Course Title:

ENV 606: Environmental and Social Impact Assessment

Md. Jakariya, PhD

Professor, ESM
North South University
email: md.jakariya@northsouth.edu

EIA paper review on

Public participation and environmental impact
assessment: Purposes, implications, and lessons for
public policy making

Assignment submitted by:

Kamruzzaman Sheikh
ID: 2225080676
Spring 2023, MESM
email: kamruzzaman.sheikh@northsouth.edu
Date of Submission: June 11, 2023
Introduction:

The paper titled "Public Participation and Environmental Impact Assessment: Purposes,
Implications, and Lessons for Public Policy Making" explores the significance of public
participation in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) processes. The authors
emphasize the need to enhance public participation in EIA and examine its various
purposes, implications, and its relation to public policy making. This review aims to
critically analyze the key arguments presented in the paper and evaluate its contribution to
the existing literature on EIA and public participation.

Summary:

The paper begins by highlighting the central themes in the EIA literature, focusing on the
increasing importance of public participation and alternative mechanisms for achieving it.
The authors note that while the benefits of public participation are often assumed, the
underlying rationale and diverse purposes for seeking public participation are not always
clearly articulated. The paper identifies four main purposes for public participation in EIA,
namely provision of information, filling information gaps, information contestability, and
problem-solving and social learning.

The authors discuss the implications of each purpose for decision making in the EIA
process. They emphasize the role of public participation in providing information to
affected groups, enabling them to prepare for project impacts and secure the smooth
implementation of projects or programs. Additionally, public participation is seen as
essential for filling information gaps, ensuring decision makers have access to robust
information on impacted ecologies, populations, and the likely efficacy of mitigative
strategies.

Another key aspect discussed in the paper is the concept of information contestability,
whereby public participation aims to contest and scrutinize the information provided by
project proponents. The authors argue that public participation can be crucial in
challenging biased or incomplete information, especially when proponents may downplay
negative impacts or exaggerate project benefits. Through public participation, alternatives
to the proponent's preferred options can be properly examined, and a wider range of
perspectives and values can be considered.

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Furthermore, the paper highlights the potential of public participation in problem-solving
and social learning. It suggests that public participation can contribute to creativity,
innovation, and the identification of effective strategies to address complex environmental
and social issues. The authors argue that stakeholder involvement and collective learning
are necessary for achieving sustainable resource use patterns and institutional innovation
in response to sustainability challenges.

Critical Discussion:

The paper provides valuable insights into the purposes and implications of public
participation in EIA processes. It successfully highlights the importance of public
participation in providing information, contesting information, and fostering problem-
solving and social learning. The authors effectively discuss the implications of each
purpose for decision making, emphasizing the need for robust and inclusive decision-
making processes.

One strength of the paper lies in its recognition of the diverse perspectives and values that
different stakeholders bring to the EIA process. The authors acknowledge that
professionals from various disciplines may have different epistemologies and priorities
when assessing impacts and evaluating project alternatives. By incorporating a wide range
of perspectives, public participation can help mitigate biases and ensure a more
comprehensive and balanced decision-making process.

However, the paper could benefit from a more critical examination of the challenges and
limitations of public participation in EIA. While it highlights the potential benefits, it does
not extensively discuss the barriers, such as power imbalances, limited resources, and time
constraints that may hinder effective public participation. Additionally, the paper could
have explored case studies or empirical evidence to support the arguments presented and
provide practical examples of successful public participation in EIA.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the paper "Public Participation and Environmental Impact Assessment:

Purposes, Implications, and Lessons for Public Policy Making" offers valuable insights
into the role of public participation in EIA processes. It effectively discusses the various
purposes of public participation and their implications for decision making. While the
paper could have provided a more critical analysis of the challenges and limitations

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Reference:

O'Faircheallaigh, C. (2010). Public participation and environmental impact assessment: Purposes,

implications, and lessons for public policy making. Environmental impact assessment review,
30(1), 19-27.

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