Environmental Policy - Book Report/Review Example

Environmental Policy and Politics on Urban Planning Planning is one of the most critical practices undertaken in any given society from time to time. It cuts across social, economic, political, and environmental interests to constitute a diverse and dynamic trend over time. In the contemporary times, environmental concerns have heightened the need for environmental policy. On the same note, existing and emerging issues in urban planning have been raised along this line, resulting in intensive politics that are spread across differentiated social and economic opinions. Environmental Policy and Politicsis essentially set in the contemporary times, giving an account of the underlying issues, concerns, and arguments that relate to environmental policy and environmental politics (Kraft 19). Environmental trends show that there is a critical need to manage human activities in the context of human interaction with nature and natural resources. Man-initiated environmental changes have exacerbated over the years, making it necessary to assess and address the resultant impacts; both positive and negative. This is not necessarily the government’s responsibility. Individuals, businesses, interest groups, government and nongovernmental agencies, and the public at large have a collective role and responsibility to play in policies and politics that relate to the environment. Kraft identifies that environmental issues around the world have resulted in a number of global threats that, if not attended to, will result in catastrophic consequences. These environmental issues include, but are not limited to, waste management, ecosystem management, air and water pollution,biodiversity protection, and the protection of wildlife, endangered species and natural resources (Kraft 120). As a matter of fact, threats like climate change and especially global warming are already evident today. The core theme of the book revolves around environmental policy formulation and implementation to address the aforementioned environmental issues and the underlying global threats therein. A fundamental factor that cannot be ignored along this line is population growth. Global population growth trend has shown an over the years increase, translating to a critical influencing force on biodiversity. Increase in population growth pressures the environment in one or another as people try to meet their own needs at the expense of the environment. In this respect, policy-making in the United States, policy decisions by the legislation and administration, and the integration of all stakeholders in environmental policies and politics are the key issues covered in the text (Kraft38). The text advocates for the reduction, prevention, or mitigation of environmental problems that translate to global threats if left unattended to. The solution lies with effective, efficient, and functional formulation and implementation of environmental policies and legislations that are tailored towards addressing all-round environmental concerns across the globe. In order to achieve this, the planning profession cannot be ignored.Social, economic, political, and environmental planning critically influence the outcome of environmental policy. Collaboration between policy makers and planners is essentially set to streamline policy and political actions that are taken to enhance the sustainability of environmental policy. Policy-making in the United States for environmental purposes is consistent with the global trend along the same line. Many, if not all, countries in the world have increasingly become environmentally cautious. The uncountable states in the world have established common grounds within which they cooperate and work together in trying to resolve the underlying environmental issues. This is due to the fact that the effects of environmental problems are felt globally. Harmonized environmental planning has also been embraced across the globe in order to ensure that collaborating parties move in the same direction. This has made it necessary for policy makers to work hand in hand with planners to ensure the objectives of either party are collaboratively achieved. An outstanding practice in this line is the integration of planning departments in the United States’ processes of environmental policy formulation and implementation (Kraft177). On the same note, policy decisions for environmental and planning purposes are undertaken by both legislation and administration. This has ensured that all the underlying interests are streamlined for improved and successful outcomes. Kraft’s book has made an intensive and extensive assessment of the global environmental trends. Most importantly, global threats have been highlighted, mapping their source, how they have changed, and what the relevant stakeholders are doing to address the underlying issues. Therefore, an all-round insight into the policies and politics involved in environmental issues are presented.All the themes addressed in the book are consistent with the contemporary experiences relating to environmental policy and politics. For this reason, the book is essentially an account of what is happening todayand what needs to be done as a result; making the book’s arguments stand strong in the context of contemporary global environmental concerns. Amid the aforementioned strengths of the book, a number of weaknesses are notable. The book primarily focuses on the policy formulation and implementation and environmental politics in the United States.However, the highlighted environmental issues or problems outlined in the book constitute global threats. On the same note, processes of policy-making are deeply rooted in the United States’ legislation and administration. While these aspects are critical to consider in addressing environmental policy and politics, the global system of dealing with the same is relatively ignored. United States works with many other stakeholders across the globe in a bid to achieve a common goal. For this reason, the book is relatively lacking in terms of incorporating global legislations, administrations, and processes of addressing global threats whose extent is felt far and wide, in and out of the United States. Policies and politics relating to environmental problems in the U.S have also been assessed in the book.This has been covered intensively and extensively compared to the case studies that are based outside the U.S. The book proves to be beneficial for use as a core part of the core curriculum. Kraft (284) notes, “Students to judge environmental problems and policy actions for themselves by summarizing extensive collections of scientific studies, government reports, and policy analyses to convey the nature of environmental problems, progress and limitations in dealing with them, and the implications of keeping or revising present policies”. The book challenges the individual role of every student in matters of environmental policy and politics. It also carries vast information and guiding principles that allow students to actively participate as key stakeholders in environmental policy and planning. Works Cited Kraft, Michael. Environmental Policy and Politics. (5thEdition).New York: Pearson, 2010. Read More