Environmental Policy and Regulations

Course aim

To introduce students to the notion that environmental policy development and implementation is a critical environmental governance function through: examining the concepts of governance and government, including political systems; developing an understanding of how policy is developed, including consultation and decision-making mechanisms; how legislation is developed and implemented through compliance and enforcement; examining key environmental management legislation in South Australian and at the Commonwealth level.
Students completing the course should be able to contribute to the development of environmental policy at local, state and national levels

Course content

The course critically identifies and analyses policy development processes using the notion of the policy cycle. This model is then used to understand environmental policy made at state, national and international levels, in particular, where policy is implemented through legislation. Legislation covered includes land use planning, natural resource management, environmental impact assessment and biodiversity.

Topics include: what is governance? how is environmental policy developed using the ‘policy cycle’ concept? policy development tools; environmental legislation at the state, national and international levels; compliance and enforcement and the notion of ‘implementation failure’.

Textbook(s)

Althaus, C., Bridgman, P. & Davis, G. 2007, The Australian Policy Handbook, 4th edition, Allen and Unwin, Crows Nest NSW

Prerequisite(s)

Common to all relevant programs
Subject Area & Catalogue Number	Course Name
BIOL 1014	Biodiversity for the Environment
ENVT 1013	Environment: A Human Perspective

Corequisite(s)

Nil

Teaching method

Component	Duration
INTERNAL, MAWSON LAKES
Lecture	2 hours x 13 weeks
Workshop	2 hours x 13 weeks

Note: These components may or may not be scheduled in every study period. Please refer to the timetable for further details.

Assessment

Environmental policy critique, Group investigations and policy project portfolio, Portfolio of tutorial work

Fees

EFTSL*: 0.125
Commonwealth Supported program (Band 2)
To determine the fee for this course as part of a Commonwealth Supported program, go to:
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Fee-paying program for domestic and international students
International students and students undertaking this course as part of a postgraduate fee paying program must refer to the relevant program home page to determine the cost for undertaking this course.

Non-award enrolment
Non-award tuition fees are set by the university. To determine the cost of this course, go to:
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Not all courses are available on all of the above bases, and students must check to ensure that they are permitted to enrol in a particular course.

* Equivalent Full Time Study Load. Please note: all EFTSL values are published and calculated at ten decimal places. Values are displayed to three decimal places for ease of interpretation.