WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ANALYSIS?
Environmental Policy defines how environmental concerns are approached from a governmental or organizational perspective, often with the goal of addressing and solving environmental problems. Environmental Policy Analysts develop, study and evaluate these policies with regard to environmental and human impact, political positioning, economic growth, employment patterns, and more. The work often involves detailed environmental assessments, cost-benefit analyses, and a very delicate balance among many diverse interests.
Environmental Policies are often thought of as being political, established by government agencies. But policy analysts also work for many businesses in helping them comply with environmental laws and develop environmentally-responsible business practices, taking into account public values, economics, law and planning. Analysts also work for many public interest, special interest, and lobbying organizations, particularly in national and state capitals; one of the great challenges, of course, is to be able to craft or assist in crafting, policies, statutes, rules and legislation which satisfy the public, corporate and political interests, hopefully while also striving to be environmentally responsible.
WHAT ARE THE EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS?
Environmental Policy programs emphasize the multi-disciplinary nature of environmental issues, so students should expect to study scientific and technological fields, as well as economics, law, policy and planning, political science, history, sociology, psychology and philosophy. There is often considerable freedom for students to focus on a particular policy field within a program emphasis and/or individual courses. Specific course we've seen include:
- Quantitative Methods
- Statistical Analysis
- Resource Allocation
- Environmental Economics
- Cost-Benefit Analysis
- Global Environmental Policy
- Environmental Law
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- Land Analysis
- Conservation and Planning
- Public Lands
- Water Energy
- Environmental Health
- International Dimensions of Environmental Problems
- Pollution Control Management
- Environmental Communications
- Business and Industry
- Conservation Biology Policy
- Public Lands Management
- Sustainable Land Use Regulation
- Transportation Policy
- Water Policy
- Government and Public Affairs
- Corporate Lobbying.
- Geographic Information Systems
CAREERS AND SALARY OUTLOOK
Environmental Policy graduates can expect an increasing demand for professionals with an interdisciplinary knowledge of public policy and social science training. Responsiblities often include gathering information to determine why a problem exists, creating ways to address environmental problems, identifying potential consequences (environmental, economic, political, and social), and evaluating existing programs.
Employment can be found in the private, public and nonprofit sectors with environmental consulting firms, large corporations with environmental concerns, public utilities, federal, state and local environmental agencies, and conservation advocacy groups. Specific job titles we've seen include:
- Public Policy Analyst
- City and Regional, Environmental or Transportation Planner
- Public or Program Administrator
- Natural Resources Manager
- Environmental Lawyer
- Planning Assistant
- Environmental Consultant
- RCRA Enforcement Officer
- Employment Relations Assistant
- Public Education Officer
- Volunteer Coordinator
- Environmental Specialist
- Land Use Planner
- Water Quality Planner
- Geographic Information Systems Planner
- Safety Environmental Coordinator
The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not include a specific category for Environmental Policy Analysts. However, the field is closely related to Environmental Planning, which is covered by BLS under its report on Urban and Regional Planners. For this category, BLS reports that median annual earnings of urban and regional planners were about $49,880 in 2002, with the middle 50 percent earning between $39,210 and $62,710 a year. Check out full report from BLS on careers in Urban and Regional Planning here.
RELATED AREAS OF STUDY
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