Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
strengthen motivation and provide the necessary knowledge and personal skills to
support environmental leadership in the student's future workplace.
In this final chapter we assess the impact of the ELTP on the learners based on
their own feedback and assessments, and also consider ways in which they can
apply their acquired knowledge and skills in their workplace after graduation
1
. This
is placed against the backdrop of theoretical approaches available on environmental
leadership.
15.2
Environmental Leadership—Theoretical
Framework and Current System Conditions
Before considering the impact of the ELTP, we consider what theoretical framework
exists for analysing how 'environmental leaders' can apply their skills and moti-
vation. The ELTP and similar programs (Table 1.2) may well produce motivated
graduates knowledgeable about the many challenges of sustainable development,
but they need to apply their enhanced knowledge and leadership skills to effect
change in society. Despite much research on the role of leadership in business, there
is little academic work on
environmental
leadership. Business models of leadership
(such as responding to adaptive challenges, dominant and aggressive leadership,
responsible leaders etc.) do not address leadership for the environment and sustain-
ability. Business leadership focuses on functionality, rationality, linear thinking and
utilitarianism, and economic objectives. In contrast,
environmental
leadership has
to work within the social system and external limits of environmental impact and
resource availability, as well as often to go against the established order of thinking
under the present economic system in order to develop sustainable models of busi-
ness and consumption (Hawken
2007
).
One theoretical framework for environmental leadership is the concept of 'eco-
leader' introduced by Western (
2010
), which emphasizes the system approach,
connectivity, interdependence and harnessing the creativity and leadership potential
of participants in the system. In particular, leaders need to have 'systems' intelli-
gence which includes seeing patterns of interdependency and looking into the future
(Senge
1990
). Ability to develop a vision of the future which will be shared by
the (leader's) group and stimulate a shift to more sustainable and future-oriented
behaviour, is a prime factor. The 'eco-leader' approach recognizes that sustainabil-
ity needs to be introduced into complex social and ecological systems, and a form of
leadership developed which can motivate and encourage creativity and competen-
cies in actors within the current system.
Many environmental challenges have never been confronted by humankind be-
fore; they thus require new and untried strategies to address them. In particular, the
1
The ELTP only started in 2011, so there is limited data set on the jobs and post-employment
feedback of ELTP graduates.
