Enviro

The Natural Environment, Stakeholders and Policy
MOD003551 [formally know as Environmental issues and Policies MOD001049]

Martin Spaul / Simon Evans

Alison Stowell

January 2013

Lecture Outline
• Introductions to
– Your Lecturer and Seminar Tutor – The Module

• Defining the natural environment
• Humans in natural environments

Alison Stowell

January 2013

Aims
• To gain an understanding and overview of the module and assessment. • To gain insight into ‘what is the natural environment’? • To gain insight into humans in the natural environment.
Alison Stowell January 2013

Your Lecturer and Seminar Tutor
• Name: Martin Spaul / Simon Evans • Contact details:
– Email: [e-mail]

Alison Stowell

January 2013

What is it the creation of policy is trying to achieve?
• Protection of the planet?

• Protection of wildlife?
• Human survival? • Business as usual?
Alison Stowell January 2013

Who is involved in influencing policy?
Economists Activists Policy Makers

Consumers

The natural environment

Scientists

It is worth noting that the diagram does not contain a definitive list. There are many more involved in influencing policy. These groups, detailed above, are our focus for the model.
Alison Stowell

Business Technology

Government

January 2013

….contemporary concerns…
• • • • • • Climate change Resource scarcity Transportation Energy consumption Developing economies Rural economy
Again, please note, this is not a definitive list of environmental issues. The list is the focus for our exploration into the role of policy.
Alison Stowell January 2013

How can we make sense of what is happening?
• Through challenging assumptions
– Our value systems

– Finance as a measurement
– Rational Instruments – scientific measures

Alison Stowell

January 2013

How can we make sense of what is happening?
• Through theoretical and conceptual frameworks
– Stakeholder Analysis – Ecological Modernisation – Corporate Social Responsibility – Cultural Theory – relation to consumption – Deep ecology
Alison Stowell January 2013

What has this got to do with my studies?
• Businesses….
– Comply to policy – Use resources
• • • • Transport Energy Raw materials Paper

– Look for ways to provide their service [even if it is free] e.g. selling technology/growing food – Have to protect their employees – Have to consider risks e.g. Tsunami in Japan
Alison Stowell January 2013

Learning outcomes
• Knowledge and understanding:
– ‘a broad but critical understanding of the complex interrelationships between the natural environment, stakeholders and the creation of policy.’ – ‘Improved ability to apply key ideas and theoretical frameworks to the on-going social and intellectual complexities concerning the natural environment, stakeholders and the creation of policy’
Alison Stowell January 2013

Learning outcomes
• Skills:
– ‘develop you ability to describe, analyse and critically discuss key issues and theories and debates relating to environmental issues’ – ‘advance your skills in utilising the theoretical ideas, frameworks and information acquired in this module to make sense of current developments.’

Alison Stowell

January 2013

The assignment
• Pending examiner approval….
“You are required to identify the nature of a significant environmental issue which confronts society or an organisation of your choice. Analyse the response to that issue from one or more stakeholders perspective [e.g. Government, Society, Organisation, Individual, Activist].”

3000 word essay style assignment due in on Tuesday 14th May 2013 by 17.00.
Alison Stowell January 2013

Resources….
• Module Outline
– Provides a weekly breakdown of:
• Topics • Your preparation e.g. a reading each week.

• VLE
– Lecture slides – Pre-readings [You must read them prior to going to your seminar] – Reading list
Alison Stowell January 2013

The natural environment
• 25,000 miles in circumference • 75% is made up of water • Large parts are uninhabitable
– Mountains – Deserts – Frozen tundra

Alison Stowell

January 2013

Defining the natural environment
(Sutton 2007)

• 14th Century - “nature as a series of forces” • 17th Century – “the whole material world of things” • 19th Century – “nature is that which society is not, and society is that which nature is not” “The natural environment refers to the nonhuman world within which human societies and their products exist”
Alison Stowell January 2013

Human relationship with the natural environment
(Sutton 2007)

Alison Stowell

January 2013

Next week
• We investigate the challenges of trying to put a value on nature…. • Key reading…
– Ison, S., Peake, S. and S. Wall (2002). Environment Issues and Policy. Pearson Education Limited: Essex. (‘Chapter 2 Valuing the environment’, pp. 25-56).

Alison Stowell

January 2013

References/additional readings..
• Hulme, M., 2009. Why we disagree about climate change. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge – (Chapter 1). • Newell, P. (2011) The Elephant in the room. Capitalism & global environmental change. Global Environmental Change, 21, 4-6 • Sutton, P. (2007) The Environment – A Sociological Introduction. (Chapter 1 ‘Natural Environments’, pp. 1-17).
Alison Stowell January 2013

References: additional readings.. • Hulme, M., 2009. Why we disagree about climate change. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge – (Chapter 1). • Newell, P. (2011) The Elephant in the room. Capitalism & global environmental change. Global Environmental Change, 21, 4-6 • Sutton, P. (2007) The Environment – A Sociological Introduction. (Chapter 1 ‘Natural Environments’, pp. 1-17). Alison Stowell January 2013