Environmental Impact Assessment and

EMS
The Rationale for EIA

March 2020
 Outline of Presentation
• Rationale for Environment Impact Assessment
• The multi - dimensional nature of Development
– Industrial growth and the cumulative causation processes
– Urbanization
– Rural development
– Rural urban Linkages
• The positive and negative outcomes development
• The need for a balancing act
• The EIA as panacea to sustainable development
The Concept and Process of Development

• Changes that lead to a positive transformation of

human wellbeing
• As opposed to economic growth which is quantitative
and not necessarily welfare friendly
• Based on the manipulation of, transformation of, use
of, interaction with the environment
• Human wellbeing depends on environmental
endowments
• Both in the urban and rural setting
 Development Scenarios

Involves Physical, Social, Economic, other Transformations

 Development Outcomes
• Development attracts a concentration of population and economic
activities: Resource extraction, manufacturing, agriculture, trade
and commerce, and various services
• Also attracts physical transformation in the form of a built
environment: network of infrastructure and social amenities
• Attracts an increasing variety of employment opportunities
• Attracts increased income
• Attracts increased consumption which in turn attracts increased
investment in in the productive and service sector
• This cycle of growth triggers a cumulative causation process of
development
• Attracts increased waste generation and pollution
• Two common outcomes emerge
• The Positive and negative
Processes and Outcomes of DVT
SCLLY
DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE DFND
OUTCOMES PROBLMS

URBAN SYSTEMS
PLTCL CHANGE

LAND USE
CLTRAL CHANGE
PLTCL
CNFLCT

Development BLT ENVT

SOCIAL CHANGE SCL ECOLOGY

PLCY
RESPNS
TECHL CHANGE URBANISM PLNNG

ENVTL CHANGE

6
 Development Outcomes
and Feedback
• Positive outcomes – examples

• Negative outcomes – examples

• Manifestation of the Outcomes vary

• Need for Government interventions:

Policies, rules and regulations, development planning and
management come in to address the diverse emerging
challenges

These in turn affect the dynamics of the overall development

process feed back
 Negative Transformations to the
Environment
• Deforestation
• Loss of species habitat
• Loss of biodiversity
• Soil erosion and Land degradation - dereliction
• Pollution: water/ land/ air/ noise/ thermal
• Loss of traditional livelihoods
• Health impacts
• Degradation of basic natural resources: forest, water,
soils, food, air,
 Environmental Issues under Threat
• Vegetation cover, diversity and productivity
• Ecosystem diversity, productivity, goods and services
(both terrestrial and aquatic)
• Landscape and Land availability
• Water and food security (availability and quality)
• Environmental sanity (land, air, water, built environment
• Atmospheric stability
• Population, distribution, density and wellbeing
• Native livelihoods, traditions and cultures (traditional
safety nets)
• Traditional leadership and local governance
 The Role of EIA
• To create opportunities for an integrated approach towards
sustainable development
• To create opportunities for linking different sectors and
policies in Dvt planning
• To instil long-term strategic visions in Dvt planning
• To tackle challenges related:
– Local economic development, planning, management
and governance
– Economic wellbeing and competitiveness
– Social inclusion and environmental stewardship.
– Protection of cultural heritage
 Importance of EIA
• It provides detailed analysis of the environmental, social
and economic impacts of a project prior to decision-
making.
• Aims to predict environmental impacts at an early stage
in project planning and design
• Find ways and means to reduce adverse impacts
• Shape projects to suit the local environment and present
the predictions and options to decision-makers.
• Both environmental and economic benefits can be
achieved
• Allows proponents to rethink about their business set up
and strategies before going ahead with them.
 Importance….
• Allows the corporate world to achieve compliance with the
existing environmental legislations
• Enhance improved coherence and cost effectiveness of policies
• Improved reputation and competitiveness of local authorities
• Enhance environmental awareness of local stakeholders
• Helps to protect the interests of the local community.
– Local resources, livelihoods, economic security, health, safety, cultural
heritage, etc.
• Enhanced partnership and communication between
stakeholders.
• Cost savings through reduction in resources and utilities.
• Contributing to national objectives on the environmental issues.
 EIA
• Predicts potential impacts of specific projects on the local and downstream
environment
• Helps to inform development decisions by mandating a consideration of
alternatives
– Alternative project locations; scales; processes; layouts; operating conditions and;
– In some cases the option of stopping the project implementation.
• Inform ways to prevent, mitigate, and control negative socio-environmental
impacts
• Promote SD at all scales
 The EIA Process
• Although legislation and practice vary around the
world, the fundamental components of an EIA
would necessarily involve the following stages:
• The EIA process is not an event but a process that
tends to be continuous
• It is a costly and, skills-intensive process that is
recommended only on major projects with
potentially harmful environmental costs.
 Alternative Designs Proposal Initiated THE EIA PROCESS
Proposal probably requiring EIA Other proposal
Proposal mandatory requiring EIA
Application of thresholds & criteria
Screening EIA not required
EIA required

Proponent prepares notification of intent

Scoping EIA agency prepares guidelines recommendations

Competent authority issues guidelines

EIA report preparation Proponent prepares EIS

.

Competent authority determines if EIS is acceptable

Public review
Review
EIA agency evaluates EIS, advises competent authority

Proponent prepares supplementary EIS

Decision Making Competent authority makes decision

Monitoring Monitoring
 Assignment Two
(a) Explain with relevant examples the fact that every development
project tends to have;

(i) Both intended and unintended impacts (10 Marks)

(ii)Local and downstream impacts (10 Marks)

(iii)Social, economic and ecological impacts (10 Marks)

(b) Explain why EIA is an essential tool in Environmental Engineering
Practice. (20 Marks)