The Opportunities for the Development of Positive Environmental Outcomes - Essay Example

? THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL OUTCOMES DURING THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND THE CULTURAL, POLITICAL, FINANCIAL AND LEGISLATIVE BARRIERS THAT MAY PREVENT THESE OUTCOMES By Name Course: Lecturer: Institution of Affiliation: City and State: Date: Word Count: 2092 The Opportunities for the Development of Positive Environmental Outcomes during the Planning and Development Process and the Cultural, Political, Financial and Legislative Barriers That May Prevent These Outcomes Introduction Effective environmental planning and developments are among the significant aspects that can contribute to better environmental management; thus contributing to environmental sustainability. Developing religions, urban areas and populations are growing tremendously; thus posing a threat to the environmental resources. The urban centers including big towns are the engines for development and foundations of concentrated ecological harms. People flock urban centers in order to seek for employment opportunities and carry out business activities; thus creating pressure on the scarce environmental resources. The expansion of lands for development activities such expansion of agriculture and infrastructure development in order to cater for the ever increasing population has posed a threat to biodiversity. The inevitable congestion contributes to environmental hazards and degradation; thus environmental planners and developers should employ effective strategies for reversing environmental consequences. However, despite the opportunities for the development of positive environmental outcomes, cultural, political, legislative and financial barriers tend to prevent the effective outcomes during planning or developmental process. The Opportunities for the Development of Positive Environmental Outcomes during the Planning and Development Process Implementing or adopting environmentally sound focused broad-band policies that can accelerate global progress towards a low-carbon economy is crucial. Buckingham and Evans (1996, p. 123) argue that environmentally planning and sustainability had been a prominent role in the global agenda that sets principles for achieving the desired environmental goals. During the planning and development process, planners should implement environmentally sound policies and set objectives that should be met. The objectives should be realistic and the planners should integrate decision making to include effective millennium development goals framework in order to achieve their targets successfully. Field and Keller (1998 P. 52) also argue employing effective project management strategies and monitoring will offer a wider scale opportunity for tracking progress. This will enable planners to encourage implementation of plans and policies, promote investments and overcome barriers of development. Planners, designers and interested group should focus on regional food planning and implement effective policies to guide the community on sustainable food production. Food is an essential sustaining and enduring necessity for human beings across cultures. The concerning people including planners, developers and interested groups have paid less attention to food planning policy in comparison with other planning issues. They tend to focus on economic planning, environmental, housing and transportation and infrastructure, but they have forgotten that food planning is an essential planning aspect. Therefore, there is need to focus on food planning process in order to determine the methods employed in production, transportation and distribution of food products. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (2005) argue that planners should focus on food planning because this is one of the major impact that have contributed to loss of biodiversity. Food system is a serious problem, which is on the rise across diverse communities. For instance, the national planning team in San Francisco tracked food system, in 2005 and this one of the food planning subjects that were carried out for the first time in history. Several issues were raised and it was discovered that many planners are not aware of the food production process, which takes a considerable amount of energy sources to be manufactured, processed and transported. Carrying out physical planning including proper land use planning is one of the significant ways of planning for proper use of the environmental resources. Land use planning is a complex process but determining the characteristics of land put in varied use, land classification mapping and providing a report on appropriate development in areas of special environmental concern is vital. Benson and Roe (2007, p. 72) point out that carrying out landscaping and making effective land use decisions are the significant determinants of increasing environmental quality, and also putting land under effective land use control. This is crucial because it will combat land use problems such as pollution, wetland degradations, loss of cultural resources and the occupation of hazard prone areas. (Green (1996, p. 56) also adds that proper land use and maintenance including ecological land use planning, tree planting and encouraging community gardens can reduce environmental degradation. Adapting effective climate changes and mitigation measures are among the opportunities for creating positive environmental changes during the planning process. Climatic changes have become one of the global challenges and this has risen tremendously due to globalization aspects. Davoudi, Crawford and Mehmood (2008, p. 89) argue that planning for climatic changes and employing effective strategies for mitigating climatic changes are crucial. Many countries have been impacted heavily by climatic changes, which result due to human activities such as industrialization process, overfishing, mining, and deforestation among others. Therefore, planners should employ effective mitigation measures for controlling human activities, which might pose threat to global climatic changes (Lindenmayer, Hobbs and Zoological Society of London 2007, p. 76). Many countries have tended to employ varied strategies and implement environmental policies such as pollution policies vital for reducing environmental pollution. This is crucial because it has enabled them to reduce global warming and other consequences that contributes to climatic changes; thus achieving environmental sustainability. Adapting climatic change policies using green and blue infrastructure through employing climatic change adaptation approaches for the development of positive environmental outcomes is crucial. Blue and green infrastructure strategy focuses on maintaining the function of the ecosystem and natural biological biodiversity including wetlands, habitats, as well as manmade features, which support varied species. Rottle and Yocom (2010, p. 97) assert that employing blue-green infrastructure strategy can help planners to protect natural and manmade resources; thus reducing adverse environmental impacts. Therefore, planners and developers should employ effective strategies that can enable them to conserve working lands, preserve water quality, preserve biodiversity and reduce pollution in urban centers. Barriers That May Prevent the Development of Positive Environmental Outcomes Cultural Cultural aspects are one of the issues that have become the greatest barrier for achieving environmental sustainability. Layard, Davoudi and Batty (2001, p. 42) argue that planning requires a significant change in the planning culture starting from reactive control to management in order to achieve transformation. The goal of environmental planning is to achieve sustainable developments; thus taking cultural aspect into consideration is crucial. This is because culture can impact the performance of development goals; thus shifting culture of planning is imperative. Culture of planning is difficult; thus creating a vision and disconnecting planning exercise between politics and expertise is crucial. Selman (2000, p. 42) reorganizes planning cultures as the crucial aspect underpinned by shared values in connection to social , economic and environmental sustainability; thus it should be taken into consideration effectively. Political Planning has become a political process; thus planning is highly politicized at the local level; thus impacting the development of positive environmental outcomes. Politicians influence the planning process both at the local and state government level; therefore, politics has been cited as the common disconnect between the interests and decisions of professional planers. Therefore, politics tend to create a barrier towards successful environmental outcomes (Lein 2000, p. 62). This is because disparity can be realized when elected politician become the decision maker; thus this may override the activities of the planner. In case the decision fails to align with the current policy or the planning vision, the role of the planer can be impacted or undermined by the political leaders towards the major developmental plans. The political debate over the planning issue may create barrier and frustrate the planner; thus impacting development assessment plans. Legislative Varied legislatives and policies have been implemented with an aim of promoting environmental sustainability. However, some of them have become the barrier towards effective environmental outcomes. Erickson and King (1999, p. 102) argue that building regulations for green roofs is crucial in maintaining a sustainable environment. These regulation of building green roofs was driven by other programs such energy saving, and biodiversity conservation. Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1998, p. 45) argue that implementing effective integrated approach at the local and international level for environmental and transportation services for promoting sustainable development is crucial. However, weak legislative bodies and unclear policies in many states have become the barrier towards environmental sustainability. Financial Financial issues are among the greatest barriers to global environmental challenges. Poverty eradication is one of the necessary requirements of sustainable development; thus inadequate financial distribution and financial inequalities especially in developing nations have led to increased environmental deterioration. The society exploits natural resource in order to earn a living. Although each state has its own primary roles to achieving sustainable development especially eradicating poverty as included in the Agenda 21, many developing nations have not yet achieve this development agenda (Selman 2000, p. 31). This is because of increased corruption and poor distribution of resources; hence increased financial resources in most developing nations have become the greatest barrier towards the achievement of sustainable development. Roles that planners, designers and interest groups can play in overcoming the barriers to optimize environmental outcomes Implementing effective legislative or policies and linking food with cultural aspects will enable the planners to overcome varied barriers; thus optimizing environmental outcomes. For instance, different societies have different beliefs towards food production issues, and this is one of the critical aspects that impacts planners from achieving their desired outcomes. Therefore, employing comprehensive food planning policies is crucial. Planners can link the planning policies with varied indigenous or ethnic food cultures; thus enabling them to achieve environmental outcomes effectively. Planners or interested groups should also work together with the cultural communities. This is because these people have traditional knowledge about the environmental conservation methods, which can help in reducing environmental impacts. Planners tend to forget that traditional communities can have vital knowledge; thus employing participatory approaches in order to engage them in the environmental conservation process is crucial (Lein 2003, p. 56). This will break the cultural barriers and raise environmental awareness; thus contributing to environmental sustainability. Cultural issues are identified as the major barriers to system changes and they include both the organizational attitudes and behaviors, which are resistant to environmental changes. Therefore, to overcome cultural barriers, planners, developers and interested groups should offer training programs in order to create environmental awareness. This is crucial because it will enable people to gain environmental knowledge and understand the impact that will arise in case they ignore to manage natural resources. Garrod and Whitby (2005, p. 34) assert that community building and empowering is crucial in breaking cultural barriers. Planners and developers should shift the focus of planning, design and action from the individual level to community level in order to move away from top-down approaches. This will enable the cultural communities to take responsibilities and lead by example towards promoting environmental sustainability. They can also communicate effective and understand the way the society think and perceive the environment; thus thoughtful design of context should be required to normalize sustainable options. Planners and developers should have a deeper understanding of individual lifestyle diversity to enable them develop a broader range of solutions and effective policies for supporting change behavior. Implementing sound policies and legislative programs for promoting environmental sustainability is crucial. Barrow and Barrow (2006, p.81) reveal the effective environmental sustainable policies that aims to meet the desired goals of human being in the present without impacting their future needs. Dwyer and Hodge (1996, p. 92) argue that putting proper organizational structures and each with varied policies is crucial. These organisations will offer promising examples of more sustainable ways and they should track sustainability progress. Employing effective environmental regulatory programs will yield remarkable results, but they should involve the government, individuals, companies and communities since this will break the legislative and political barriers. Conclusion In conclusion, despite the opportunities for the development of positive environmental outcomes, cultural, political, legislative and financial barriers tend to prevent the effective outcomes during planning or developmental process. Implementing environmentally sound policies that can accelerate global progress towards a low-carbon economy is crucial; planners or interested group should focus on regional food planning and implement effective policies to guide the community on sustainable food production. Adapting effective climate changes and mitigation measures are among the opportunities for creating positive environmental changes during the planning process. To overcome barriers to achievement of environmental outcomes, planners should link food system with cultural aspects, offer training programs in order to create environmental awareness and have a deeper understanding of individual lifestyle diversity; thus enabling them to overcome varied barriers to optimize environmental outcomes. Reference List Buckingham, S., & Evans, B. (1996). Environmental planning and sustainability. Chichester: Wiley. Barrow, C. J., & Barrow, C. J. (2006). Environmental management for sustainable development. London: Routledge. Benson, J. F., & Roe, M. H. (2007). Landscape and sustainability. London: Routledge. Davoudi, S., Crawford, J., & Mehmood, A. (2008). Planning for climate change: Strategies for mitigation. Mitigation and Adaptation. London: Earthscan. Dwyer, J. & Hodge, I. (1996). Countryside in Trust: Land Management by Conservation, Recreation and Amenity Organisations, Wiley Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. (1998.) Planning for Sustainable Development: Towards Better Practice, TSO, London Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. (2005).The Environment in Your Pocket, DEFRA, London. Retrieved on March 1, 2013 from http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/eiyp/index.htm Erickson, S. & King, B. (1999). Fundamentals of Environmental Management, Wiley, Chichester. Field, M. & Keller, L. (1998). Project Management, Int. Thomson Business Press. Garrod, G. & Whitby, M. (2005). Strategic Countryside Management, Elsevier, Oxford. Green, B. (1996).Countryside Conservation: Landscape Ecology, Planning and Management, 3rd edition, Spon. Lindenmayer, D., Hobbs, R. J., & Zoological Society of London. (2007). Managing and designing landscapes for conservation: Moving from perspectives to principles. London: Blackwell. Layard, A., Davoudi, S., & Batty, S. (2001). Planning for a Sustainable Future, Spon, London Lein, J. (2003). Integrated Environmental Planning, Blackwell, Oxford Selman, P. (2000). Environmental Planning, 2nd Edition, London: Paul Chapman. Rottle, N., & Yocom, K. (2010). Ecological design. Lausanne, Switzerland: AVA Publishing. Selman, P. H. (2000). Environmental planning: The conservation and development of biophysical resources. London: Sage Publications. Read More