Environmental Impact Assessment (Overview of Purpose, Process and Methods)

Environmental Impact Assessment
(Overview of Purpose, Process and Methods)

Day 1
1.30 hour


What is the purpose of EIA ?

EIA, in short, is a formal study process used to predict the
environmental consequences of a proposed major
developmental project.
z EIA concentrates on problems, conflicts or natural resource
constraints that could affect the viability of a project.
z EIA also examines how the project might cause harm to
people, their homeland or their livelihoods, or to other
nearby developments.
z EIA outlines ways to improve the project’s suitability for its
proposed environment.
EIA aims to ensure that potential problems are foreseen and
addressed at an early stage in the project’s planning and
design.
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EIA : A systems perspective on
sustainable development
IPAT, Impact = population ×
affluence × technology
(adapted from Sadler and
Jacobs (1989) and Sadler

(1995)


Connections Between Root Causes and Problems (The
Three Factor Model)
Number of people

P

×
Number of units of
resources used per person

A

×
Environmental degradation
and pollution
per unit of resource used

T

=
Environmental impact
of population

Impact (I) = population × affluence ×
technology (PAT)
(adapted from Sadler and Jacobs
(1989) and Sadler (1995)

Environmental Impact of Less Developed Countries
(top) and More Developed Countries (bottom)


Definitions

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Munn (1979) defines EIA as a need “to identify and predict the impact on
the environment and on man’s health and well being of legislative
proposals, policies, programs, projects and operational procedures and to
interpret and communicate information about the impact”
Wathern (1988) defines EIA as “a process having the ultimate objective of
providing the decision-makers with an indication of the likely consequences
of their actions”
Canter (1996) defines EIA as “the physical-chemical, biological, cultural and
socio-economic components of the total environment”


Meaning of EIA

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EIA stands for Environmental Impact Assessment.

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ENVIRONMENT- Biophysical, Socioeconomic, and cultural.

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IMPACT- Negative or Positive, Cumulative (Spatial and
Temporal), Direct or Indirect, Short or Medium or Long
Term, Environment on Project or Project on Environment,
Reversible or Irreversible.
ASSESSMENT- Quantification, Prediction, Evaluation,
Monitoring, Auditing.


EIA - a tool or a process !!!

As a tool: EIA satisfies the search for normative approaches to
decision making.
As a process: Concerns and interests of different parties and
the contextual aspects of the decision are addressed.
EIA is therefore an important phase in the process of deciding
about the final shape of a proposed project.
It helps officials make decisions about a project and it helps
the project’s proponents achieve their aims more
successfully.
EIA is a management tool !

EIA is a management tool

(Following questions need to be asked about any major projects)

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Can it operate safely, without serious risk of dangerous accidents or long
term health effects ?
Can the local environment cope with the additional waste and pollution it
will produce ?
Will its proposed location conflict with nearby land uses, or preclude later
developments in the surrounding area?
How will it affect local fisheries, farms or industry ?
Is there sufficient infrastructure, such as roads and sewers, to support
it ?
How much water, energy and other resources will it consume, and are

these in adequate supply ?
What human resources will it require or replace, and social effects may
this have on the community ?
What damage may it inadvertently cause to national assets ?


The EIA decision support system.

•(Adapted from Petts and
Edulijee, 1994)


Who is involved in the EIA process ?

The developer needs to know where to site a
project and how to reduce adverse
environmental impacts.
The investor needs to know how the impacts
will affect the viability of the project,
and what liabilities are incurred.
The competent authority uses the EIA’s
results to decide on a response to the
permit application.
Other government authorities will want to
know the implications of the projects
they may wish to promote.
The regulator needs to know the extent of
environmental impacts and weather they
are acceptable.

The regional planner needs to know how the
impacts will interfere with adjacent
developments and land uses.
The local community or its representatives
will need to know how the project’s
impacts will affect their quality of life.
The politicians need to know who is
affected and in what way, and what
issues should be of concern.


What methods are used in EIA process ?

Screening : Measuring against simple criteria such as size or location, comparing the
proposal with lists of project types rarely needing an EIA (e.g.., schools) or definitely
needing one (e.g.., coal mines), Estimating general impacts (e.g.. Increased
infrastructure needed) and comparing these impacts against set thresholds, doing
complex analyses, but using readily available data.
Preliminary Assessment: Identify the project’s key impacts on the local environment,
generally describe and predict the extent of the impacts, and briefly evaluate their
importance to decision makers.
Organization: Commissioning, Identifying, researching laws and regulations, making contact
with decision makers, and determining how and when the EIA’s findings will be
communicated.
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Scoping: Ensure that the study addresses all the issues of public concerns.
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The EIA study:
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What will happen as a result of the project (Identification) ?

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What will be the extent of the changes (Prediction) ? Do the changes matter
(Evaluation) ? What can be done about them (Mitigation) ? How can decision-makers be
informed of what needs to be done (Documentation)?
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Important principles in managing an EIA.

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Principle 1 : Focus on the main issue.

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Principle 2: Involve the appropriate persons and groups.

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Principle 3: Link information to decisions about the project.

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Principle 4: Present clear options for the mitigation of
impacts and for sound environmental management.
Principle 5: Provide information in a form useful to the
decision makers.