Analysis of Environmental Planning Report for UXH 331

This report, prepared for the UXH 331 Environmental Planning course, examines the critical environmental challenges facing urban development in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) region, primarily focusing on climate change and water quality issues. It identifies the specific problems associated with rising sea temperatures, ocean acidification, and population changes. The report then delves into the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) process, detailing its methods and the role of team members in conducting the assessment. The report also analyzes the SLA (Ooralea- Bakers Creek), examining its features, population, and industries. The conclusion recommends against further development in the area due to increased flood risks and suggests considering Busselton, Western Australia, as a more suitable alternative. A reflection section highlights the learning experience, emphasizing the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration, communication skills, and teamwork in the SEA process, and the relevance of the experience to professional practice. The report references key journals and books related to environmental impact assessment and strategic environmental assessment.

UXH 331 ENVIRONMENTAL
PLANNING

Table of Contents
Overview..........................................................................................................................................1
Problem for urban development in GBR.....................................................................................1
SLA and its features.....................................................................................................................1
Methods used to undertake SEA..................................................................................................1
Members role and discipline areas...............................................................................................2
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................2
Reflection.........................................................................................................................................2
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

Overview
Problem for urban development in GBR
The main problem for GBR is climate change and poor quality of water. Such that due to
altered weather pattern which are predicted as a climate change accelerates that includes intense
cyclones and floods. Moreover, it is also analysed that sea temperature is also increases and as a
result it leads to further bleaching and possible deaths of corals as well as other organism which
may damage the entire reef ecosystem (Noble and Nwanekezie, 2017). Further, sudden decrease
in ocean pH level also reduced the capacity in order to create habitat. In addition to this, another
problem is temporary population and the even due to sudden migration, these affect the urban
development in GBR. Moreover, environment pollution is another serious problem that affect the
overall environment of the city in negative way.
SLA and its features
The SLA is Ooralea- Bakers Creek which is the small town and coastal locality in
Queensland. Further, as per 2006 census, it had the population of 770 only, but in 2015, its
population reaches around 5000. The working age population in this area is 15-64 and it has
around 600 business only. The main industry working under this is meat processing plant and
this also supplies domestic market as well as export market. Moreover, the area has only one
school for boys and girls. This SLA is flat and low lying and is well watered by the watercourse
which flows into Coral sea. Moreover, the land is predominantly used for growing the sugar cane
and therefore, its network also tries to harvest sugar cane to the local sugar mills as well.
Moreover, the main industry is the large meat processing plant which is operated in this area
which is a subsidiary of NH food as well.
Methods used to undertake SEA
Strategic Environmental Assessment refers to describe environmental assessment process
for plan and programs which are already approved earlier by the authorities. Therefore, some
methods are used for Strategic Environment Assessment are as mention below:
Strategic: main focus on the decision – making processes for policy- plan programs.
Environment: Goal is to make sustainable goal between human need and an
environment (Rega and Baldizzone, 2015).
Therefore, it is required to take place at earlier stages of decision making cycle, multi-
stage process with different variation. It main focus on “do most good” and also gives early
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warning of cumulative impacts as well. Moreover, SEA also take of International Association on
Impact Assessment which is the leading global network on impact assessment that also identify
the future consequences of the proposed actions in order to provide better facilities. Moreover,
by finding the driving force that affect the overall business into the working area will also help to
determine the best suited tool for the SLA. Further, by making best decision and work
accordingly will also help to determine methods used for this.
Members role and discipline areas
Team member main work is to present the entire work in systematic way and team leader
delegate the roles as per each member's skills and abilities. Therefore, each of us, listen, respond
constructively and also provide support to each other in order to deliver the best project.
Moreover, one of us member first help to understand what is the concept of SEA and another
colleague shows own knowledge related to methods introduce by government in order to solve
the problem of urban development (Whitehead, Kujala and Wintle 2017). Another member,
encourage to do proper research so that we also come to know the concept of Strategic
Environment Assessment. Therefore while presenting the topic in class, each of support each
other and build confidence to face every situation and give our best,
Conclusion
By summing up, it has been concluded that Strategic Environment Assessment mainly
focus on the decision- making process as well as policy plan programs which helps to meet the
human need and environment. Moreover, it is also recommended that the area is not consider for
better place because the chances of flood is increases. That is why, it is recommended to choose
Busselton which is situated in Western Australia who have low population and have warm
climate as well. It is so because there are more risk factor that needs to be consider in Ooralea-
Bakers Creek i.e. high soil erosion potential, wetlands, recurring flooded areas which affect the
entire life in negative way (Tulloch and et.al., 2019). That is why, to choose another option is
better.
Reflection
The entire Journey of Strategic Environment Assessment is so good and through this, I
also enhance my knowledge and also learn different terms as well. Such that earlier I did not
know the deep concept of SEA but now, I realize that is is the term that describe the entire
environment assessment process through plan and policies which are already approved and
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sanction by an authority. Therefore, we all work in the multi-disciplinary collaboration and
whenever we ace any issues, we provide a range of solutions in order to reach conclusion. In
addition to this, I also realized that this experience is directly relevant to the professional practice
because it will help me to manage the things properly and I also raise my communication skills
as well as team wok abilities which will further in my profession too.
On the other side, as I learn different new terms and also raise my knowledge while
working on this project and this is all because of my team. We all continuously encourage each
other and while working in a team I realize that it is far better than working individual. Initially,
we tool a lot of time to understand each other but day by day we got to know that each of us
have own strength and weaknesses and therefore, we delegate the task as per the strength only.
Such that on of the team member have good communication skill and that is why, we assign a
role to present our entire project in front of others. In addition to this, another have good
understanding and research skills that helps to let everyone know the meaning of SEA.
Therefore, by following this process, we build the team and complete the project.
Beside this, I also realize that working with colleagues and a team will help to share new
ideas and knowledge to each other and it leads to brainstorming. Even if the team is working
with proper collaboration with each other, I think that individual have so many things to learn
and develop. Such that through this project, whenever one of us feel low- confidence, then all of
us try to cheer and motivates each other so that we deliver the best by put good efforts. Overall,
working with the groups is one of my best experience and I also learn and enhance so many
skills which further help me in my future career as well. Thus, experiencing with SEA is best
and working with team leads to raise my team working abilities too.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Noble, B. and Nwanekezie, K., 2017. Conceptualizing strategic environmental assessment:
Principles, approaches and research directions. Environmental Impact Assessment
Review, 62, pp.165-173.
Rega, C. and Baldizzone, G., 2015. Public participation in Strategic Environmental Assessment:
A practitioners' perspective. Environmental Impact Assessment Review. 50. pp.105-115.
Tulloch, A. I. and et.al., 2019. Integrating spatially realistic infrastructure impacts into
conservation planning to inform strategic environmental assessment. Conservation Letters,
p.e12648.
Whitehead, A. L., Kujala, H. and Wintle, B. A., 2017. Dealing with cumulative biodiversity
impacts in strategic environmental assessment: A new frontier for conservation
planning. Conservation letters.10(2). pp.195-204.
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