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Mestrado em Engenharia do Ambiente"

Master on Environmental Engineering"
Impactes Ambientais / Environmental Impacts

5/9"

5
Metodologias e tcnicas de AIA /
EIA Methodologies and techniques
"

"

Prof. Doutora Maria do Rosrio Partidrio

1

Content
1. Significance of environmental impacts
2. Methods and techniques
3. Uncertainty in impacts prediction
4. Current state of the environment
5. Alternatives identification and comparison

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Bibliography!
CANTER, L. 1996, Environmental Impact
Assessment. McGraw-Hill. (ch 3, ch
15)"
Morris, P. and Therivel, R. (Eds), 2001.
Methods of Environmental Impact
Assessment, 2nd edition, Spon Press,
London (2008 reprint).
Partidrio e Jesus, 2003. Fundamentos
de Avaliao do Impacte Ambiental.
Universidade Aberta. "

Significant impacts
Canadian guidance
Determine adverse negative impacts
Determine magnitude, including cumulative impacts
Determine geographical extension of negative impacts
Determine duration and frequency
Determine the degree of reversibility
Assess its probability of occurrence
Assess the scientific uncertainty of the probability of
occurrence of a significant impact

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Key elements to establish the

significance (importance) of an
impact

Cultural Importance
Social Importance
Ecological Relevance
Environmental Patterns
Statistic significance
Technical issues
Political/institutional issues

Themes of interest in EIA

Public health
Safety and security, occupational
health
Vulnerable groups
Gender
Economic organization and wellbeing
Population growth
Cultural and aesthetic values

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Impact assessment criteria for

significant impacts - USA (1/2)
health and safety
unique characteristics in a geographical area, such as historical
and cultural resources, wetlands, scenic rivers, critical areas for
nature conservation
human environmental quality at highly controversial levels
Unceratin, unique or unknown risks on the human environment
Precedent for future projects with significant impacts

Impact assessment criteria for

significant impacts - USA (2/2)
Cumulative impacts
destruction of designated buildings, places or objects (cultural
and historical) or scientific resources
species or designated habitats
Risk of violation of any law or regulation for environmental
protection

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Finding the significance of impacts

All the possible effects of proposed project

Environmental filter
Significant impacts

Impact analysis
Decision factors
Environmental
relevance
Scaling impacts

Methods and techniques in EIA

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EIA methodologies
Introduction!

1/3

EIA methodologies approaches developed to

identify, predict and value changes of an
action.
Reflected in the sequence of activities, steps, as
well on the range of environmental issues
considered (physical, chemical, biological,
socioeconomic, cutlural, landscape values and
processes)

EIA methodologies
Introduction!

2/3

Uses methods and techniques to quantify or

to qualify those changes. All aspects and
variables can be measured, problem is to
value them.

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EIA methodologies
Introduction!

3/3

The development of METHODOLOGIES to assess

impacts depend on:!
a) The relationships between territorial elements (or
characteristics) and the actions
b) The specific measurements and the necessary
information to estimate the impacts
c) The mitigation measures, compensation and
follow-up

Objectives of methodologies!
1. Understand the nature and location of the project and
possible alternatives"
2. Identify factors of analysis and assessment objectives"
3. Preliminary identification of impacts and scoping"
4. Baseline studies and evolution in the absence of projects"
5. Prediction and assessment of impacts and alternatives
comparison"
6. Mitigation"
7. Monitoring and impacts management"

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Example of methods!
1. Experts judgement
2. Checklists and matrices
3. Flowcharts and decision trees
4. Multicriteria analysis
5. Case comparison
6. Simulation Models
7. GIS and map overlays
8. Contingency analysis
9. CBA, CEA, other economic evaluation

Checklist
Structured list of environmental factors potentially affected."
Extensive and complete. Main function: identify ALL possible
consequences of the proposal"
Should enable identification of impacts on:
Soil
Water
Atmosphere
Flora
Fauna
Resources
Recreation
Cultural

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Checklists
Three types:

1. Simple : no information needed on magnitude or importance of

impacts"
2. Descriptive, require information on magnitude or importance of
impacts as well as indication on prediction methods and
indicators."
3. Questionnaires, three types of answer: yes , no , may be "

Simple checklists
Impactes

Project phase
Design

1. On water
1.1. Poluio
1.2. Decrscimo do caudal
1.3. Cambio de uso

Construction

Abandonnement
X

X
X

2. On air
2.1. Poluio
2.2. Incremento do rudo
2.3. Presencia de maus cheiros

X
X
X

3. On climate
3.1. Cambio de temperatura
3.2. Aumento das chuvas
3.3. Aumento da evaporao
3.4. Aumento de nebulosidade

X
X
X
X

4. On soil
4.1. Perda de solo
4.2. Dunas
4.3. Acidificao
4.4. Salinizaao
4.5. Gerao de pntanos
4.6. Problemas de drenagem

X
X
X
X
X

5. On vegetation and fauna

5.1. Perda de biodiversidade
5.2. Extino de espcies
5.3. Alterao sobre espcies endmicas
5.4. Alterao sobre espcies protegidas

X
X
X
X

6. On population
6.1. Perda de base de recursos
6.2. Alteraes culturais
6.3. Perdas de recursos arqueolgicos
6.4. Traslado de populao

X
X

7. Other
7.1. Perda de valores paisagsticos

Operation

X
X

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Increase existing noise levels?

Yes

May be No Observation

Vegetation. Will the project:

Change the diversity or productivity of

species or the number of any species
(including trees, shrubs, aquatic plants,
etc.)?

Energy. Will the project:

Use substantial amounts of energy?

Transports and traffic. Will the project:

Generate additional traffic?

Have effects or increase demand on

parking infrastructures?

Public services Will the project have effects on, or

result in, need for new services or changes in the
following areas:

Fire services?

.....

Public reaction. Is the project:

Potentially controverse?

Conflictual
with
objectives
in
environmental plans locally adopted?

Checklists: impact identification

Issue
Noise. Will the project:

EIA process and activities.

EIA applications (sessions 5 and 6)

Checklists: environmental sources

Key criteria
Air and climate
changes
Protected areas
Natural
resources
Water
Soil
Landscape
Noise
Coastal areas

Key Environmental sources

! Air quality levels;
! Sulfur dioxide levels;
! CO2 emmission
! Designated areas (ha) under national or international protection (for example
Natura 2000 Special Conservation Areas and Special protection Areas
....
....
....
....
....
....

INTERNATIONAL MASTER IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND CORPORATE

RESPONSIBILITY / Professor Maria do Rosrio Partidrio

10

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Checklists
Advantage

structured list of key potential factors for analysis or key impacts - aidememoire;

often result from experts judgement published by public / international

organizations;

enable interdisciplinary discussions;

preparatory stage for matrix assessment (checklist of actions /activities and

checklist of environmental components);

Disadvantage

Guided tour - standard analysis, misses specific issues

Matrices!
Double entrance tables, permit establishment of
relationships: "
1. Project actions or activities (causes) "
2. And the environmental factors (effects)"
"
Functions:"
"
-Preliminary identification of impacts (scoping)"
-Comparative analysis of alternatives"
-Impact assessment"
-Presentation of evaluation results"

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Matrices!

a
a

b
1

+8
5
7
8
1
9
2
8
3
7

Leopold Matrix (Leopold et al., 1971). 100 causes per 100

effects.
Magnitude (left-hand corner) and Importance or significance
(right-hand corner). Scale 1 to 10. Values can still be
signaled as positive ( +) or negative (-).

Matrices Basic rules

"
1. Objectives and assumptions clear."
2. Matrices can be used creatively to identify indirect
impacts, cumulative impacts or contributions to
mitigation measures."
3. Its better to use colour codes and graphical symbols in
matrices."
4. The development ofa matrix does not imply that it
needs to be used in the report, it may simply be an
element of work "
5. Each impact analysis needs to be contextualized."

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FLOWCHARTS!

Flowcharts and impacts trees, including network diagrams,

enable the analysis of the inter-relationship between
causes and effects and enables de analysis of indirect and
cumulative impacts. "
"
"

FLOWCHARTS!
Strong decrease of farms number

Land abandonment

D4: End of direct

payments
Incomes maintained for some farms thanks to
the development of labels and niche products
integrated in industrial ranges

D5: Roquefort and Fta

separated ; Mjan
specialised in Fta :
industrialists set
volumes and rules

D6: End of local

measures to pine control

Strategies of farms: to maximise

profitability

Shrub
encroachment,
extension of pine
forest: fast
landscape closure
and cultivated
land turned in
fallows

Extension of pine
forest: fast
landscape closure

Strong increase of
forest areas & strong
fire risks
Decrease of
cultivated areas
Local agriculture with
high value products

Tourism

Intensive ovine
breeding

Strong decrease of
rangelands and
grasslands & strong
erosion of biodiversity

Intensification of
cultivated areas

Arable lands
concentrated on high
potential lands

Increase of wild
ungulate
populations

Hunting

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Fluxograma de impactes da aplicao area de herbicida

(Bisset, 1983)
Aplicao area
de herbicidas

Contaminao
da gua por
herbicidas

Decrscimo do
crescimento de
algas,
fitoplancton, etc

Contaminao
de cadeia
alimentar no
meio aqutico

Perda de
vegetao
ripcola

Mortalidade de
vegetao para alem
da pretendida com o
herbicida

Decrscimo do
oxignio
dissolvido

Aumento da
temperatura da
gua

Aumento do
escoamento
superficial

Contaminao de
cadeia alimentar
no meio terrestre

Danos na
desova

Poluio da gua
por slidos
flutuantes

Aumento da
eroso

Aumento da
carncia de
oxignio
dissolvido

Aumento dos
sedimentos

Aumento do
caudal

Aumento da
perda de gua

Flowcharts / Networks

Advantages:
- integrated assessment, instead of discipline by
discipline
- inter-relations between causes and effects, including
indirect impacts
- cumulative impact assessment
- communication (when simple).
Disadvantages:
-complexity (especially visually complex)
-difficult to distinguish and quantify magnitudes (and
importance) of different impacts

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Mapping spatial areas

Overlays and GISs

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Overlays and GISs

Cartogrfica
IMPACTE 1

rea de anlise

Lavado de suelos

IMPACTE 3

Ruidos

IMPACTE 2

Modificacin de hbitats

IMPACTE 4

Alteracin cobertura vegetal

IMPACTES ACUMULADOS

rea de influencia

Arcview

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Definition of areas of maximum infiltration

IFI= valorTHS+valorT+valorAGUT
Fonte: Luis Ribeiro, PU Carregueira, 2009

Sinopse dos Mtodos de avaliao de

impactes vs. etapas do AIA

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There is no single ideal

method!

Uncertainty in impacts
prediction

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Sources of uncertainty:
information on baseline and on the project
(quantity, precision, reliability)
associated to the model
preparation of the model
application of the model

Uncertainties related to:

quantity: spatial and temporal resolution, reading
mistakes, bias and imprecisions associated to the
technique.
precision: detail on measurements
reliability: correctin of such measurements
The more precise is the information the more
difficult it is to get reliable data.

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Baseline characterization

Baseline
Characterization should:
"
limit itself to the relevant affected factors"
"
be proportional to the probable significant impact"
"
1st step- establish objectives in information collection"
"
Do not collect and present available information just because it is
available, if it is irrelevant, concentrate efforst on relevant
information"

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2nd step- analysis of available information and verification of such

information to the defined objectives."

varivel ambiental

- spatial and temporal representativeness"

t1

t2

tempo

3rd stage- identify additional information needs, field work/ time

available"
4th stage- synthesize collected information and identify gaps in
knowledge and how important they are to the keyobjectives"
"

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Baseline - methods
Methods vary depending on natural, social or economic
variables"
Function of scoping and impacts identification"
Criteria for selection of methods:"
"
- Objectives"
- impact indicators (relationship with monitoring)"
- limitation: time and budget"

Prediciton of impacts - Methods

Prediction of impacts is based on the quantification
or descriptive qualification of impacts identified.
Prediction impacts are clearly dependent on impacts
and disciplines.

Type of methods:
Experts opinion
Case comparison
Use of models
Experiments

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Prediciton of impacts - Models

Physical models representation of the reality ina reduced scale,
simulating processes. (Exs. Wind tunnels or coastal area physical
models that simulate waves)
Visual models elaboration of images that represent the
environment before and after the development of a project and its
alternatives. It can also address the timing dimension (e.g., seasonal
changes, vegetation growth).
Mathematic models- maths or statistic simulations applied to the
deterministic or probabilistic calculation, based on quantitative values.
Cartographic models- representation of reality that will be affected
by the project through maps or charts. Cartographic overlaps enable
impact preditions.

Impact Assessment
Meaning (or importance) of an impact depends on its scale
(geographic scale and duration) and its intensity.
Impacts can be positive or negative. Significative negative
impacts may occur even when the global balance of
impacts is positive.

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Alternatives comparative
assessment
The object of analysis in alternatives assessment is to
define the merits and disadvantages of realistic
alternatives, enabling to decision-makers and to the
public a clear basis for the choice of option (World
Bank, 1996)
Technical, economic, social and environmental viability
of alternatives: the proponent needs to be willing to
develop any of the alternatives being considered

Alternatives comparative
assessment

Analyse separately the sets of alternatives, whenver

possible.

2
3

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Alternatives comparative assessment

In relation to decision factors
Define the alternatives to be analysed
Define the factors of analysis (decision factors)
Weighting the decision factor

Decision factors
A1

Alternatives
A2

A3

A4

A5

F1
F2
F3
F4

Methods for alternatives comparative

"
assessment
Multi-criteria assessment"
1. Quantitative and qualitative assessment"
2. Weighting the decision factors"
Methods: "
Process of nominal group (group intercative technique)"
1) Nominal generation of ideas (silent and independent) "
2) Table checklist"
3) Group discussion (clarification, evaluation) (e.g. Delphi method)"
4) Order voting or assessment in a numerical scale "
Delphi method"
Preparation of an individual questionnaire per panel member.
Communication of results to each panel member and new round of
voting."

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Preparation of the following table for experts selection and

assessment"
Factor (ou rea de
impact e )

Reduzida
importncia
1
2

Elevada
importncia
4
5

Total

Peso

F1
F2
F3
F4
F5
.

1. Each experts fills in the table based on comparison of factors "

2. Calculation of total"
3. Weight results from the division of each factor by the total "
4. Calculate the average of the tables as filled in by each expert"
5. Each expert compares the average of the group with its own value"

26