The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been considered one of the most innovative federal agencies in the nation, and the agency recently has employed a new stakeholder engagement practice in rule makings termed shuttle diplomacy. Though the agency has long been experimenting with new stakeholder practices, it is unclear what factors explain the agency’s decision to settle on shuttle diplomacy. This study conducts original interviews with senior career civil servants at the EPA to unpack this decision-making process. These data are then structured by applying Toddi Steelman’s (2010) implementing innovation framework so as to assess what factors are most impactful in the adoption of this new innovative procedure at the EPA. This research suggests that Steelman’s structure and individual variable are of value in explaining the EPA’s rationale for adopting this new practice. Finally, this research discusses the implications of this approach and the practical and political constraints that impact its use.

Environmental Practice 16: 171–181 (2014)

Applying the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) to an island setting offers insight into whether and how standardization of subnational GPI models can adequately capture important local conditions and inform local policy. We argue in favor of localization and against scaling down national data and transferring valuation studies to Hawaii because of the state’s unique setting. To localize GPI to our context, we suggest (a) omitting some indicators that are not applicable to Hawaii; (b) expanding and discretizing the list of indicators to other important economic, environmental, and social changes; and (c) amending existing indicators to better reflect their contribution to Hawaii’s welfare. This would involve (a) improving local data on economic, social, and environmental changes; (b) building new indicators through a participatory process; and (c) conducting local valuation studies that accurately reflect the social value of the changes.

Environmental Practice 16: 1–12 (2014)

Natural capital is of critical importance for biodiversity and people’s well-being. Studies indicate that understanding the connection between environmental health and human benefit (i.e., ecosystem services) can promote conservation-friendly decisions; however, many people don’t recognize the benefits they derive from nature, nor the way their decisions affect those benefits—and the consequences for our communities and economy. One method we have tested for educating people about ecosystem services and valuation is game-based learning. To help people understand their potential impact on ecosystem services, and how alternative decisions can have better or worse outcomes for people and nature, we created two social simulation games collectively called Tradeoff! Through an iterative design process and pilot testing in a number of locations with a variety of audiences, we have developed a set of learning principles for educational ecosystem service games.

Environmental Practice 00: 1–11 (2014)

The adverse impacts of climate change have become some of the most serious threats faced by humankind. China, the largest greenhouse gas emitter, has a huge impact on global climate change and thus has an inescapable responsibility to take necessary steps to mitigate it. In response to the gradual but increasingly serious adverse impact of climate change, the Chinese government has promulgated many laws, regulations, and policies to refine the specific areas of mitigating climate change in accordance with its obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, which form the fundamental international legal framework for addressing these issues. Nevertheless, many gaps still exist in the legislation for climate change. Besides, weak implementation and enforceability of climate change laws are still big problems in China. Furthermore, the Chinese environmental nongovernmental organizations should be granted more powers in the field of mitigating climate change. Lastly, although China should take further responsibility for preventing global climate change, the objective of mitigating climate change will never be achieved without effective international cooperation in this field.

Environmental Practice 16: 205–229 (2014)

For students of environmental science and studies, as well as students in sustainability programs, critical thinking about the economy–environment interdependence is a key learning objective and a foundational part of the undergraduate curriculum. There are many courses that could provide initial exposure to economic theory. However, not all are as adept at providing this combination of critical thinking, relevance to important global issues, and economy–environment interdependence. This article looks at neoclassical economics, environmental economics, and ecological economics and uses the literature to weigh which of these courses would be most well suited for an introductory economics course in environmental science and studies and sustainability undergraduate curriculum. Introductory courses in neoclassical economics have been criticized for avoiding controversy, failing to consider the moral dilemmas with economic theory and policy, and excluding ethics. Additionally, neoclassical economics treats the study of economy–environment interdependence as an optional extra rather than as one of the immutable foundations of the field. Environmental economics uses a variety of techniques to assign market values to externalities like ecosystem services, pollution, and natural resource depletion so that they can be incorporated into the market model. These techniques alone, however, do not provide a correct framework through which to view the interdependence between the economy and the environment. Ecological economics, while far from the current economic paradigm, allows for critical consideration of this interdependence.

Environmental Practice 16: 1–9 (2014)

Design-build projects present unique challenges with respect to environmental documentation and regulatory compliance. This article highlights the use of reevaluations of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents to address these challenges, drawing on examples from the State Route (SR) 520 Bridge Replacement and High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Program (SR 520 Program), in Seattle, Washington. Reevaluations provide a tool with which project proponents can confirm the validity of existing NEPA documentation relatively quickly and efficiently. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) worked together to develop a reevaluation process that ensures the environmental documentation for the SR 520 Program keeps pace with the design. WSDOT learned valuable lessons through this process, including coordinating early, developing a transition plan, assigning an environmental coordinator, clarifying expectations, and tracking design developments. These recommendations could be useful in future design-build highway projects.

Environmental Practice 00: 1–7 (2014)

There is widespread belief, currently, that financial markets are well equipped, and should be given the responsibility, to deal with environmental management. In this context, the commodification of nature would appear to serve useful purposes. This article argues that, from the viewpoint of environmental practice, these perspectives do not make a lot of sense, in large part because nature follows rules that are entirely different than those of financial markets and because the limited knowledge that specialists have of many natural processes prevents meaningful monetization. I also point out that, fortunately, within economics, a subdiscipline known as ecological economics tends to advocate caution in this area and offers much-needed common sense amid overwhelming market rhetoric.

Environmental Practice 16: 1–3 (2014)

In the March 2014 issue of Environmental Practice, NAEP president Harold Draper lamented that “despite all that is being written in the scientific community, efforts to address the unfolding crisis are failing miserably.” He further points out the need to get businesses involved with their considerable leverage in society. The present essay suggests that the emerging discipline of ecological economics can serve as a bridge and a model giving common language to connect the scientific and business communities. Then the many and varied projects of the readers of Environmental Practice can be placed within the context of the economy. In this context, the business community can more easily appreciate and value just how important the environment and these projects are to the proper functioning of the economy. A particular point of emphasis will be on the efforts to rescue economics from the grip of maximizing return to shareholders and to make the case for the importance of physical place such as communities and bioregions, in the past referred to as the Commons.

Environmental Practice 16: 1–9 (2014)