Step 4 and 5: Pressure points and Options

Step 4 Identification of ‘pressure points’

Now we move on to the next step in IEM framework after goal setting: identify the pressure points. What are pressure points? According to Buhrs (1995), pressure points are the key factors “where the problem is coming from” (Buhrs, 1995: 17). They can be a matter of knowledge, experience, politics, or other values that people have. That is why the pressure points may only be identified by strategic thinking. Strategic thinking in IEM means a process to develop an overarching framework for environmental management (Buhrs, 1995:18). It has a linkage with considering quadruple bottom line (environment, social, economy, culture).   

Then, what are the pressure points in palm oil problem? I suggest that pressure points can be derived from three problem analyses that I’ve done before: environment, institutional, and policy. The pressure points in palm oil problem describes in Figure 1.

               

 

Figure 1. Pressure points in palm oil problem

The identification of those pressure points is important due to the need of strategic reduction in developing options for achieving goals. The options will likely be effective if they are defined from where the problem is coming from or we know it as pressure points. From now on, we move into the next step which is developing options for achieving goals.

Step 5 Options for achieving goals

Options in IEM approach usually are do nothing, preferred, and radical. It is better to have just a few options to avoid confusing in decision making.  For the case of palm oil I will provide 3 options which will be provided in Table 1.

Table 1. Options in palm oil problem

Criteria	Options
	Do nothing	Preferred	Radical
	Do nothing	Develop a collaborative committee on palm oil	Stop palm oil plantation
Address the problem	No	Yes	Maybe
Considering quadruple bottom line	No	Yes	No
Politically acceptable	Maybe	Yes	No
Incorporate long term and short term goals	No	Yes	No

The options available in table 1 for palm oil problem are derived from problem definition and goal setting while the criteria are based on the logical thinking of IEM approach and also from Lecture’s note ERST 633. After an option has been chosen, the next step is how to implement the option. Having the option to develop a collaborative committee on palm oil, strategic reduction is needed to implement the option. Looking back into pressure points may be useful to determine what should be prioritized in palm oil problem. Then, implementation should incorporate monitoring and feedback. It is important to assess the progress of IEM in palm oil problem and identify something for improvement.  

References

Buhrs, Ton. (1995). Integrated Environmental Management: Towards A Framework For Application (pp. 1-19). Lincoln University.