Environmental Impact Assessment & Land Planning for Development

Syllabus

PURPOSE
The module familiarises students with both analytic and methodological knowledge, skills and the cognitive tools required for environmental impact assessment and environmental policy development and implementation within the framework of conservation and preservation of natural resources.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
The student will be able to:

describe and evaluate the main environmental impact assessment and policy development theories;
assess development interventions in the light of environmental impact policies and laws;
write and present coherent evaluative descriptions and reports of particular EIA processes and related environmental policies laws;
describe the basis of the policy guidelines and laws concerning the environment, including the Environmental Impact Assessment legislation;
describe the processes employed to integrate the ecological and social aspects of development into planning and environmental resource management processes;
explain the theoretical roots of these processes;
explain how the different theories feed into development praxis.

CORE CONTENT
Analytic and methodological knowledge and skills needed to use and apply tools for environmental impact assessment and environmental policy development.
The dilemma of sustainability.
The roots and the development of sustainable development.
Mainstreaming and delivering sustainable development.
The politics of preservation.
Environmental management tools, laws and policies.

Evaluation criteria
1 x 3-hour examination, 60% class mark + 40% examination mark.

Prerequisites
None