Office for Environmental Programs - Theses

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Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    The potential of adopting global forest carbon initiatives to strengthen forest management in Indonesia and combat deforestation and poverty
    Haryani, Setiyo ( 2007)
    The role of tropical deforestation and forest fire in the climate change debate has become apparent as they contribute to nearly 20 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The Kyoto Protocol recognises this issue and incorporates forestry activities as an alternative mitigation effort to combat emissions. Under the Clean Development Mechanism, the Kyoto Protocol provides a legal basis for international carbon trade initiatives in which developed countries with quantified emission reduction targets can invest in forest carbon projects in developing countries to gain carbon credits. For developing countries like Indonesia with a vast forest area and a huge population, forest carbon could serve as a means to strengthen forest management practices through sustaining forest resources and local livelihood. For forest carbon initiatives in Indonesia to be successful, supporting policy and infrastructures particularly in regard to land tenure security and clear market mechanisms have to be provided. While the potential of a forest protection scheme to local benefit is enormous, the problem remains unresolved since the Kyoto Protocol regards sink projects as ineligible under the Clean Development Mechanism, along with the issue of uncertainty in terms of forestry-related definition and forestry activities that can be included. Despite being highly criticised, forest sink projects demonstrate a massive ecological benefit apart from carbon sequestration and carbon reservoir in terms of maintaining biodiversity, improving water quality and preventing soil erosion. In further developing the Kyoto Protocol, clauses that help to protect the existing forests in tropical countries like Indonesia will provide a strong incentive to limit greenhouse gas emissions.
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    Media representation of Australian national climate change policy
    McLean, Jessica ( 2004)
    No abstract available
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    Managing uncertainty and risk in climate change policy-making
    Egerton, Liam ( 2006)
    This paper explores how climate change policy-making could respond more effectively to uncertainty and risk. It presents an overview of key issues in risk and sustainability policymaking and then looks at two alternative approaches: Integrated Assessment (IA), and socioecological resilience theory and adaptive management. Some key themes and proposals are then identified by which an effective risk-management approach to climate change can be assessed. The paper draws on global examples but concludes with a brief look Australia and the State of Victoria, proposing further research to assess Victorian climate change policy using the themes identified.
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    Implications of the international legal regime on the domestic biotechnology policy in China
    Mita, Megumi ( 2007)
    This note provides an overview of the shift in China's biotechnology policy - from progressive to precautionary - that has happened in the last decade. China has been investing considerably since it started the biotechnology development in the 1980s as a part of the economic reform plan and continues to do so even today. In contrast to the advancement in biotechnology, the policy itself has taken a dramatic shift in 1999, suspending all new authorization of GM crops for commercialization and imposing a tough regulation on biotechnology in general, but in particular with trade. The timing of the strengthening of the regulation coincides with WTO accession and the establishment of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, in turn implies the strong influence of these two international legal regimes have had on the domestic biotechnology policy. This note analyzes the implications of the international legal regimes on the biotechnology policy. International biotechnology debate may have successfully geared the biotechnology policy towards environmental protection; however, further challenge still lies at the implementation stage. Due to the inadequate capacity of the government, the environmental requirements set by the regulation are yet to be realized. Therefore, the next step to be taken by the Chinese government is to focus on capacity building.
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    "Net gain" and offsets in Victoria: implementation of native vegetation policy under the Planning and Environment Act 1987
    Sydes, Brendan ( 2007)
    There is increasing enthusiasm for the use of biodiversity offsets as a conservation tool. There has, however, been little evaluation of their actual implementation. This paper considers biodiversity offsets in the context of the critique of "command and control" regulation and proposals for market based approaches to biodiversity conservation, examining their potential advantages and pitfalls. The actual implementation of a biodiversity offsetting scheme is considered with reference to implementation of native vegetation policy in Victoria, including the interpretation and application of that policy and associated planning scheme provisions by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. This analysis of the implementation of "net gain" under the Planning and Environment Act 1987 (Victoria) shows that the potential of biodiversity offsetting mechanisms can be undermined by a lack of strategic planning mechanisms, absence of clearly defined and upheld priorities for avoiding clearing of vegetation in the first place, and failures to monitor and enforce offsets. However some of the issues identified cannot be explained as simple failures in implementation. The issues arising in Victoria also illustrate some of the inherent problems with designing and implementing biodiversity offsetting schemes and the limitations of such schemes as biodiversity conservation mechanisms.
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    Practical environmentalism' or public relations? The Australian Environment Foundation and Environmental debate in Australia
    Caufield, Lauren ( 2007)
    This paper critically examines the activities and strategies of the newly formed Australian Environment Foundation (AEF) as a case study of pro-industry groups engaged in influencing public perception, opinion and policy around environment issues in Victoria and nationally. Tracking and evaluating the organisation's current strategies, it examines in detail its industry links, funding, ideological background, structure and key players, together with its ongoing and developing campaigns, materials, objectives, media coverage and outcomes. Arguing that AEF constitutes a `front group,' this paper asserts that unlike its issue specific predecessors in the front-group movement in Australia, the organisation presents a new multi-issue agenda, spanning logging and mining issues, climate change, genetic modification and a host of environmental debates, together with broader attacks on the environment movement and existing environment groups. As such, The AEF represents an important shift in green backlash and the emerging anti environment movement in Australia.