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1 files changed, 29 insertions, 27 deletions

diff --git a/assignment1/discussion.tex b/assignment1/discussion.tex
index 83ab131..cd6695a 100644
--- a/assignment1/discussion.tex
+++ b/assignment1/discussion.tex
@@ -45,12 +45,16 @@ action. It is clear, however, that this approach not only delays the
 processing of resource consents, but also increases the likelihood of
 poor quality applications slipping through.
 
-
-\textcite{practitioners}
-- according to survey of practitioners checklists are most often used, matrices and expert EIA systems are not; checklists are overly simplistic.
-
-- poor environmental models / baseline => precautionary principle
-
+According to \textcite{retrospect}, ``EIA generally continues to bring
+about only relatively modest adjustments of development proposals.''
+Given the tendency of councils to accept subpar assessment reports and
+the fact that only a little more than half a percent of all resource
+consent applications are eventually declined \parencite{rma-survey},
+and considering that AEE practitioners rarely employ more advanced
+means of assessing impacts than overly simplistic
+checklists \parencite{practitioners}, it seems very likely that this
+statement applies to assessments in resource consent applications as
+well.
 
 
 \subsection{Participation of the public}
@@ -66,26 +70,26 @@ EIA process calls for the participation of the general public, in
 particular the participation of affected individuals or interest
 groups \parencite{wilkins}.
 
-It is therefore rather disappointing that even in recent reviews of
-international EIA practise, public participation remains on a fairly
-low level \parencite{eia-state-of-the-art}. Some of the main barriers
-to public participation cited by \textcite{eia-state-of-the-art} are:
+% TODO: need better sources for this statement It is therefore rather
+disappointing that even in recent reviews of international EIA
+practise, public participation remains on a fairly low
+level \parencite{eia-state-of-the-art}. Some of the main barriers to
+public participation cited by \textcite{eia-state-of-the-art} are:
 poor knowledge of the public about the process; poor provision of
 information; failure to influence the decision-making process; poor
-execution of participation methods; and regulatory constraints. As a
-review of resource consent processing performance in New Zealand
-indicates, especially the latter three are significant obstacles to
-public participation in New Zealand \parencite{TODO}.  % TODO
+execution of participation methods; and regulatory
+constraints. According to the 2010/11 survey of local authorities the
+New Zealand Ministry for the Environment carries out every two years,
+only about 6 per cent of all resource consents in the two-year period
+were notified in some way, with only 4 per cent being publically
+notified \parencite{rma-survey} (``poor provision of
+information''). Hence, there is limited opportunity for the public to
+participate in the decision-making process which may result in reduced
+participation in areas where it is still possible (``failure to
+influence the decision-making process'').
 
 % - opportunities for public involvement?
 
-According to the 2010/11 survey of local authorities the New Zealand
-Ministry for the Environment carries out every two years, only about 6
-per cent of all resource consents in the two-year period were notified
-in some way, with only 4 per cent being publically
-notified \parencite{rma-survey}.
-
-- limited opportunity for the public to influence decisions
 
 On the other hand, public participation ... leads to abuse, slow process miller2010implementing
 
@@ -130,7 +134,8 @@ same survey, however, only 68 per cent of those activities that
 required both resource consents and monitoring were monitored by
 regional and territorial councils. As a result, it is difficult to
 evaluate the accuracy of the predictions of a considerable number of
-AEE and the effectiveness of local plans and policies.
+AEE and the effectiveness of local plans and
+policies \parencite[p 49]{sadler}.
 
 % This is one of the reasons for the birth of Strategic Environmental Assessment.
 
@@ -149,14 +154,11 @@ consents'', due to slow implementation of the RMA ``local governments
 still rely on project EIA rather than undertaking policy and
 plan-level assessments'' (p 146).  The relative lack of guiding
 constraints on local plans favours regional differences in the
-implementation of environmental management practices \parencite{TODO}.
+implementation of environmental management
+practices \parencite[see]{discussion}.
 
 
 \subsection{TODO: Effective? Does EIA bring about sustainable development?}
-\textcite{retrospect}:
-``EIA generally continues to bring about only relatively modest adjustments of development proposals.''
-  also seems to apply for NZ resource consents:
-  - only a little more than half a percent of all resource consents are declined \parencite{rma-survey}
 
 - failure to predict important impacts
 - poor communication