A widely recognised and accepted goal for contemporary society is to manage, protect or improve the environment. This goal materialises at a governmental level in the form of environmental policy and environmental planning. This module examines the form, structure, outcome and ongoing evolution of environmental policy and planning as societies strive to become more sustainable, focusing largely on a Malaysian context. The aim of the module is not to provide you with a lot of detailed information about particular environmental policies or plans (although there will be case studies which focus on particular environmental issues). It is rather to analyse the process of making environmental sustainability policies and carrying out environmental planning and the principles that are now being employed.

Learning outcomes:

The main learning objectives are for you, on completion of the module to:

1. Demonstrate a critical understanding and advanced ability to evaluate the approaches to environmental policy and planning within Malaysia context, and the role that sustainability has played as a concept in shaping the latter;

2. Demonstrate an advanced understanding of, and ability to analyse the role and limitations of selected aspects of the pollution control, environmental and land use planning systems;

3. Critically assess the use of environmental and sustainability assessment methodologies within the context of environmental policy and planning;

4. Evaluate public participation and stakeholder engagement approaches and techniques within the context of environmental policy and planning;

5. Research, analyse and present information appropriate for inclusion in an environmental appraisal of a development proposal.


MQF Learning Outcome Area
MQF1 - Innovation, Knowledge and critical thinking skills
MQF2 - Practical skills
MQF3 - Social skills & responsibilities
MQF4 - Values, attitudes, professionalism and ethics
MQF5 - Communications, leadership and team skills
MQF6 - Problem solving & scientific skills
MQF7 - Research, Information management and lifelong learning skills
MQF8 - Managerial & entrepreneurial skills

Assessment Methods and Types

The module will be assessed by:

A Report weighted at (50%). An Examination weighted at (50%)

A Project Report length 1750 WORDS weighted at (50%).
You are required to contribute 1750 words or equivalent to a group project report that will focus on discussing and assessing the application of EIA and public participation to a development proposal case study. This will consider a range of elements - the legislative context, the scoping, the identification of stakeholders and ways of engaging the participation of the local community in the decision-making process, principles and techniques to planning dilemmas, using a case study studied by the interrogation of primary documentation and fieldwork. The case study is based on the ‘real world’ proposals – Klang Valley / sepang development proposal

Examination (50%)
You are required to take a 2-hour examination at the end of module. This will consist of a short answer section (accounting for 50% of the mark) and an essay section. The remaining 50% of the exam mark is assessed by 1 essay, chosen from a list of 4 titles.

Essential Reading
The following book covers a substantial part of the module and may be considered the nearest to a core text:

Elling Bo (2010) Rationality and the Environment: Decision-making in Environmental Politics and Assessment

Gibson Robert B. (2005) Sustainability Assessment Criteria and Processes. London: Earthscan

Heywood Phil (2011) Community Planning: Integrating Social and Physical Environments. Wiley-Blackwell; London

Roberts, C. (2010) Environmental Policy (2nd. Edition) London: Routledge

Rydin, Y. (2010) Governing for Sustainable Urban Development London: Earthscan
Therivel Riki (2010) Strategic Environmental Assessment in Action (Second Edition) London: Earthscan

Weston, J. (2005) Planning and Environmental impact Assessment in Practice,

Susannah Bunce (2017) Sustainability Policy, Planning, and Gentrification in Cities : New York :Routledge