Environmental Management Systems In Australian Agriculture

Students will be provided with a set of readings around a certain topic in environmental management (usually 2 journal articles corresponding to each module of study). All papers will be related to a central theme/industrial sector. Students are required to read the articles and reflect on them. Students are then required to write 1 piece (paper) using the provided articles only. The paper is expected to be analytical and reflective rather than a simple descriptive summary of the articles. Students may also refer to the corresponding chapters from the textbooks in their papers.

Cary and Roberts (2011)

The environmental management systems are generally implemented to put forth an improvement in the outcomes of the agricultural practices on the given environment. The main aim of environmental management systems is to present the next generation with a world wherein the sustainability is maintained in the various developmental activities. This also helps in the protection of the environment that surrounds us. The following essay aims to analyze the research studies of the eminent scholars on the environmental management systems and the implementation of the studies on the Australian agricultural sector.

Cary and Roberts (2011) in the article entitled “The limitations of environmental management systems in Australian agriculture” attempts a reviewing of the broad approaches that are undertaken by the Australian governments in the matters that are related to the improvement in the management of the land as well as the water systems. The land and the water systems are largely associated with the agricultural land within the territories of Australia. The article in discussion has helped me to gain knowledge on the advantage of the application of the environmental management systems. The environmental management systems are generally implemented to put forth an improvement in the outcomes of the agricultural practices on the given environment.

The article entitled “Tackling agricultural diffuse pollution: What might uptake of farmer-preferred measures deliver for emissions to water and air?” by Collins et al. (2016) on the other hand dealt with the failure of the various approaches that have been implemented in the United Kingdom. The article educated me on the application of the measures that were undertaken by the government in the United Kingdom. These measures had however failed in delivering the expected results due to the failure in the achievement of the high rates of adoption. The article also helped me learn about the various measures of mitigation that were adopted by the farmers in order to put forth an improvement in the agricultural aspects of the country.

Daddi et al. (2016) in the article entitled “Exploring the link between institutional pressures and environmental management systems effectiveness: an empirical study” discusses the highly debated institutional theory within the field of agriculture. The article has helped me to gain knowledge on the impact of the institutional pressures on the choices of the company regarding the environmental strategies that are proactive in nature. The article in discussion has also helped me in understanding the varied roles that are played by the coercive, the mimetic and the normative forces. The afore-mentioned factors are known to have been stimulating the competitive as well as the innovative responses that are depicted by the various firms that are certified in the matters related to the environmental measures.

de Oliveira et al. (2017) in the article entitled “How can Cleaner Production practices contribute to meet ISO 14001 requirements? Critical analysis from a survey with industrial companies” argue that the various organizations that are related to the business in the agricultural field should incorporate the measures that are related to the maximization of the environmental performances. The companies should abide by the performances that are put forth by the stakeholders of the concern. The authors further argue that the concerned business organizations might also need to discuss the ways to maximize the performance of the company in the economic sector as well as the concerned market at large. El Hanandeh (2015) in the article entitled “Energy recovery alternatives for the sustainable management of olive oil industry waste in Australia: life cycle assessment” attempts a discussion on the annual growth rate of the olive oil industry. The article discusses the highly polluting the solid waste as well as the wastewater management that have been posing serious challenges in the maintenance of the environmental sustainability within the agricultural industry of Australia.

Collins et al. (2016)

Leung and Yang (2012) in the article “Wind energy development and its environmental impact: a review” discusses the other factors that are related to the wind energy that are environmental impacts of developments of the wind farms. The article has helped me learn about the various environmental as well as the climatic impacts and the other factors that might result from the development of the wind farms that are located offshore as well as the development in the wind turbines. Lewandowska (2011) in the article entitled “Environmental life cycle assessment as a tool for identification and assessment of environmental aspects in environmental management systems (EMS) part 1: methodology” discusses the several possibilities that might arise in identifying as well as assessing the various aspects related to the environment in the management of the environmental systems. The article discusses the management of the environmental systems in light of the requirements that were set by the international standard of ISO 14001 and the EMAS regulations that have been set by the European Union. The article has helped me to study the various factors that are related to assessing the various aspects related to the environment in the management of the environmental systems.

On the contrary, Nguyen et al. (2014) in the article entitled “Modification of agricultural waste/by-products for enhanced phosphate removal and recovery: potential and obstacles” discusses the growth in the trends of the employment of the several by-products and the wastes of the agricultural industry as the required substrates in developing the various phosphate bisorbents. However, there is a severe lack in the sites of anion binding thereby rendering the natural by-products and the wastes of the agricultural industry inefficient in the matters related to the decontamination of the phosphates. The study, according to me, is essential in order to gather knowledge on the matters that pertain to the various cost-effective ways that are required for the modification of the by-products and the wastes of the agricultural industry. The study also assisted me in gathering knowledge on the environment-friendly ways that might be implemented in the modification of the by-products and the wastes of the agricultural industry.

Notarnicola et al. (2017) in the article entitled “The role of life cycle assessment in supporting sustainable agri-food systems: A review of the challenges” attempts a discussion on the challenges faced in the assessment of the life cycle in the matters that favor the sustainable systems related to the agriculture and food. The article has helped me to realize the interlinks that exist within the matters of emission and the multi-functionality that is implemented in the matters pertaining to the assessment multi-functionality depicted by the biological systems. The article further sheds light on the linkage of the afore-mentioned concept to the assessment of the impact on the life-cycle of the product.

Waters (2013) in the book entitled “Introduction to Environmental Management: for the NEBOSH Certificate in Environmental Management” discusses the scope of the management of the environment that surrounds us. The book discusses the overall broad approaches that should be undertaken by the several governmental bodies for the improvement in the management of the land as well as the water systems. The land and the water systems are largely associated with the agricultural land. The book has helped me to gain knowledge on the advantage of the application of the environmental management systems. The environmental management systems are generally implemented to put forth an improvement in the outcomes of the agricultural practices on the given environment. The book further discusses the various cost-effective ways that are required for the modification of the by-products and the wastes of the agricultural industry. This has also helped me in gathering knowledge on the environment-friendly ways that might be implemented in the modification of the by-products and the wastes of the agricultural industry.

Daddi et al. (2016)

The environmental management systems are necessary in order to put forth an achievement in the matters that pertain to the balancing of the economy, the environment as well as the societal matters within the territories of a country (Saiglobal.com, 2018). The sustainability in the developmental procedures might be achieved by demonstrating a balance among the three afore-mentioned pillars on which the concept of sustainability rests. The ISO 14001-2016 aims at providing the several business organizations with frameworks that might help in the protection of the environment. The main aim of this measure is to present the next generation with a world wherein the sustainability is maintained in the various developmental activities. This also helps in the protection of the environment that surrounds us. The International Organization for Standardization (2006) further helps in the creation of the awareness among the various members of the society in the matters that are related to the importance of the protection of the environment as well as the various possible impacts of the harmful by-products of the agricultural industry.

In lieu of the above discussion, it might be pointed out that the environmental management systems are necessary in order to put forth an achievement in the matters that pertain to the balancing of the economy, the environment as well as the societal matters within the territories of a country. The environmental management systems are generally implemented to put forth an improvement in the outcomes of the agricultural practices on the given environment.

References

Cary, J., & Roberts, A. (2011). The limitations of environmental management systems in Australian agriculture. Journal of Environmental Management, 92(3), 878-885.

Collins, A. L., Zhang, Y. S., Winter, M., Inman, A., Jones, J. I., Johnes, P. J., Cleasby, W., Vrain, E., Lovett, A. & Noble, L. (2016). Tackling agricultural diffuse pollution: What might uptake of farmer-preferred measures deliver for emissions to water and air?. Science of the Total Environment, 547, 269-281.

Daddi, T., Testa, F., Frey, M., & Iraldo, F. (2016). Exploring the link between institutional pressures and environmental management systems effectiveness: an empirical study. Journal of environmental management, 183, 647-656.

de Oliveira, J. A., Silva, D. A. L., Guardia, M., do Nascimento Gambi, L., de Oliveira, O. J., & Ometto, A. R. (2017). How can Cleaner Production practices contribute to meet ISO 14001 requirements? Critical analysis from a survey with industrial companies. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, 19(6), 1761-1774.

El Hanandeh, A. (2015). Energy recovery alternatives for the sustainable management of olive oil industry waste in Australia: life cycle assessment. Journal of Cleaner Production, 91, 78-88.

International Organization for Standardization. (2006). Environmental Management: Life Cycle Assessment; Principles and Framework (No. 2006). ISO.

Leung, D. Y., & Yang, Y. (2012). Wind energy development and its environmental impact: a review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 16(1), 1031-1039.

Lewandowska, A. (2011). Environmental life cycle assessment as a tool for identification and assessment of environmental aspects in environmental management systems (EMS) part 1: methodology. The international journal of life cycle assessment, 16(2), 178-186.

Nguyen, T. A. H., Ngo, H. H., Guo, W. S., Zhang, J., Liang, S., Lee, D. J., Nguyen, P.D. & Bui, X. T. (2014). Modification of agricultural waste/by-products for enhanced phosphate removal and recovery: potential and obstacles. Bioresource technology, 169, 750-762.

Notarnicola, B., Sala, S., Anton, A., McLaren, S. J., Saouter, E., & Sonesson, U. (2017). The role of life cycle assessment in supporting sustainable agri-food systems: A review of the challenges. Journal of Cleaner Production, 140, 399-409.

Saiglobal.com. (2018). Environmental Management systems - Requirement with guidance for use. Retrieved 17 September 2018 from https://infostore.saiglobal.com/preview/as/as10000/14000/14004-2018.pdf?sku=1966135

Waters, B. (2013). Introduction to Environmental Management: for the NEBOSH Certificate in Environmental Management. Routledge.