Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture Key principles and effectiveness of EIA

Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture Aims and objectives of EIA modify and improve design ensure efficient resource use enhance social aspects identify key impacts and measures for mitigating them inform decision-making and condition-setting avoid serious and irreversible damage to the environment protect human health and safety EIA can:

Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture EIA — guiding principles purposive – meeting its aims and objectives focused – concentrating on the effects that matter adaptive – responding to issues and realities participative – fully involving the public transparent – clear and easily understood Source: Sadler, 1996; IAIA/IEMA 1999 The EIA process should be:

Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture EIA — guiding principles (continued) rigorous – employing ‘best practicable’ methodology practical – establishing mitigation measures that work credible – carried out with objectivity and professionalism efficient – imposing least cost burden on proponents Source: Sadler, 1996; IAIA/IEMA 1999

Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture Key operating principles of good EIA practice EIA should: be applied to all proposals with significant impacts begin early in the project cycle address relevant environmental, social and health impacts identify and take account of public views result in a statement of impacts and mitigation measures facilitate informed decision making and condition setting Source: Sadler, 1996

Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture Benefits of EIA include: environmentally sound and sustainable design better compliance with standards savings in capital and operating costs reduced time and costs for approvals increased project acceptance better protection of the environment and human health

Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture Delays are caused during EIA when: the EIA is commenced too late in the project cycle the terms of reference are poorly drafted the EIA is not managed to a schedule the EIA report is inadequate and needs to be upgraded there is a lack of technical data

Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture Effectiveness EIA Results of a study in the Netherlands ( Technical University Delft )

Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture The scope of the research What was the effect of the EIA in the final decision? What is the explanation for the results? What is the contribution of the various actors in the process?

Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture Effectiveness: actions and/or images Actions: EIA was effective when 1.The original proposal (design or permit application) has changed because of the results of the EIA 2.The competent authority takes a decision that is clearly influenced by the results of the EIA process

Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture Effectiveness: actions and/or images Images: EIA was effective when 1.An actor changed his opinion on the needs or necessity of the proposed activity 2.An actor has changed his opinion on the “reasonability” of the alternatives that were introduced in the EIA 3.An actor has gained insight in alternatives 4.An actor has gained insight in environmental impacts 5.Actors involved have closed “the gap” between their (conflicting) position because of the EIA

Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture Effectiveness: actions Effect according to Prop and CA: On the original proposal (design or permit application): 31 On the final decision taken by the CA: 40 Total effectiveness (actions): 52 EIA’s out of 105

Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture Effectiveness: images Effect according to Prop and CA: 1.Changed opinion on the needs/ necessity of the proposed activity: 1 2.Changed opinion on the “reasonability” of the alternatives that were introduced in the EIA: 9 3.Gained insight in alternatives: 42 4.Gained insight in environmental impacts: 52 5.Closed “the gap” between (conflicting) position because of the EIA: 29 Total effectiveness (images): 68 out of 105 Over all effectiveness (actions and images): 79 out of 105

Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture Extra element: efficiency Efficiency: when the actor thinks the EIA has had added value for the decision making process, taking into account the time and money spend on the EIA process. No29 Little29 Reasonable/fairly26 Large14

Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture Background information Total in the Netherlands Involved in this research Permit-EIA12244 Spatial planning EIA 4628 Road construction 2016 Plans and programmes 2317 Total211105

Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture Background information Respondents for 105 EIA’s: 590 actors (95%!) Proponents (Prop) Competent Authorities (CA) Legal Advisors (Leg) National EIA committee (EIA Com) Public involved (Pub) Advisors of proponents (adv Prop)