Celebrating 25 years of the Australasian Journal of Environmental Management: the environment profession’s purpose, vision and values

2019 is the 25th anniversary of the Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, the journal of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand. The journal was founded in 1994, to provide an interdisciplinary source of scholarly articles to guide policy and practice specific to the two member countries, later increasing in international scope. A short history of the journal is provided in the editorial of the 20^th anniversary issue (Carter & Ross 2014). A history of the EIANZ (Anderson et al. 2014) is in the same issue.

We celebrate this significant year with editorials featuring themes important to the Institute and the profession, and special issues. In this issue, guest editor Vicki Brady, Vice-President (Australia) of the EIANZ, explains the participatory process followed in refreshing the Institute’s purpose, vision and values. Later in 2019 we expect to publish one or more of three special issues currently in preparation: on Aboriginal water management, wind energy development, and heritage as part of environmental management.

EIANZ professional purpose, vision and values

In July 2018, the EIANZ Board formed an eight -person working group to focus on the development of a new draft purpose, vision and values for the EIANZ, to complement revisions to the Corporate Plan, due in mid-2019. The highly participatory process led by the working group demonstrated the values-based approach, aiming to engage and consult with as many EIANZ members as possible. It elicited statements that would define who we are (purpose), who we want to be (vision), and what we believe in and how we behave (values).

Three steps have been held to date:

• A Buzzword Bingo activity was carried out during August 2018, at Division and Chapter annual general meetings. This activity gave participants the opportunity to choose from over 30 words that relate to the EIANZ’s identity and how we serve our members. Participants were encouraged to rank these words to identify whether they were considered a good (or not-so-good) fit with the EIANZ.

• A member-wide survey was released in September 2018, with 116 responses. The findings of the Buzzword Bingo activity were used to develop questions and gauge the level of agreement with each statement. Free text options enabled respondents to provide additional information, which the working group considered during the assessment phase.

• Trees of Aspiration were created at the EIANZ annual conference in Sydney in early November 2018. Posters with outlines of trees were displayed prominently in the foyer throughout the conference. All attendees were invited to annotate with felt pens or sticky notes on what a purpose, vision or value means to them, along with agreeing (or respectfully disagreeing) with what others had written (see figure 1).

From the results of these activities, the group worked through multiple iterations, presenting the following draft purpose, vision and values to the EIANZ Board for comment on December 11^th 2018.

Figure 1: Tree of aspiration – purpose - filled at the EIANZ Annual Conference 2018

Our purpose is to connect environmental professionals for a more sustainable tomorrow.

Our vision is to improve the environment for everyone, by:

• Representing the environment profession

• Striving and advocating for better outcomes through raising practice standards

• Unifying diverse practitioners towards common goals

Our values are that we are:

• Ethical: We share a commitment to ethical professional practice and environmental responsibilities.

• Excellence: We establish and enhance high standards of environmental practice.

• Engaged: We are a credible and engaged voice for evidence-based environmental management.

The draft is currently going through a final round of presentation to Institute members for comment, to be ratified by the EIANZ executive late in March 2019 in time to influence the next revision of the EIANZ Corporate Plan (2019-2021). Comments are welcome from all EIANZ members and can be provided to Vicki Brady via [email protected] until COB Thursday 28th February.

Articles in this issue

Each of the articles in this issue explores human attempts towards achieving sustainability. Topics include: best practices for farmers to address climate risk; understanding drivers for landholder protection of wetlands; uptake of household renewable energy; rationale for companies’ carbon disclosure strategies; and a survey of environmental professionals. These are an apt reminder of the important and varied roles of environmental managers, researchers, and policy makers in driving towards a sustainable future.

Two important issues in risk management and climate adaptation in agriculture are identifying best management practices and research priorities. David George, Jeff Clewett, David Lloyd, Richard McKellar, Poh-Ling Tan, Mark Howden, Lauren Rickards, David Ugalde and Snow Barlow treat the northern sub-tropical grains region of Australia as a case study. They conducted a set of workshops with landholders to assess best management practice standards for dryland grains crops, then compared results from these workshops to literature, to update research priorities. The authors recommend that increased priority be given to education and extension on risk management, and collaborative processes between farmers, industry and scientists to improve best management practices. These should be developed for incremental and transformative adaptation, and management of extreme climatic events. Methods for increasing adoption are an important consideration.

Wetlands on private land, in Victoria’s Wimmera and elsewhere, are an important environmental asset. They are threatened by a number of processes, including cropping. Emily Mendham and Allan Curtis surveyed Wimmera landholders’ views about cropping on or draining wetlands, which despite being regulated, and considerable public engagement, continues to occur. The drivers are mainly economic. Their analysis offers many suggestions for targeted engagement, differentiating between commercial and other landholders who own wetlands. The authors also suggest offering financial incentives for active management beyond that required by law.

Angela Paladino and Ameet Pandit studied the motivations behind household purchase of green electricity in Australia, to help providers increase their appeal to consumers. The renewable marketplace has been confused by a number of policy changes since 2012. This marketplace needs development to realise its potential to ameliorate Australia’s status as one of the world’s highest emitters of greenhouse gases per person. Governments have a role in disseminating clear and factual information, and in making policies that affect pricing mechanisms and hence households’ incentives to consider renewable sources. Providers need to ‘inform and excite’ potential consumers through product differentiation, value-added services, and building trust.

David Herold and Ki-Hoon Lee note that existing research on companies’ carbon disclosure strategies has struggled to differentiate types of disclosure strategy, or to explore interactions between internal and external pressures on companies in forming those strategies. Studying leading global logistics companies, they created a typology of response to high and low internal and external pressures respectively. They found that key internal drivers are the company’s policies and procedures, such as those concerning emissions reductions, while key external drivers are high engagement with policy makers and NGOs. Most companies had a consistent approach to carbon disclosure, either responding genuinely to both internal and external influences with effective initiatives, or avoiding both drivers by relying on symbolic pronouncements.

Ian Thomas follows up two previous surveys of environmental professionals, to document the most recent characteristics of those in the profession, their anticipation of the profession’s future, and skills they find important. Within the sampling limitations of an internet survey reliant on selected mailing lists, he found little change from previous surveys. The profession continues to show great variety, in sectors of employment, degrees held and job descriptions. Most respondents were optimistic about the profession, but shifts were evident in some of the types of work, such as declines in policy, legislation and enforcement, and in research and development. Concern was raised about general support for the profession in the future. This set of data forms a useful basis for promotion and enhancement of the profession. Opportunities lie in increasing transferrable skills based on formal education and work experience, to support mobility within the profession.

Editors tip:

How should an author respond to peer reviewer advice? It is easy to be dismayed if reviews are unfavourable, especially if they are also worded in less than diplomatic ways.

First, put it aside for a day or two, then return to read it more carefully and calmly. Work out what the reviewers are really saying, or looking for. A common approach is to use the rejoinder table for the team of authors to plan and list how to address each comment. Then, as the manuscript is finalised, edit the rejoinder table into a final form.

You may believe that the reviewers have failed to understand your work – if so, consider whether you have communicated your purpose and arguments sufficiently. Address all points in each review sincerely and diligently: editors and reviewers are not impressed if you skimp. Look out for ways to address comments parsimoniously. For example, sometimes if you are asked to explain or justify a point, a small edit to the words in contention may solve the problem, rather than new content. You are permitted to disagree with some of the advice, but always justify why you should not make the change requested. It is best not to do this often: editors are unimpressed with authors who appear not to be trying or are rigid in defending their viewpoint.

Above all, take a positive attitude. You, the reviewers and editor want to see the best possible work published. Embrace this chance to raise your standard, to better communicate your message to the reader, and welcome the assistance.

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the members of the EIANZ working group created to develop EIANZ’s purpose, vision and values: Vicki Brady (Chair and EIANZ Board representative), Carolyn Cameron (ACT Division President, Advisory Council Chair and representative), Mark Bellingham (New Zealand Vice President), David Carberry (SEQ Division), Jack Annear (SA Division), Jill Bunnell (Victorian Division), and Alan Chenoweth (CEnvP Board Chair and representative).