Editing Development communication (section)

===== Environmental assessment =====
The [[policy science]]s are highly relevant in environmental impact assessments (EIA) and large-scale environmental change modeling. One example is the use of scenario-making in the study by Garb, Pulver, and VanDeveer (2008). Using storyline driven modeling, they sought to understand the impacts of human activities on natural systems. The said study departs from the increasingly technical approach to [[scenario analysis]]. Instead, they drew concept and methodologies from science and technology studies, sociology, and political science. Policy-making is multi-method, and in this case, multi-disciplinary. In this study's framework, scenario is said to be able to "co-produce knowledge and social order by facilitating collaboration between scientific and technical experts of various types and policy-makers and other non-scientists, as together they 'make sense' of aspects of the natural world and aspects of social interaction (their own and that of societies at large)." The intertwined relationship between development communication and policy sciences is affirmed because the study recommends including more representatives of social science professionals in global environmental scenario teams, and creating fora with their active involvement, as well.<ref>{{Cite journal|doi=10.1088/1748-9326/3/4/045015|title=Scenarios in society, society in scenarios: toward a social scientific analysis of storyline-driven environmental modeling |author= Yaakov Garb |display-authors=etal|year=2008|journal=Environ. Res. Lett.|volume=3|issue = 4|page=045015 |bibcode=2008ERL.....3.5015G |doi-access=free}}</ref>

In recent years, international-funding agencies such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank has recognised the potential of EIA as an opportunity for dialogue between and among project stakeholders (Flor, 2004).<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.academia.edu/181519|title=Environmental Communication|first=Alexander Gonzalez|last=Flor|via=www.academia.edu}}</ref>

Flor posits that though the EIA is generally regarded as a regularly and management tool, it should also be regarded as a communication process that seeks to achieve mutual understanding—the overall purpose of development communication and for that matter, environmental communication programs. This mutual understanding would translate to societal environmental consciousness.
Development communication as a discipline grew as a response to some of the most pressing problems of underdevelopment including environment and resources degradation. Environmental communication programs are logically subsumed under development communication.

Citing five case studies of the use of communication and social mobilisation in environmental protection and natural resources management programs, Flor laid out the following lessons learned from the five programs:

# Effective environment communication is not merely instructive nor consultative.
# Effective environmental communication is not merely informative either.
# Participation and collective action is internally driven, not externally imposed.
# Environmental communication should make use of indigenous media.
# Environment communication should be done on an interpersonal level as well as on a community level, and further on a national level.
# Participation takes time; effective communication proceeds at its own pace.
# Effective environment communication assumes a momentum of its own.

'''Transformational Communication Approach in Chaotic Environment'''

Development communication policies on environment take on approaches expected to create good environment practices. A particular approach that aims for the conversion of the heart and mind is Transformational Communication. This communication model is the answer to failed environment programs, especially the top-down strategy and those that target only behavior change (Flor and Smith, 1997).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Flor |first1=Alexander |last2=Smith |first2=Rebecca |title=Transformational communication: A normative approach to environmental IEC |url=https://www.academia.edu/178960}}</ref>

Mooney (2017)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mooney |first1=Mick |title=The difference between transactional and transformational communication |url=https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/difference-between-transactional-transformational-mick-mooney/}}</ref> views Transformational Communication superior to other communication types which simply passes information (transactional) and purpose (transformative) on a rational level. He defines Transformational as transfer of meanings to achieve emotional connection.  The International Environmental Communication Association explains that meanings and values influence how people relate to nature and environment. It also asserts that sustainable ecology entails changes in human culture. Thus, ethical and effective communication helps usher in necessary cultural adjustments to solve [[ecological crisis]] (Meisner, 2015).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Meisner |first1=Mark |title=Environment Communication: What it is and why it matters |date=30 November 2015 |url=https://theieca.org/resources/environmental-communication-what-it-and-why-it-matters |access-date=2 May 2019 |archive-date=2 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502151449/https://theieca.org/resources/environmental-communication-what-it-and-why-it-matters }}</ref>

For Flor & Smith (1997), this value-laden or normative approach of Transformational Communication paradigm makes it more effective than other modes in addressing the highly unstable or chaotic biogeopysical components of the environment system. The Butterfly Effect for example shows that just a little stimuli (flapping of a butterfly wings) can suddenly make a fine weather turbulent. 
In the area of communication, this chaotic field is populated with numerous friendly and unfriendly behaviors toward the environment.  Interventions for each behavior may not be feasible, and solutions for only a few might also be fragmented.  Flor & Smith(1997) advise that focusing on norms that direct environment-friendly behaviors is the key intervention in complex ecology.

Flor & Smith (1997) offers three substantive areas of the normative approach: Environmental Literacy, Environmental Ethics, and Environmental Advocacy geared for massive social transformation. According to Flor & Smith (1997), these three areas in Transformational Communication operate as institutional or network level, process-driven social learning which initiates values formation, and strategic by working with specific leaders and policy makers key to the mobilization of the critical mass in environment revolution.