MSc Environmental Governance

The course unit introduces the concept of Green Infrastructure and its application in policies and practice. Using global examples of the design, development and investment in Green Infrastructure the module will make links between the principles of landscape and urban sustainability and the implementation of these theories in practice. It will take a purposefully broad approach to these debates to integrate both conceptual and real-world practice from planning, geography, urban, environmental and landscape studies to present Green Infrastructure as a polymath term that is applicable to scenarios across the built and natural environment.

To achieve this the module will be focussed around the conceptual, spatial, disciplinary and temporal presentations of Green Infrastructure presented in the academic, policy and practice literature. Assessing landscape and urban change from this perspective will provide the module with a set of analytical lenses through which the format, focus and delivery of Green Infrastructure can be assessed against competing socio-cultural, political, economic and ecological needs. This will be complimented by the discussion and deconstruction of the concept’s principles in

1. Describe the historical and contemporary development of GI within landscape and urban planning.

2. Engage with a variety of academic, policy and practice-based resources to determine the influence of complex interactions of stakeholders, scale, and planning context in the development of GI

3. Demonstrate a knowledge of the UK and international planning systems to examine GI from different disciplinary, geographical, and spatial contexts.

1. Face-to-Face 

Each week a face-to-face/synchronous lecture will be held developing core ideas regarding the development and utility of GI in practice. These will focus on the core issues of the module including: context, scale, stakeholders and the interaction of policy and practice, to illustrate the complexity and complimentary nature of the design, investment and management of GI in different geographical contexts.  



2. Pre-recorded lecture/Q&A materials  

Each lecture will be supported with pre-recorded material outlining key issues related to GI development, policies and practice, which will be used as introductions to the more detailed discussions presented in lectures. The materials will vary in length from brief introductions to mini-lectures, specific details will be provided to students during the module.  


3. Individual tutorials  

Each tutorial will be offered to students to support the development of their assignments. Tutorials will be up to 30-minutes and agreed with the module Coordinator. 



4. Field class  

Manchester virtual field class – pre-recorded tour of key GI in Manchester prepared for Week 1 of teaching (hosted on the VLE) 



5. Online information/evidence repository   

The VLE site holds a repository of academic and practitioner focussed articles, policies, videos, weblinks and podcast links. These should be used to supplement the module reading and to provide complimentary evidence/examples to support student learning.  

Demonstrate an understanding of different approaches to GI across the globe.
Have an overview of the current issues facing cities in relation to their future development of GI.
Demonstrate a critical understanding of how cities, different stakeholders and communities of interest are engaging with competing social, economic and environmental demands.

Display an understanding of the spatial disparities between cities and their application of GI thinking.
Illustrate your arguments with examples and case studies drawn from cities around the world.

Demonstrate an appreciation of the various methods that have been used to study the current and future challenges facing cities around the world with respect to climate, health, economic development and landscape/urban development.
Illustrate your arguments with examples and case studies drawn from cities around the world.

Critical writing and analysis.
Development of professional Briefing Reports 
Effectively communicate ideas and concepts orally, visually and in writing

Presentation (10 minutes) 40%

Briefing Report (2000 words) 60%

Summative feedback will be given via written feedback uploaded on the VLE.  
 

Austin, G. (2014). Green Infrastructure for Landscape Planning: Integrating Human and Natural Systems. New York: Routledge.
Beatley, T. (2000). Green Urbanism: Learning from European Cities. Washington DC: Island Press.
Benedict, M. A., & McMahon, E. T. (2006). Green Infrastructure: Linking Landscapes and Communities. Urban Land (Vol. June). Washington DC: Island Press.
Coutts, C. (2016). Green Infrastructure and Public Health. Abingdon: Routledge.
Dover, J. (2015). Green Infrastructure: Incorporating plants and enhancing biodiversity in buildings and urban environments. Abingdon: Routledge.
Firehock, K. (2015). Strategic Green Infrastructure Planning: A Multi-Scale Approach. Washington, DC: Island Press.
Hellmund, P. C., & Smith, D. (2006). Designing Greenways: Sustainable Landscapes for Nature and People. Washington DC: Island Press.
Mell, I. C. (2016). Global Green frastructure: Lessons for successful policy-making, investment and management. Abingdon: Routledge.
Sinnett, D., Smith, N., & Burgess, S. (2015). Handbook on Green Infrastructure: Planning, design and implementation. (D. Sinnett, N. Smith, & S. Burgess, Eds.). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.