Browsing by Author "Smith, David Hardie"
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- ItemA reformed United Nations for addressing environment-development problems in developing countries : a case study approach : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Economics at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand(Massey University, 2015) Smith, David HardieThe unsustainable use of natural resources is a serious and worsening problem world wide, affecting the life and health of many millions of people. It is seriously undermining wealth creation in many countries and contributing to violent conflicts and is also a human security problem. Such problems – where the environmentally unsustainable use of natural resources has a direct or indirect negative impact on the achievement of development objectives – are defined as Environment-Development Problems. The UN plays a significant role in attempts to deal with environment-development problems (EDPs), leading international initiatives such as the Millennium Development Goals and leading or participating in many programmes to address them. It also has a very important role in catalysing other entities, including governments and donors, to address EDPs and other development problems. The fact that EDPs are worsening in many developing countries, particularly in Africa, raises questions about the effectiveness of the UN in addressing EDPs. The focus of this thesis is on assessing the effectiveness of the UN in dealing with EDPs and identifying ways to improve its effectiveness. This research takes a mixed methods approach to assess the level of UN effectiveness in addressing EDPs and the reasons for UN effectiveness. The research found that, overall, the UN has been less than moderately effective in addressing EDPs but that it has achieved some successes. One success is that the UN had developed and applied an effective model for addressing EDPs that, if enhanced and applied broadly, would significantly improve UN effectiveness in addressing EDPs. The research also found that development aid design, organisational culture and complexity were significant explanatory variables for UN effectiveness. Further, it also identified programme and project implementation modalities, national capacity and donors as explanatory variables. It concluded that many of the factors inhibiting UN effectiveness in addressing EDPs are general UN factors. Therefore, significantly increasing UN effectiveness requires addressing both EDP specific and more general UN effectiveness factors. A number of recommendations for improving UN effectiveness in addressing EDPs and more generally were made. It was concluded that if the reforms needed to significantly improve UN effectiveness are not implemented, then the UN should phase out its operational development activities, given the magnitude of the need for reform.
- ItemThe social & economic implications of alternative land uses involving pastoral farming and forestry in Northland : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Natural Resource and Environmental Economics at Massey University(Massey University, 1987) Smith, David HardieThis thesis is a scenario study which examines the social and economic impacts of different types of forestry being established in an area of pastoral farmland in Northland, New Zealand. Detailed production, income, expenditure, employment and demographic data was collected from 57 of the 59 farms in the study area. This included expenditure direction data. Those businesses and schools which supported, and were in turn supported by, the study area farms were interviewed to find out the importance of these farms to their continued operation. This pastoral farming scenario is then compared with four forestry scenarios - two conventional forestry scenarios, plus a woodlot and finally an agroforestry scenario. In the first conventional forestry scenario all the study area farms (15,000 hectares) are planted in exotics and in the second about 3,000 hectares are planted. With the two farm forestry scenarios about 1,000 hectares are planted. In the first conventional forestry scenario forestry replaces pastoral farming, while in the second and the farm forestry scenarios pastoral farming and forestry are integrated. Variable results resulted from the comparison, with expenditure comparisons very sensitive to the time harvesting commences, the amount cut and the time span of the scenarios. (Thirty-five years.) These comparisons were also sensitive to the locality in which farming and forestry expenditure were being compared. Forestry expenditure would be markedly higher than farming expenditure once harvesting commenced. But farming has higher backward linkage multipliers and unless forestry processing plants are established, the conventional forestry developments in the scenarios imply a relative decline in regional incomes and employment. If forestry processing plants are established, an increase in regional incomes and employment is implied. Woodlot and agroforestry generally imply an increase in expenditure and employment without the drop in agricultural spending associated with conventional forestry activities on former pastoral farmland. Conventional forestry would result in disruption to the existing social structure. It may result in a long term population decline, but it is likely many ex-farm houses would be re-occupied. Woodlot and agroforestry would strengthen the existing social and economic structure. It is concluded that the Northland United Council's interest and concern about the afforestation of pastoral farmland is justified. However, the rural decline, the corporatisation of government departments, plus the impacts of forestry harvesting and wood processing are considered to be of more importance in the establishment of regional planning priorities.