The Fortune Teller s Role

Transcription

1 Problem Formulation and Integrated Planning RENR 650 Leadership Development and Management of Environmental NGOs Dr. Doug Loh The Fortune Teller s Role Environmental NGOs are usually the ones who foresee problems facing our societies Environmental Advocacy has been a main instrument in swaying public opinions toward supporting solving environmental problems Fortune-telling and Advocacy are tricky as any environmental problem can be a complex which interlink with other issues 1

2 Types of Environmental Problems (examples) Worldwide Global Warming Trans-boundary transport of toxic waste National Desertification Water shortage and water quality deterioration Regional Natural disaster Local Waste disposal, neighborhood quality of life Environmental Problems in the Gulf of Mexico Region Coastal Development Ecological Indicators Ecotourism Endangered Species Habitat Loss Harmful Algal Blooms Hypoxia Invasive Species Oil and Gas Development Overfishing and Bycatch Pollution Public Health Restoration Sustainable Development Reference: 2

3 Four Iterative Stages of (Environmental) Problem-Solving Conceptualization Identifying, framing problems and formulating solution alternatives Integrated Planning - Developing and selecting solution alternatives and paths Implementation Mobilizing resources to carry out selected solution alternatives Monitoring Systematic and ad hoc auditing of the progress to ensure progress toward targets and objectives Auditing results are used to backtrack to appropriate stages for improvement or modification Information/data is the backbone for the above processes An Timely Example in the Context of Regional Problems Coastal Louisiana Overall Problem system collapse in Coastal Louisiana: The rate of coastal land loss in Louisiana has reached catastrophic proportions. Within the last 50 years, land loss rates have exceeded 40 square miles per year, and in the 1990 s the rate has been estimated to be between 25 and 35 square miles each year. This loss represents 80% of the coastal wetland loss in the entire continental United States. The system collapse render Coast Louisiana vulnerable to natural disasters, e.g. hurricane 3

4 Coast 2050 The Restoration Plan Conceptualization Value Recognizing functions and services of a healthy ecosystem is essential to sustain the world people inhabit Vision to sustain a coastal ecosystem that supports and protects the environment, economy and culture of southern Louisiana, and that contributes greatly to the economy and well-being of the nation Mission In partnership with the public, develop by December 22, 1998, a technically sound strategic plan to sustain coastal resources and provide an integrated multiple use approach to ecosystem management. Conceptualization helps frame the scope of the plan Coast 2050 The Restoration Plan Integrated Planning Defining Objectives Organizing Project Teams Conduct Planning Processes Developing Implementation Plans 4

5 Defining Objectives To sustain a coastal ecosystem with the essential functions and values of the natural ecosystem To restore the ecosystem to the highest practicable acreage of productive and diverse To accomplish this restoration through an integrated program that has multiple use benefits; benefits not solely for wetlands, but for all the communities and resources of the coast. Organizing Planning Teams 5

6 Geographic Coverage of the Project Teams to Facilitate Planning Conduct Planning Processes Consensus Building: public scoping hearings, regional team meetings and other gatherings Best Practice development: review of past plans and assessing of current state of the system; combining with public input to create synergies 6

7 The Coast 2050 Development Process Developing Implementation Plans Coast-wide Strategic Goals Coast-wide Strategic Approaches Coast-wide Strategies Region-specific Plans 7

8 Implementation Plans: Strategic Goals Goal 1: Assure vertical accumulation to achieve sustainability Goal 2: Maintain estuarine gradient to achieve diversity Goal 3: Maintain exchange and interface to achieve system linkages Implementation Plans: Strategic Approaches Enhance the ecosystem by using resources more efficiently Maintain the ecosystem by addressing known risks Recover the ecosystem by reversing the loss process Rebuild the ecosystem by creating new wetlands 8

9 Implementation Plans: Strategies Beneficial Use of Dredged Material from Maintenance Operations Dedicated Dredging for Wetland Creation Herbivory Control Stabilization of Major Navigation Channel Maintenance of Bay and Lake Shoreline Integrity Management of Pump Outfall for Wetland Benefits Vegetative Planting Maintain or Restore Ridge Functions Terracing Implementation Plans: Region-specific Plans Region-specific Strategies e.g. Restore Swamps; Restore/Sustain Marshes, etc. Tasks Associated with Each Strategies, e.g. under Restore Swamps: Small Mississippi River diversion at Blind River with outfall management Small Mississippi River diversion at Reserve Relief Canal with outfall management Restore natural drainage patterns Provide diversion-related flood protection where needed 9

10 Implementation and Monitoring It is easy to say than to do Policy, politics at all levels are at play Coast 2050 is a typical victim of inertia of inaction (This is not uncommon!) Were Coast 2050 implemented, the catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina could be averted Conclusions Keeping the Big Picture in mind is important in solving environmental problems; as the Katrina catastrophe shows, environment is fundamental to everything else Integrated life-cycle approach is the key to come up with solution paths; horizontal coordination and vertical accumulation need to be seriously promoted and monitored (Strength of a system is its weakest link) Leadership may be paramount to break inertia Main references: Coast 2050: Toward a Sustainable Coastal Louisiana Development of the 2050 Coast Plan 10