ATS3546 · Environmental assessment and decision making

Overview

This unit deals with the processes for assessing the potential environmental consequences of a range of human activities with a focus on development proposals and land use changes. 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), exploring relevant legislative frameworks and understandings of best practice. It will also examine related processes of social impact assessment, health impact assessment, risk assessment and strategic environmental assessment. You are encouraged to critically evaluate existing processes and argue for improvements to deliver more sustainable and socially equitable outcomes.

Areas of study: Environmental science Geographical science Human geography

Offerings

The Handbook publishes no offerings for this unit.

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. Identify the different types of environmental assessments and the decision-making contexts in which they are applied.
2. Explain the tools and procedures used for different types of environmental assessments, particularly for Australian jurisdictions
3. Apply best practice principles to environmental assessment processes
4. Compare and evaluate assessment processes in terms of strengths and weaknesses
5. Critically evaluate assessment processes, particularly in terms of their interface with political processes,participatory dimensions, the use of scientific information and evolving environmental stresses.

Workload

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.