Environmental Policy Process, Policy Analysis, and Law

Introduction:

The study of environmental policy and law examines complex policy processes governing environmental resources, the rules that emerge from these processes, the incentives they create, and their socio-ecological impacts. In general, we distinguish law—rules with the coercive power of the state—from policy, the discretionary exercise of authority to set and implement these rules.

Governance of shared environmental resources requires participation of a multitude of actors, including governmental agencies at various levels, inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations, private sector, partnerships, and networks. These actors define policy problems in different ways, have different priorities for and power over setting policy agendas, devise a range of policy solutions, and evaluate them using a multitude of criteria. The use of shared environmental resources frequently involves trade-offs, and sometimes conflicts within and among communities. These conflicts can be addressed in policy design or adjudicated.

At SMEA, students all get a basis in environmental policy process and policy analysis, as well as in ocean and coastal law and policy. Those with deeper interest have access to a wide range of relevant courses and experiences through SMEA, the larger College of the Environment, the Evans School, and the Law School. Faculty research in the area ranges from policies and laws governing the Arctic, the climate, and other global commons to those governing local shared resources, and provision of public goods.

Faculty active in this research area:

Please see individual faculty web pages for more about their work in this area.

Related SMEA courses:

  • SMEA 515: US Ocean and Coastal Law
  • SMEA 519: Marine Policy Analysis
  • SMEA 521: Climate Change Governance
  • SMEA 550: Marine Biodiversity: Law, Science, and Policy

Other relevant courses are offered through the UW School of Law and the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance.

Examples of what MMA faculty and students do in this research area:

  • Gain a conceptual framework to analyze marine and environmental public policies
  • Examine the nature of environmental problems and how they are framed in the policy discourse
  • Draw on multiple disciplines to define policy problems and objectives and devise alternative policy solutions
  • Explore how policy decisions are made in the face of scientific uncertainty, differences in agenda-setting power, and social conflict
  • Learn relevant statutes and doctrine and their real world application in marine affairs
  • Learn to interpret legal materials
  • Explore legal aspects of ocean and coastal policy issues
  • Build skills to facilitate communication between managers, lawyers, and scientists

Examples of related MMA student theses:

Examples of related MMA student capstones:

  • Adams, Elise; Hoffman, Nika; Plummer, Katalin; Winterhaler, Jack. 2024. Excavating the regulatory process and risks posed by Alaska hardrock mine expansions.
  • Daly, Molly; Donnelly, Elley. 2023. Capstone: Multi-level governance for conserving migratory shorebirds.
  • Santana, Alana; Spurr, Rory. 2023. Capstone: Tracking ESA-listed fish research on the West Coast.

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