Collaborative sustainability
assessment for significant
land use planning and
development undertakings
a dna ™emiTk ciuQ
ros se rpmo ced
.e rut cip sih t ee s ot dedeen era
Dr Caroline Raphael
Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Environmental Science
Master of Arts in Ecologically Sustainable Development
Graduate Certificate in Economics
PhD
Presentation to the International Association for Impact Assessment
Porto, Portugal
May 2012
Overview
1. Research Process
2. Key literature review findings
3. Cases - Fremantle Harbours Policy and
ING Commercial Development
3. Case study findings
4. Framework
a dna ™emiTk ciuQ
ros se rpmo ced
.e rut cip sih t ee s ot dedeen era
Research Question
How could sustainability assessment and
deliberation best be applied for significant
land-use planning and development
undertakings in Western Australia?
a dna ™emiTk ciuQ
ros se rpmo ced
.e rut cip sih t ee s ot dedeen era
Research Process
1. Literature Review on Sustainability
Assessment and Deliberation
2. Case study analysis
• Examine how deliberation and
assessment currently takes place
• Determine what is more important for
deliberation from those involved
• Examine the influence of frames on
deliberation
3. Develop new theory for sustainability
assessment and deliberation
a dna ™emiTk ciuQ
ros se rpmo ced
.e rut cip sih t ee s ot dedeen era
Sustainability assessment
Defined as “‘new’ approaches to impact assessment that
are designed to direct planning and decision-making
towards sustainable development (SD)” (Hacking and Guthrie 2008)
Approaches
• Project-based sustainability assessment (EIAbased, urban sustainability assessment
frameworks)
• Plan or strategy-based sustainability assessment
(SEA, Sustainability Appraisal)
• Conceptual sustainability assessment
frameworks (deliberative sustainability
assessment, integrated sustainability
assessment, sustainability assessment)
a dna ™emiTk ciuQ
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.e rut cip sih t ee s ot dedeen era
Deliberation
An advanced or elevated form of talk
(Grimes
2008)
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Offers more than dialogue or debate conversations that matter (Carson 2008)
Dimensions of Deliberation
Seeking inclusivity
Searching for consensus or common
ground
Granting capacity to influence decisionmaking processes
Fostering greater understanding of the
issues and their implications
Honesty, trust and respect encouraged
Openness, goodwill, commitment and
responsibility
Managing media
Facilitator
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Cases
Fremantle Harbours Policy
• Proposed expansion of the Harbours to
meet increasing demand for boating
and alternate uses.
ING Commercial Development
• Proposed Office/Commercial/Retail
development on the Port of Fremantle
to meet demand for new office/retail
space.
a dna ™emiTk ciuQ
ros se rpmo ced
.e rut cip sih t ee s ot dedeen era
Fremantle Harbours Policy
a dna ™emiTk ciuQ
ros se rpmo ced
.e rut cip sih t ee s ot dedeen era
Qu i c k T i m e ™ a n d a
T I F F (U n c o m p re s s e d ) d e c o m p re s s o r
a re n e e d e d to s e e th i s p i c t u re .
Qu i c k T i m e ™ a n d a
T I F F (U n c o m p re s s e d ) d e c o m p re s s o r
a re n e e d e d to s e e th i s p i c t u re .
ING Commercial
Development
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Key Findings
Most important dimensions for deliberation
were:
• Seeking inclusivity
• Granting capacity to influence the
decision-making process
• Understanding of the issues
Assessment
• Poorly done (no criteria, little
transparency, no guidance, not
linked with the outcomes of
deliberation)
a dna ™emiTk ciuQ
ros se rpmo ced
.e rut cip sih t ee s ot dedeen era
Collaborative Sustainability
Assessment (CSA)
C
O
L
L
A
B
O
R
A
T
I
O
N
Filtering  Screening

Governance Structure  Oversight Committee

Purpose, option identification, scoping and baseline
development  Key question, goal  select options and critical
review their purpose  scope issues  set sustainability objectives,
criteria, targets and establish baseline

Assessment and Selection  Assess impacts and relationships 
select and enhance preferred option

Development of Management System and Strategies  Detail
impact management and mitigation measures, design
implementation, change management processes, follow-up,
monitoring and auditing program

Proposal  Proposal developed with associated documentation

Approval  Proposal submitted for approval
a dna ™emiTk ciuQ
ros se rpmo ced
.e rut cip sih t ee s ot dedeen era
CSA
• Should be the decision-making process
for significant land use planning and
development undertakings
• Planning needs to legitimise CSA like
EIA
• Objectives, targets, criteria, baselines
must be sustainability-oriented and
measurable (quantitatively,
qualitatively)
• Implementation, follow-up and
monitoring should be legally required
and audited to ensure objectives,
criteria etc. are being met.
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CSA
• Seeking inclusivity should be focused on
drawing representatives from the real
profile of the community
• Capacity to influence the process should
be genuine but also sensitive
• Designed for the co-creation of
knowledge and knowledge-sharing
through the assessment process
• Underpinned by an awareness and
understanding of frames, framereflection, frame-bridging and reframing
and their impact on the assessment
process and outcomes
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Key lessons !
1. Build supportive and constructive
collaborative relationships with those
that believe in CSA.
2. It is through relationships that issues
such as honesty, trust, respect,
openness, goodwill can be built and
conflict addressed. No process can do
this - it is about the individual in the
end.
3. Frames are fundamental to how
effective any form of assessment is and
what the outcomes become.
a dna ™emiTk ciuQ
ros se rpmo ced
.e rut cip sih t ee s ot dedeen era
Questions?
Ideas?
Contributions?
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.e rut cip sih t ee s ot dedeen era
Contact Details
Email: caroline_raphael@yahoo.co.uk
Thesis downloadable on
http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/6080/