Understanding Environmental Impact Assessments
Understanding Environmental Impact Assessments
Assessment (EIA)
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BY MS KIHARA
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EIA Introduction
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Economic, social and environmental change
is inherent to development.
Whilst development aims to bring about
positive change it can lead to conflicts.
In the past, the promotion of economic
growth as the motor for increased well-
being was the main development thrust
with little sensitivity to adverse social or
environmental impacts
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Intro……cont
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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
“Sustainable development is to
meet the needs of the present
without compromising the ability
of future generations to meet
their own needs.”
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Intro……cont
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EIA
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EIA is a systematic process to identify,
predict and evaluate the environmental
effects of proposed actions and projects.
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EIA is a tool that is applied…
before major decisions are taken and when all
alternatives are still open;
to inform all stages of decision making, including
final approval and the establishment of conditions for
project implementation;
with public participation and consultation; and
to integrate environmental considerations and
safeguards into all phases of project design,
construction and operation
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Purposes/Aims and Objectives
The immediate aim of EIA is to inform the
process of decision-making by identifying the
potentially significant environmental effects
and risks of development proposals.
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Purposes/Aims and Objectives (cont.)
The ultimate (long term) aim of EIA is to
promote sustainable development by ensuring
that development proposals do not undermine
critical resource and ecological functions or the
well being, lifestyle and livelihood of the
communities and peoples who depend on them.
· Adds to complexity 14
· Adds to delay
· Costly
· Requires multidisciplinary team
· Requires understanding of environmental
systems and processes
· Forecasting of cost/schedule
· Limited proponent options
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EIA in the world today
Introduction and early development (1970-
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1975) – mandate and foundations of EIA
established in the USA; then adopted by a
few other countries (e.g. Australia, Canada,
New Zealand); basic concept, procedure and
methodology still apply.
Increasing scope and sophistication (mid ’70s
to early ’80s) – more advanced techniques
(e.g. risk assessment); guidance on process
implementation (e.g. screening and scoping);
social impacts considered; public inquiries
and reviews drive innovations in leading
countries; take up of EIA still limited but
includes
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developing countries (e.g. China,
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Process strengthening and integration (early
‘80’s to early ’90s) – review of EIA practice and
experience; scientific and institutional
frameworks of EIA updated; coordination of EIA
with other processes, (e.g. project appraisal, land
use planning); ecosystem-level changes and
cumulative effects begin to be addressed;
attention given to monitoring and other follow-up
mechanisms. Many more countries adopt EIA;
the European Community and the World Bank
respectively establish supra-national and
international lending requirements.
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International Obligations
KEY Requirements/Outcome
Instruments/events
EIA requirements and Providing loans and implementing
procedures applied by projects in developing countries.
international financial
and aid agencies
Amendment of EC Required all member states to be in
Directive on EIA (1997) compliance by 1999; also assisted in
drafting the EIA laws of transitional
economies who are in the process of
accession to the European Union.
UNECE - Convention Entered into force in 1997 as the
on EIA in a Trans- first EIA-specific international
boundary Context treaty.
(1991)
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Dimensions of Environment in EIA:
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EIA in Tanzania
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In 1980 the first EIA process undertaken in
Tanzania,
Where more than 200 EIA processes have so
far been undertaken in Tanzania up 2010
Environmental Management Act No. 20 of
2004 (EMA),were reviewed and adopted
Which gives NEMC mandates to undertake
enforcement, compliance , review and
monitoring of environmental impact
assessments, research, raise environmental
awareness and collect and disseminate
environmental information.
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EIA PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
IN TANZANIA
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Cont…..
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EIA PROCESS
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Introduction to the EIA Process
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The main steps in the EIA process are:
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screening
Scoping
prediction and mitigation
management and monitoring
audit
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Proposal
identification
Impact analysis
Mitigation
and impact
management
*Public involvement
Resubmit EIA report
*Public involvement typically
occurs at these points.
It may also occur at any
Redesign Review other stage of the EIA Process
Approved
Information from this process
contributes to effective EIAin the future
Implementation
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monitoring
Step 1: Screening
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Screening Outcomes:
Full or comprehensive EIA required
Limited EIA required
No EIA required
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Tools for Screening
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Project lists:
• Inclusive — listed projects must undergo EIA
• Exclusive — listed projects exempted from EIA
Case-by-case examinations:
• determine whether projects may have significant
environmental effects
• if so, project should undergo EIA
Combination of above
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Example
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The Project screening process
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Stakeholder involvement
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Stakeholder involvement cont…
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Stakeholder involvement (including
participation) involves processes whereby all
those with a stake in the outcome of a project
actively participate in decisions on planning
and management.
They share information and knowledge, and
may contribute to the project, so as to enhance
the success of the project and hence ultimately
their own interests.
One of the key features of stakeholding is that
it aims to be ‘inclusive’ rather than ‘exclusive’.
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Examples of EIA stakeholder
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Central government authorities
Regional authorities
District authorities
Village leaders and householders
Bilateral and multilateral Dvt partners
(NORAD, CIDA, World Bank, UNDP)
NGOs
Project proponents
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Examples of EIA stakeholder groups
cont..
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Typology of participation
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S/No Typology Characteristics of each type
1 Passive People participate by being told what is
participation going to happen or has already happened
2 Participation in People participate by answering questions
information posed by researchers using questionnaire
giving surveys
3 Participation in People participate by being consulted by
consultation external people. External professionals
define problems and solutions and may
modify these
4 Participation People participate by providing resources
for material like labor, food or cash
incentives
5 Functional People participate by forming groups to
participation meet predetermined objectives related to
the project
6 Interactive People participate in joint analysis, which
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participation leads to action plans and formation of new
Importance of stakeholder
38 involvement
It provide information about the development
and its likely impacts
It identify issues that concerns local
stakeholders and other interest groups
It improves project design e.g. social
acceptability
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Importance of stakeholder
involvement cont…
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Potential costs of insufficient public
involvement
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Potential costs of insufficient public
involvement cont..
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Stakeholder analysis
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Stages in stakeholder analysis
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Classification of stakeholders
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1. According to function;
Category Description
Contributors Funding and sponsoring organisations
Implementers The people or organisations
Beneficiaries People or organisations
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Public involvement approaches
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Step 2: Scoping
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Outcome:
identifies key issues and impacts to be
considered
lays the foundation of an effective process,
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Types of Scoping
Closed scoping: 48
wherein the content and scope of an EIA Report is pre-
determined by law and modified through closed
consultations between a developer and the competent
authority
Open or Public scoping:
a transparent process based on public consultations
Actors
proponent, EIA consultant, supervisory
authority for EIA, other responsible
agencies, affected public and interested
public
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The scoping process
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prepare a scope
outline
organise key issues
into impact
develop the outline
categories (study list)
through informal
consultation with amend the outline
environmental and accordingly
health authorities
develop ‘Terms of
make the outline
reference’ (ToR) for
available impact analysis
compile an extensive
list of concerns
monitor progress
against the ToR,
evaluate relevant revising as necessary
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concerns to establish
Definitions
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OBJECTIVES IMPACT
IDENTIFICATION
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Impact identification.
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A number of tools are available to assist in
impact identification
i. Simple checklists: provide lists of potential
impacts
[Link] checklists: provide guidance
on how to assess impacts
[Link] checklists: these are based
on a set of questions, some of which might
explore indirect impacts and possible
mitigation measures
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Impact identification…2
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Checklists methods
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Simple checklists
Descriptive checklists
Weighting-ranking checklists
Questionnaire checklists
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Simple checklists
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Effects on land.
Physical effects of the development.
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Descriptive checklist
Data Required Information Sources &
Predictive Techniques
Activity Impacts
Land clearance, Visual intrusion, acceleration of run-off,
bulldozing dust, noise, diesel fumes, soil erosion, soil
compaction, exposure of sub-soil, silt to
river, destruction of vegetation.
Stone crushing Dust, noise, soil erosion, lethal hazard to
workers.
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Questionnaire checklist
(You Ask Questions)
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Disease vectors
Are there known disease problems in the
project area transmitted through vector
species such as mosquitoes, flies, snails, etc.?
(yes, no, or not known);
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Matrices
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Network diagrams
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Network diagrams..2
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Advantages and Disadvantages of Impact
Identification Methods
Identification Methods
Objectives
Definitions
Data collection
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Baseline surveys…2
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Objectives
To introduce the concept of baseline
information and surveys required for impact
prediction and evaluation.
Definitions
Baseline information data is the starting point
or level of a particular social, biophysical and
economic variable against which subsequent
changes can be detected and/or predicted
through monitoring".
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Baseline surveys…2:
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Definitions
Baseline survey refers to the collection of
background information on the
environmental and socio-economic setting
for a proposed development project.
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Variable, constant, declining,
increasing
Data collection
Methods:
Formal (scientific, surveys, measurement).
Informal (local knowledge, traditional etc.)
Type:
Primary (new, direct).
Secondary (old, indirect, reference data,
reports).
Remote (e.g. air photos, satellite images.
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Data collection
Issues:
Costs of surveys.
Time required.
Reliability of information.
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Application of baseline monitoring
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Is important when:
• potential interactions between project and
environment are not well understood;
• project implementation methods have not been
clearly defined, or are experimental, or are
subject to change;
• the potential impacts on the natural or social
environment are controversial;
• project scheduling is subject to change so that
impacts could be more serious than originally
predicted.
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Impact prediction and
evaluation
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objectives
Prediction techniques
Prediction criteria
Prediction activities
What is significance?
Determination of significance
Significance ratings
Example of matrix for Dakawa
Irrigation Project
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Impact prediction and evaluation.
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Objectives
To introduce techniques for predicting and
evaluating impacts and their
significance.
i.e. To determine the magnitude, extent and
duration of the impacts in comparison with
the situation without that project/action.
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Prediction techniques
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Simple Techniques
Analogs (case studies of similar actions);
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IMPACT PREDICTION & EVALUATION
Prediction techniques..3
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Mathematical Models
Air quality dispersion
Hydrological processes
Surface and ground water quality and quantity
Expert systems
Noise propagation
Biological impact (population, nutrients,
chemical cycling, energy system diagrams)
Archaeological (predictive)
Visual impact
Socio-economic
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Prediction criteria
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Political repercussions
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Prediction activities
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What is significant impact?
→ Type biophysical,
83 social, health or
economic
→ Nature direct or indirect, cumulative, etc.
→ Magnitude or high, moderate, low
severity
→ Extent local, regional, trans-boundary or
global
→ Timing immediate/long term
→ Duration temporary/permanent
→ Uncertainty low likelihood/high probability
→ Reversibility reversible/irreversible
→ Significance* unimportant/important
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Determination of significance
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Issues:
Quantitative and qualitative
Objective and subjective
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Questions to ask:
How adverse are the predicted effects?
How do these vary in scope and intensity (e.g.
in their effect on ecological and resource
values)?
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IMPACT PREDICTION & EVALUATION
Determination of significance 2
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IMPACT PREDICTION & EVALUATION
Determination of significance 3
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IMPACT PREDICTION & EVALUATION
Significance ratings Rating Description
+5 Highly significant positive change
+4 Major positive change
+3 Significant positive change
+2 Moderate positive change
+1 Slight positive change
0 No change
-1 Slight negative change
-2 Moderate negative change
-3 Significant negative change
-4 Major negative change
-5 Severe irreversible change
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MAJOR ISSUES
(SCOPING)
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Step 4: Impact Mitigation
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Framework for Impact
Mitigation
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Common (desirable)
Alternative sites or
Avoidance technology to
eliminate habitat loss
Actions during
design, construction and
Mitigation operation to minimise
or eliminate habitat
loss
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Step 5: Reporting
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Contents of the Report
a description of the project; 95
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Step 7: Decision Making
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Step 8: Monitoring
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Key components of Monitoring
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Public Involvement in the EIA
Steps Screening
To consult people
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proposal.
Scoping To ensure that significant issues are identified;
project related information is gathered, alternatives
are considered.
Impact analysis To avoid biases/inaccuracies in analysis; identify local
values/preferences; assist in consideration of
Mitigation
mitigation measures; select best alternative.
and impact
management
EIA report
Review
To consider and comment on EIA Report
Decision making
Implementation
To monitor the implementation of EIA Report’s
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and monitoring recommendations and decision’s conditions.
End of a Short Summary of
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