What is the definition of EIA according to the IAIA?
The process of identifying, predicting, evaluating, and mitigating biophysical, social, and other relevant effects of development proposals prior to major decisions being taken and commitments being made.
What are the key principles defining how EIA should be applied?
- as early as possible in planning/decision-making stages
- applied to all proposals that may generate significant adverse enviro effects or those for which there is public concern
- consider biophysical and human issues potentially affected by development (ex. health, gender, culture)
- sustainable development
- allows involvement of affected and interested parties in decision-making process
What is an environmental change?
The difference in condition of particular enviro or socio-economic parameters that are usually measurable over time
What is an environmental effect?
The difference in conditions of enviro parameters under project-induced change vs what the condition might be in the absence of the project
What method is EIA based off of?
The rationalist planning model (1960s)
i) define problem
ii) set goals/objectives
iii) identify options
iv) assess options
v) implement preferred solution
vi) monitor and evaluate
not always this easy though
What is the ultimate objective of EA?
- to provide decision makers with indication of likely consequences of their actions
- combines scientific data, values, knowledge, and understanding together to reach a decision
What are the 2 different types of EA objectives?
- output objectives (immediate, short term that can be audited and measured directly for the EA process)
- outcome objectives (longer term objectives that are products of consistent EIA application, but difficult to measure and directly associate with the EA process)
What are the origins of EA?
- 1960s awareness of enviro issues
- US National Enviro Policy Act (NEPA) derived to ensure projects will not have adverse enviro impacts
- early 1970s, very casual process that ignored wider impacts
- early 1980s, became more organized & introduced scoping
- up to 2000s, rapid growth of EA due to intl conferences leading to greater awareness and formation of IAIA
What is an undertaking?
the proposal being examined/assessed
What is environment defined as?
ecological and socio-cultural (broad term)
What is an EIS?
Enviro Impact Statement is an EA report written by the proponent
What are VECs?
Valued environment/ecosystem components
What are some main EA objectives?
- identify/predict negative impacts of proposed project
- ensure decisions are made in full knowledge of enviro consequences
- find ways to avoid/minimize sig negative biophysical and social impacts
- identify, enhance, and create potentially positive impacts
What are perceived EA objectives?
Depends on who’s looking at it.
- Resident: public relations tool used by developers to justify decisions/ ensure proponent accountability
- NGO: tool to improve stakeholder involvement in decision-making or preventing development from proceeding
- Proponent: expensive hurdle to overcome to receive project approval (earning social license to operate)
Ea benefits?
- avoidance/minimization of adverse enviro effects
- opportunities for public participation and Indigenous consultation
- cost savings for proponent through early identification of unforeseen impacts
- increase in public acceptability through participation
EA challenges?
- doesn’t apply to all projects
- often rushed/reactionary as its examining already selected projects
- narrow scope (fails to properly address cumulative impacts)
- poor follow-up and monitoring
- viewed solely as bureaucratic hurdle for developers
- ensuring high quality, efficient EA difficult
- difficult to balance efficiency and efficacy (effectiveness)
What are the fundamental principles of EA?
- purposive: informative process
- rigorous: apply best sciences to address problem
- practical: result in helpful info outputs
- relevant: provide sufficient, reliable, and usable info
- cost-effective: achieve objectives within budget
- efficient: impose minimum cost burden
- focused: concentrate on key enviro issues
- adaptive: be adjustable to realities
- participative: provide inclusive opportunities to participate
- interdisciplinary: combination of knowledge/info
- credible: carried out professionally
- integrated: address social, economic, enviro relationships
- transparent: clear, easily understandable requiements
- systematic: fully consider all relevant info
What is the generic order of EA?
- Project description
- Screening
- Scoping
- Impact prediction/evaluation
- Impact management
- Submission and review of EIS
- Decision
- Implementation and follow-up
Public consultation should occur throughout each stage
What is project description stage?
Describes proposed project, alternatives, and characteristics on enviro.
- usually articulated around a need/purpose (ex. need more electricity; an alternative to meet the need would be a new dam)
- proponent will have a preferred alternative
What is the screening stage?
Determines if an EA is needed and type of EA required (level of detail).
- ensures no unnecessary assessments are carried out and that developments warranting assessment are not overlooked
What is scoping stage?
What will the EA address?
- looks at key issues and boundaries to consider and the baseline conditions/trends
- the outcome is the TOR (Terms of Reference) as guidance (contents of EA report)
- activities include: project alts, identifying VECs, defines boundaries, establishes baseline/trends, identifies relevant stakeholders, informs affected people of undertaking, identifies potential impacts/issues of concern, and creates TOR
What is the impact prediction/evaluation stage?
Prediction/forecasting of impacts related to each alt under consideration and evaluates impact significance.
- data collection fundamental to expanding/generating baseline info
What is the impact management stage?
Identification of mitigation measures and development of protection plans
What is the submission and review of EIS stage?
- formal EA document produced
- technical and public review of EIS
- inform public of findings/feedback, identify errors, and check assumptions/predictions
