KEY PRINCIPLES OF

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ASSESSMENT AND
EXAMPLES OF REAL WORLD
APPLICATION
Presented by: Jan Karina S. Lapeña
OUTLINE
Introduction
 What is Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)?
 Beginning of EIA
Key Principles of EIA
 What is Sustainable Development?
 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development 1992
Principles
 Aarhus Convention Principles
 International Association of Impact Assessment (IAIA)
Principles of EIA as adapted 2
OUTLINE cont’d

Application of EIA
 Sample Project
 EIA Process
 ECC Requirements

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INTRODUCTION
◈ Many countries have taken positive actions to protect
environmental resources and public health from
environmental pollution and to restore and enhance the
quality of their natural environments.

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INTRODUCTION
◈ The common goal is to create a
substantive environmental policy that
protects natural resources, environmental
quality, and public and ecological health
and better integrates economic, social and
environmental goals.
◈ Integral to this goal are systematic
procedures for Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA).
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 What is EIA?
◈ EIA is both a decision making
process, and a document that
provides a systematic, reproducible,
and interdisciplinary evaluation of
the potential effects of a proposed
action and its practical alternatives
on the physical, biological, cultural,
and socioeconomic attributes of a
particular geographical area.
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What is the purpose of EIA?
◈ It promotes sustainable development by identifying
environmentally sound practice and mitigation measures for
developments.
◈ To ensure that environmental consequences were taken into
account during planning, designing & decision-making process.
◈ To influence how it is subsequently managed during its
implementation.
◈ The adverse impacts could be avoided or reduce.

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 BEGINNING OF EIA
◈ US was the first country to develop a system of environmental
impact assessment (EIA).
◈ National Environmental Policy Act (1969) of the United States
of America (NEPA) was constituted and enforced EIA requiring
environmental consideration in large-scale projects as legislation.
◈ The influence of NEPA was extended beyond the US and several
countries began to provide EIA systems; e.g. Australia (1974),
Thailand (1975), France (1976), Philippines (1978), Israel (1981)
and Pakistan (1983).
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KEY PRINCIPLES OF
EIA
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 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
◈ Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a useful tool
for promoting sustainable development.

What is sustainable development?

◈ Articulated in Our Common Future, the
original concept is of “development that meets
the needs of the present without compromising
the future of generations to meet their own
needs” (UNCED, 1987). 10
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
◈ view as “development
that improves the total
quality of life, both now
and in the future, in a way
that maintains the
ecological processes on
which life depends”.

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Sustainable development consists of 7 main key
concepts which are the following:
1. Interdependence
2. Citizenship and Stewardship
3. Needs and Rights of Future Generations
4. Diversity
5. Quality of Life
6. Uncertainty and Precautions
7. Sustainable change 12
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RIO DECLARATION ON ENVIRONMENT
AND DEVELOPMENT 1992

• a short document produced at the 1992 United Nations

“Conference on Environment and Development”
(UNCED), informally known as the Earth Summit.
• consisted of 27 principles intended to guide countries in
future sustainable development.
• signed by over 170 countries.

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RIO DECLARATION ON ENVIRONMENT AND
DEVELOPMENT 1992
Key Principles of EIA
◈ Principle 3:
The right to development must be fulfilled so as to equitably
meet developmental and environmental needs of present and
future generations.

◈ Principle 4:
In order to achieve sustainable development, environment
protection shall constitute and integral part of the development
process and cannot be considered in isolation from it. 15
Key Principles of EIA (Rio Declaration)
◈ Principle 14:
In order to protect the environment, the precautionary
approach shall be widely applied by States according to
their capabilities. Where there are threats of serious or
irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall
not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective
measures to prevent environmental degradation.

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Key Principles of EIA (Rio Declaration)
◈ Principle 10:
- Environmental issues are best handled with the participation of all
concerned citizens, at the relevant level.
- At the national level, each individual shall have appropriate access
to information concerning the environment that is held by public
authorities, including information on hazardous materials and
activities in their communities, and the opportunity to participate in
decision-making processes.
- States shall facilitate and encourage public awareness and
participation by making information widely available. Effective
access to judicial and administrative proceedings, including redress
and remedy, shall be provided. 17
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Key Principles of EIA (Rio Declaration)
◈ Principle 11:
“States shall enact effective environmental legislation…”

◈ Principle 16:
“National authorities should endeavor to promote the
internalization of environmental costs and the use of economic
instruments, taking into account the approach that the polluter
should, in principle, bear the costs of pollution, with due regard to
the public interest and without distorting international trade and
investment.” 19
 Identifies the methods and
standards for preventing,
mitigating and reducing such
potential impacts on the
a process of estimating and
environment
assessing impacts on the
environment by
EIA [development] projects and
activities

achieve create
allow
Sustainable Sustainable
development societies

Public participation in decision-making and

to make final determination based on the
best available information 20
KEY PRINCIPLES TO HAVE AN EFFECTIVE
EIA
• Proponent bears cost of application and
1 assessment
• Public participation at all stages of the
2 process
• Access to proponent information by civil
3 society and government

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KEY PRINCIPLES TO HAVE AN EFFECTIVE
EIA

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• Transparent process

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• Best available scientific information

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• Clear decision making

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• Effective compliance and enforcement

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MECHANISMS TO
ACHIEVE PRINCIPLES
OF EIA
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1. Precautionary Principle
-careful evaluation to avoid serious damage to the environment and an
assessment of the risk-weighted consequences of various options

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2. Intergenerational equity
-the present generation should ensure that the health, diversity and productivity of
the environment is maintained or enhanced for the benefit of future generations.

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3. Conservation of biological
diversity and ecological integrity
-saving wildlife means saving
their habitats and not disturbing
the complex interactions among
species in an ecosystem

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4. Improved valuation, pricing and
incentive mechanisms

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INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF IMPACT
ASSESSMENT (IAIA) PRINCIPLES OF EIA AS
ADAPTED
◈ Be applied as a tool to help achieve sustainable
development;
◈ Be integrated into existing development planning and
approval processes;
◈ Be applied as a tool to implement environmental
management;
◈ Be integrated into the project life-cycle;

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INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF IMPACT
ASSESSMENT (IAIA) PRINCIPLES OF EIA AS
ADAPTED cont’d
◈ Be applied to all proposed actions that are likely to have a
significant adverse effect on the environment and human
health;
◈ Include an analysis of realistic alternatives to the
proposal;
◈ Maximize opportunities for public participation;
◈ Be undertaken in an interdisciplinary manner; and
◈ Integrate information on social, economic and biophysical
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impacts.
EIA is a valuable tool to assist decision making
on a local, regional and national level.
◈ EIA can include Regional Impact Assessment
◈ EIA can also be used for Strategic Environment
Assessment
◈ EIA also encompasses Cumulative Impact
Assessment

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 EIA INCLUDES REGIONAL IMPACT
ASSESSMENT

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EIA FOR STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT

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EIA ENCOMPASSES CUMULATIVE IMPACT
ASSESSMENT

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 APPLICATION OF EIA IN THE REAL WORLD
Project Description
Proponent Information

Project Title: ADJ Pineapple Processing Plant

Project Location: National Highway, Casisang, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon
Total Land Area: 50 hectares
Product: Pineapple Juice

The company processes about 100 tons/hr fresh pineapples (annual production of
600,000 tons/yr) which are distributed and marketed local and international arena. The
establishment was able to contribute to the economic growth of the locality by providing
job opportunities and fiscal income through tax revenues.

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◈ The processing of pineapple involves eight (8) sub-processes: (1) Sorting of
fresh pineapples, (2) Washing, (3) Manual peeling and sorting, (4) Juice
Extraction (pulping & straining), (5) Filling in jars or cans, (6) Vacuum
sealing, pasteurising or sterilizing, (7) cooling and (8) Labeling, packaging
and storage.

Sorting of Fresh Washing Peeling and Juice Extraction

Pineapples Sorting

Packaging Cooling Pasteurization Filling

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Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
◈ Process that involves evaluating and predicting the likely
impacts of a project (including cumulative impacts) on the
environment during construction, commissioning,
operation and abandonment. It also includes designing
appropriate preventive, mitigating and enhancement
measures addressing these consequences to protect the
environment and the community’s welfare

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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
(EIS)
◈ Document, prepared and submitted by the project
proponent and/or EIA consultant that serves as an
application for ECC. It is a comprehensive study of the
significant impacts of a project on the environment. It
includes an Environmental Management Plan/Program
that the proponent will fund and implement to protect the
environment.

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EIA Process
Screening
Scoping
Preparation of EIA Report
 includes baseline studies and identification of key
impacts (mitigation and enhancement)
Review and Evaluation
Decision-making
Monitoring
Auditing
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Scoping
Shall be required for all projects requiring an EIS report. For
projects with expansion/modification, public scoping is
required if any of the following criteria is present:
a) Project with at least 50% expansion of its operation/land
area;
b) Additional major component/operation not included in the
existing operation;
c) Project with an ECC issued for at least 5 years;
d) Project with complaint/opposition from concerned
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stakeholders
Submission of EIA Report
◈ Submission of EIA Report is done wherein
the submitted document already incorporates
the findings and mitigating measures
suggested in the public and technical
scoping.

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Review and Evaluation
Includes the following:
Technical Meeting
Site Assessment
Public Hearing/Public Consultation
Technical Review

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Decision-making

ECC ISSUANCE
ECC DENIAL
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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EIA Report Types
1. EIS
2. Programmatic EIS
3. IEE Checklist (ECC Online)
4. Project Description Report
5. Environmental Performance and
Management Plan (EPRMP)
6. Programmatic EPRMP
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Environmental
Compliance Certificate
(If the project is covered by the PEISS)
◈ a document issued by EMB/DENR after a positive review
of an ECC application, certifying that the proponent has
complied with all the requirements of the EIS System and
has committed to implement its approved environmental
management plan.
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ECC Validity and Expiry
◈ Once a project is implemented, the ECC remains
valid and active for the lifetime of the project.
ECC automatically expires if a project has not
been implemented within five (5) years from
ECC issuance. ECC extensions have to be filed
within three (3) months from expiration of its
validity otherwise it is considered expired.
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 Requirements
• Project Description
• Project Components & Operation Information
• Environmental Impact and Management Plan
• Abandonment / Decommissioning / Rehabilitation Information
• Geotagged photographs of project site (taken for last 30 days(You may use GEOCAM
Application)
• Topographic Map of impact/affected areas (at least 1km from the project boundaries)
• Certification from LGU on the compatibility of proposed project with existing land use plan
• Site Development and/or Vicinity map signed by registered professionals
• Project/Plant layout signed by registered professionals
• Schematic diagram of wastewater treatment facility
• Schematic diagram of Air Pollution Control Facility
• Organizational Chart in charge on environmental concerns
• Proof of authority over the project site (land title, lease contract, deed of absolute sale, etc.)
• Duly notarized accountability statement of proponent 47
Requirements
• Others (Optional)
• *Duly accomplished project environmental monitoring and audit
prioritization scheme (PEMAPS) questionnaire
• *IEE Checklist Sworn Statement
• Bank Receipt (Application Fee)
• Affidavit of No Complaint
• Processing fee -5,055.00

*Downloadable online

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End of
Presentation 49