Summary of
Mediation of Environmental Disputes: A Source Book
By Scott Mernitz
Summary written by Conflict Research Consortium Staff
Citation: Mediation of Environmental Disputes: A Source Book, Scott Mernitz, (New York: Praeger Publishers, 1980), 202 pp.
Mediation of Environmental Disputes: A Source Book is an examination of the use of mediation of environmental disputes and offers advice to the mediator as well as environmental conflict analysis methods.
Mediation of Environmental Disputes: A Source Book will be of interest to those who seek an introduction to conflict mediation for environmental issues. The fist chapter is an examination of the scope of environmental conflict and addresses, attitudes and political culture, technology, law, political interests, and economics. Chapter two offers further discussion of environmental disputes with focus on, the actors, assessing disputants positions, the media, values, and legislation.
Chapter three is an examination of the existing aids for the prospective mediator. The author begins with the criteria one should employ in the selection of an aid. This is followed by discussions of environmental legislation and litigation, evaluation of environmental impact, and administrative procedures. The fourth chapter considers the mediation function by first offering a definition of ?mediation', followed by how mediation works in different contexts. Finally, the author considers the relationship between mediation and litigation, and the social and psychological aspects of mediation.
Chapter five considers mediators and mediation of environmental disputes in depth. The author begins with an examination of a background of mediation and explication of existing efforts. Examples of mediation techniques are offered, such as: shuttle diplomacy, non- directive consensus building, dialectical scanning, bi-lateral task force negotiations. Finally, the negotiated agreement is considered. Chapter six offers environmental conflict case studies. These studies represent conflicts in water use conflicts, the construction of Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) radio wave grids, and power plant construction.
The seventh chapter offers methods of analysis for environmental conflict. The author considers self-posed questions in the areas of economics, law, social psychology, political science, and geography. The eighth and final chapter offers conclusions concerning the mediability of environmental disputes. The text of Mediation of Environmental Disputes: A Source Book is nicely supplemented with figures and tables, and will be helpful to the beginning student of mediation.
