EIA 6105:

ESIA Procedures and

Methods

Dr. David Were

dwere51@gmail.com

+256783365652

ESIA Procedures and

Methods in Uganda

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 INTRODUCTION
Clear understanding of the process and
roles at different levels is important in
the implementation of ESIA.
A good understanding of procedures and
methods at different stages of the
process informs the process design.
It is important to have clear roles and
responsibilities to strengthen and
consolidate ESIA systems
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INUTRODUCTION
Who does what, how and where
during the ESIA process?
Institutional Arrangements
Developer
NEMA
Lead Agencies
Consultant(s)
Independent reviewers 4

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 When, why and how?
ESIA should be conducted before the
commencement of a project to:
Assess the possible impacts that a proposed
project or activity may have on the
environment (physical and social) and
 Propose measures to help:
– Eliminate, or
– Reduce or avoid adverse impacts and costs
that would be met after damage is inflicted by
either:
» Redesigning the project or
» Instituting mitigation measures 5

ESIA Process should be?

Purposive – the process should inform decision-
making and result in appropriate levels of
environmental protection and community well-
being.
Rigorous – the process should apply 'best
practicable' science, employing methodologies
and techniques appropriate to address the
problems being investigated.
Practical – the process should result in
information and outputs which assist with
problem solving and are acceptable to and able
to be implemented by proponents / developers.
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ESIA Process should be:
Credible – the process should be carried
out with professionalism, rigor, fairness,
objectivity, impartiality and balance, and
be subject to independent checks and
verification.
Integrated – the process should address
the interrelationships of social, economic
and biophysical aspects
Hence need for different disciplines

The ESIA Process in Uganda

ESIA a process, not a one time event
There are several steps that must be
followed consistently
Omitting a single step will result into a
poor quality report, and also rejection of
the ESIA report by NEMA
In Uganda, the conduct of ESIA has been
guided by The National Environment
(Environmental and Social Assessment)
Regulations, 2020
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 Generalised EIA process in Uganda flowchart
Proposal/project identification

Screening

ESIA required Initial environmental No ESIA

examination

Scoping-TOR *Public involvement

Impact analysis

*Public involvement typically

Mitigation and impact occurs at these points. It may
management also occur at any other stage of
the EIA Process whenever
EIA report needed

Review *Public involvement

Re-design Decision making

Not approved Approved

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Implementation and follow-up

The EIA process

EIA stages and their relevance

screening
to decide if and at what level EIA should
be applied
public involvement
to inform and consult with stakeholders
scoping
to identify the important issues and
prepare terms of reference
impact analysis
to predict the effects of a proposal and
evaluate their significance

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 The EIA process cont’d

EIA stages and their relevance

mitigation
to establish measures to prevent, reduce or
compensate for impacts
reporting
to prepare the information necessary for
decision-making
review
to check the quality of the EIA report
decision-making
to approve (or reject) the proposal and set
conditions

The EIA process cont’d

EIA stages and their relevance cont’d

• implementation and follow-up
to monitor, manage and audit the impacts
of project implementation

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 Screening

Screening
Definition
An assessment / evaluation to determine whether a
proposed project requires ESIA or not, and if ESIA is
required, to what level
Screening methods
• legal/policy definition
 defined proposals to which EIA does or does not apply
• inclusion list of projects (with/without thresholds)
 project list for which EIA is automatically required
• exclusion list of projects
 project list for which EIA is not required
• criteria for case-by-case screening
 to identify which project requires EIA

Screening methods
Legal/policy definition
• Section 112 of the National
Environment Act of 2019;
Categories projects for which
project briefs are required
• Section 113 of the Act;
Categories projects for purposes
of environmental and social
impact assessments 14

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Screening methods
Legal/policy definition
Projects and EIA Requirements
Schedule 4 of the National Environment
Act of 2019 list projects for which
Project Briefs are required
Schedule 5 of the Act lists projects for
which Environmental and Social Impact
Assessments are Mandatory
Schedule 11 lists projects or
Activities Exempted from
Environment Assessments 15

Screening
Assignment Activity 1
An investor proposes to establish a
water supply scheme to abstract 100
m3/day from a surface water body in
Busia District
The investor has approached you to
guide on the ESIA process
Explain to investor whether ESIA is
required or not, and if required, to
what level

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 Screening cont’d
Criteria for case-by-case screening
The following are important in determining
significant effects:
assimilative capacity of the natural
environment
environmental sensitivity, e.g. wetlands,
coastal and mountain zones
environmental standards and objectives
existing land uses
proximity to protected or designated areas
within landscapes of special heritage value
abundance and quality of natural resources

Screening cont’d
Extended screening
Often used when the requirement/extent
of EIA can not be reasonably determined
e.g. if;
the proposal involves use of new
technology
the proposal is located in a near-
natural area
the proposal involves discharges into
a water body that may exceed health
or environmental standard

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 Screening cont’d
Methods for extended screening
1.Initial environmental evaluation or
examination (IEE)
An IEE
describes the proposal
considers alternatives
addresses the concerns of the
community
identifies potential environmental effects
established mitigation measures
includes mitigation and follow up if
necessary

Screening cont’d
Methods for extended screening cont’d
2. Environmental overview
Rapid assessment done to get an
overview of the environmental setting
3. Class screening
usually applied to small-scale projects
that are routine and replicable, such as
dredging, installation of culverts and
realignments to an existing roads

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 Screening cont’d
Information required by decision-makers
during extended screening
description of the proposal

conditions and characteristics of the

environment
applicable policy planning and
regulatory objectives
identification of potential impacts

degree of public concern and interest

Screening cont’d
Outcomes of screening process

The screening process can decide that;

full or comprehensive EIA is required

more limited EIA is required
often called preliminary or initial
assessment
also called project brief
further study is needed to determine EIA
requirement
no requirement for EIA

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 Screening cont’d
Typical proposals requiring full
Proposal/projects that require full EIA
include:
 dams and reservoirs
 (infrastructure (e.g. transport and sanitation)
 industrial facilities (e.g. manufacturing plants)
 energy and minerals extraction (e.g. oil & gas,
coal)
 waste management and disposal of hazardous
and toxic materials
 energy development (power stations,
transmission lines, pipelines)
See the NEA, 2019 for details

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