated costs of risk control options. At the present time, environmental policy for EE2 and other endocrine disrupters remains resolutely ineffective. Despite three distinct policy interventions recommending precautionary action for EE2 during the past twenty years, emissions of this potent, oestrogenic endocrine disrupter continue unabated. This thesis explains why European politicians rejected the European Commission’s risk governance recommendations for EE2 in 2013 under the Water Framework Directive. This comprises its principal empirical contribution. A novel analytical framework which draws on insights from the policy sciences, risk governance and wicked problems literature is developed. This framework is employed to determine whether the policy outcome for EE2, and the decision-making processes that preceded it, were legitimate. The research findings in this respect advance understanding of the implications of specific properties of wicked problems, of which it is argued, EE2 is an example, for the legitimacy of decision-making processes during the risk appraisal and political phases of policy development in Europe. This comprises the principle theoretical contribution of the thesis. Recommendations to promote more effective and legitimate policy development for wicked problems in similar multi-level governance contexts are also made.

"August 2006" / Thesis (PhD) -- Macquarie University, Division of Law, 2007. / Bibliography: p. 343-364. / Abstract -- Candidate's certification -- Acknowledgements -- Acronyms -- Chapter one -- Chapter two: Linking public participation to environmental decision making and natural resources management -- Chapter three: The right to public participation -- Chapter four: Implementing the right to public participation in environmental decision making : the participation of indigenous peoples in the conservation and management of protected areas -- Chapter five: The legal and policy regime for the participation of indigenous peoples in the conservation and management of protected areas in Australia -- Chapter six: The legal and policy regime for the participation of indigenous peoples in the conservation and management of protected areas in Uganda -- Chapter seven: Implementing public participation in environmental decision making in Australia and Uganda : a comparative analysis -- Chapter eight: The right to public participation in enviromental decision making and natural resources management : summary and conclusions -- Bibliography. / In recognition of the importance of public participation as a basis for good governance and democracy, Mr Kofi Annan, Secretary General to the United Nations, has noted that: "Good governance demands the consent and participation of the governed and the full participation and lasting involvement of all citizens in the future of their nation. The will of the people must be the basis of governmental authority. That is the foundation of democracy. That is the foundation of good governance Good governance will give every citizen, young or old, man or woman, a real and lasting stake in the future of his or her society". The above quotation encapsulates the essence of what this thesis has set out to do; to examine the concept of public participation and its application in environmental governance within the context of the participation of indigenous peoples in the conservation and management of protected areas in Australia and Uganda. The concept of public participation is of such intrinsic importance that it has emerged as one of the fundamental principles underpinning environmental governance and therefore forms the basis for this study. -- Environmental governance, as a concept that captures the ideal of public participation, is basically about decisions and the manner in which they are made. It is about who has 'a seat at the table' during deliberations and how the interests of affected communities and ecosystems are represented. It is also about how decision makers are held responsible for the integrity of the process and for the results of their decisions. It relates to business people, property owners, farmers and consumers. Environmental governance is also about the management of actions relating to the environment and sustainable development. It includes individual choices and actions like participating in public hearings or joining local watchdog groups or, as consumers, choosing to purchase environmentally friendly products. -- The basic principles behind good governance and good environmental decision making have been accepted for more than a decade. The 178 nations that attended the Rio Summit in 1992 all endorsed these nvironmental governance principles when they signed the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (Rio Declaration) - a charter of 27 principles meant to guide the world community towards sustainable development. The international community re-emphasised the importance of these principles at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002. -- The right to public participation in nvironmental decision making and natural resources management is one of the 27 principles endorsed by the nations of the world and is embodied in the provisions of Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration. / Environmental decisions occur in many contexts. They range from personal choices like whether to walk or drive to work, how much firewood to burn, or whether to have another child. They encompass the business decisions that communities or corporations make about where to locate their facilities, how much to emphasise eco-friendly product design and how much land to preserve. They include national laws enacted to conserve the environment, to regulate pollution, manage public land or regulate trade. They take into account international commitments made to regulate trade in endangered species or limit acid rain or C02 emissions. -- Environmental decisions also involve a wide range of actors: individuals; local, state and national governments; community and tribal authorities such as indigenous peoples; civic organisations; interested groups; labour unions; national and transactional corporations; scientists; and international bodies such as the United Nations, the European Union, and the World Trade Organisation. -- Each of the actors have different interests, different levels of authority and different information, making their actions complex and frequently putting their decisions at odds with each other and with ecological processes that sustain the natural systems we depend on. -- Accordingly, this thesis aims to examine participation in environmental decision making in a way that demonstrates these complexities and interdependencies. It will explore the theoretical and conceptual basis for public participation and how it is incorporated into international and domestic environmental and natural resources law and policy. -- It will examine public participation in the context of the legal and policy framework for the conservation and management of protected areas and will use case studies involving the participation of indigeneous peoples in Australia and Uganda to provide the basis for a comparative analysis. -- The thesis will also faces on a comparative analysis of the effectiveness and meaningfulness of the process for public participation in environmental decision making in Australia and Uganda. There is extensive literature on the purposes to which participation may be put; the stages in the project cycle at which it should be employed; the level and power with regard to the decision making process which should be afforded to the participants; the methods which may be appropriate under the different circumstances, as well as detailed descriptions of methods; approaches and forms or typologies of public participation; and the benefits and problems of such participation. / However, there is not much significant literature that examines and analyses the meaningfulness and effectiveness of the contextual processes of such participation. This is despite the widespread belief in the importance and value of public participation, particularly by local and indigenous communities, even in the face of disillusionment caused by deceit, manipulation and tokenism. Accordingly, the thesis will use case studies to demonstrate the meaningfulness and effectiveness or otherwise of public participation in environmental decision making in protected area management. -- Increasingly, the terminology of sustainable development is more appropriate to describe contemporary policy objectives in this area, with an emphasis on promoting local livelihood and poverty alleviation within the constraints of ecosystem management. However, the domestic legal frameworks, and institutional development, in Australia and Uganda tend to reflect earlier concepts of environmental and natural resources management (referred to as environmental management in this thesis). There are some significant differences between a North (developed) nation and a South (developing) nation, in terms of the emphasis on economic objectives, political stability, resources and legal and administrative capacity. The thesis intends to explore these differences for the comparative analysis and to draw on them to highlight the complexities and interdependencies of public participation by indigenous peoples in environmental decision making, natural resources and protected area management. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / 377 p