Planning and Policy-Making

states.” The rise in temperature spikes on land and at sea affects crops and fishery production (Henson 2006, pp. 69–70, 117–120). The rising sea level can destroy the low-lying islands and countries displacing many millions of people. Pacific island nations are the most physically and economically vulnerable to climate change and extreme weather like floods, and cyclones. For example, Kiribati lies only about six feet above sea level, which is the projected to rise in sea levels shown in the latest climate models. The government of Kiribati has purchased 6,000 acres in Fiji encouraging migration with dignity (Ives 2016). The World Health Organization has warned that nearly sixty million people currently face risks of malnutrition, water, mosquito-borne diseases and other illnesses (Fountain 2016). Human and industrial activities are responsible for climate change and the high emission of gasses is responsible for the change in climate. The major challenge for the government is to reduce the greenhouse gases responsible for climate change. In the following pages, the chapter analyzes the necessary steps to deal with the challenges of maintaining sustainability.

PlannIng and PolIcy-makIng One of the steps governments can undertake is to develop plans and policymaking for environmental sustainability. Leuenberger (2007) asserts that environmental sustainability and sustainable development have become a component of government planning and policymaking. He elaborates the several themes from the symposium on sustainability. First, authors have agreed on the complex and multi-dimensional nature of the environmental problem. The problem composed of “many interacting parts where relationships between cause and effect can be shifting and subtle and where surprises are constantly emerging” (Keil 1994, pp. 4–5). Second, it requires non-incremental and transformational changes. Third, it requires technical and market-based knowledge, and the solutions require citizen’s expert knowledge, cooperation, and adaptation. Environment solutions require the participation of the citizens in decision-making processes (Inglehart 1997, p. 232; Kemmis 2001; Sirianni and Friedland 2001). Fischer advocates the issue of the “hierarchical character of both expertise and democratic elitism” (Fischer 2000, p. 39). Public administrators need to enlist the cooperation of experts to understand the problem and develop the policies necessary to maintain sustainability.

Meadowcroft (2005) proposed the introduction of sustainability initiatives to include production and consumption based on less environmentally