Governing Environments

Subject ENVS10005 (2013)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2013.

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 1 (Undergraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject is not offered in 2013.

Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 48 hours: 3 x 1 hour of lectures per week; 1 x 1 hour of tutorials per week.
Total Time Commitment:

120 hours

Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Contact

Melbourne School of Land & Environment Student Centre
Ground Floor, Melbourne School of Land & Environment (building 142)

Enquiries
Phone: 13 MELB (13 6352)
Email: 13MELB@unimelb.edu.au

Subject Overview:

Natural and built environments and their resources have been the source of conflicting claims over rights of access, ownership and use. These contests have in turn led to the creation of a wide range of approaches to regulate such claims. In this subject students will be introduced to the ecological and economic theories and practices that relate to the use and management of natural resources and built environments and to the approaches governments use to resolve the conflicts that arise.
Topics will include:

  • An introduction to the similarities and differences between the ecological and economic paradigms that affect the environment
  • Understanding the need for government intervention
  • An explanation of Public Choice theory
  • The development of policies and instruments (laws, regulations, agreements, spending on education programs and market-based instruments) and institutions for effective policy implementation
  • Case studies on the built environment, land and water, forests, marine environments and global warming will be used to assess the strengths and weaknesses of different governance models and their application
Objectives:

At the completion of this subject students should be able to:

  • Come to terms with the conflicts that exist in managing natural and built environments, from both an ecological and an economic stand point.
  • Understand the theory that explains government intervention and regulation in the environment and the role that information systems play in governing the environment.
  • Recognise the different governance models that have been applied to the built environment, land use and natural resources and identify the strengths and weakness of different policy and institutional arrangements.
  • Understand how different polices, institutions and markets effect the environment.
  • Identify the key institutions used to manage the built environment and natural resources across different geographical and political scales (eg - trading in water titles, carbon credits, building titles, etc)

Assessment:
  • Three mid-term assessment tasks 1000 words each, (40% total, due mid semester)
  • A 2-hour examination (60%, in the end of semester examination period).

Prescribed Texts:

A set of readings will be provided electronically.

Breadth Options:

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:

At the completion of this subject students should have the following skills:

  • Be able to assess policy-orientated research on the environment
  • Be able to research and evaluate governance issues
  • Be able to understand the economic and ecological factors affecting environments
Links to further information: http://www.benvs.unimelb.edu.au/
Related Course(s): Bachelor of Environments
Related Majors/Minors/Specialisations: Architecture major
Civil (Engineering) Systems major
Construction major
Environmental Engineering Systems major
Environmental Geographies, Politics and Cultures major
Environmental Science major
Environments Discipline subjects
Geomatics (Geomatic Engineering) major
Landscape Architecture major
Landscape Management major
Property major
Urban Design and Planning major
Related Breadth Track(s): The Property Industry
People and Environment
Property in the Urban Economy

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