LECTURE 2 EIA/EIS

Proposed Undertaking (> 10 hectares) Determine whether there are environmental, health and safety impacts Application for environmental permit Preliminary environmental report (state specifically the detailed effects of the proposed undertaking on the environment) Environmental Impact Assessment

A systematic process of identifying future consequences of a current or proposed action (undertaking).

The EIA process enables project planners to systematically and comprehensively consider all environmental needs in the decision making process, and take measures to achieve the objectives of environmental protection at the lowest cost.

There are eight guiding principles that govern the entire EIA process and they are: Participation: An appropriate and timely access to the process for all interested parties. Transparency: All assessment decisions and their basis should be open and accessible.

 Certainty: The process and timing of the assessment should be agreed in advanced and followed by all participants.  Accountability: The decision-makers are responsible to all parties for their action and decisions under the assessment process.  Credibility: Assessment is undertaken with professionalism and objectivity.

 Cost-effectiveness: The assessment process and its outcomes will ensure environmental protection at the least cost to the society.  Flexibility: The assessment process should be able to adapt to deal efficiently with any proposal and decision making situation.  Practicality: The information and outputs provided by the assessment process are readily usable in decision making and planning.

EIA is considered as a project management tool for collecting and analyzing information on the environmental effects of a proposed undertaking/project.

The EIA as a management tool is used to:  identify potential environmental impacts,  examine the significance of environmental implications,  assess whether impacts can be mitigated,  recommend preventive and corrective mitigating measures,  inform decision makers and concerned parties about the environmental implications, and  advise whether development should go ahead.

Check diagram

 Project screening: Not all development projects require EIA. Project screening will help identify the ones that actually do.  Scoping: The process of scoping helps determine the coverage or 'scope' of the EIA.  Baseline Data Collection: the collection of background information on the biophysical, social and economic settings proposed project area.

Identification of Environmental Impact: the various types of environmental impacts of development projects both beneficial and adverse. Environmental Impact: Possible adverse effects caused by a development, industrial, or infrastructural project or by the release of a substance in the environment.

Environmental impact, by definition, implies an alternation of environmental conditions or creation of a new set of adverse or beneficial environmental consequences caused by the action under consideration.

Types of impacts include: Biological and physio-chemical impacts – effects on biological resources such as vegetation, wildlife, crops, and aquatic life. Social impact – demographic, socio-economic, cultural, institutional and gender.

 Health Impacts: the effects of a proposal on individual’s mental and physiological well-being (health status and trends).  Economic Impacts: estimation of the change in economic variable caused by: project construction and operation, workforce requirement and the income earned by workers, materials and other inputs for the project, and capital investment.

Impact prediction comparison of alternatives and determination of significance: considerations for impact prediction, uncertainties in impact prediction and comparison of alternatives for impact prediction.

 Mitigation Measures: describes the concept and objectives, types and interesting points, of mitigation measures.  Public consultation and participation: Public participation is a necessary component of the EIA, and answers questions such as: "Who are the public?", "How to involve them?", and "What are the benefits/disbenefits?"

Environmental Monitoring: "an activity undertaken to provide specific information on the characteristics and functions of environmental and social variables in space and time."

Environmental Monitoring is essential for the following reasons:  ensuring that impacts do not exceed the legal standards, checking the implementation of mitigation measures in the manner described in the EIA report, and providing early warning of potential environmental damages.

Environmental Auditing: assess the actual environmental impact, the accuracy of prediction, the effectiveness of environmental impact mitigation and enhancement measures, and the functioning of monitoring mechanisms.

BENEFITS Provides systematic methods of impacts assessment Estimates the cost/benefit trade-off of alternative actions Facilitates public participation; Time consuming Costly Little participation in actual implementation FLAWS

BENEFITS Provides an effective mechanism for coordination environmental integration negotiations feed back Unavailability for reliable data (mostly in developing countries) FLAW

BENEFITS Top-level decision making Triggers an institutional building Achieve a balance between the impact of developmental and environmental concern  Too focused on scientific analysis (sometimes)  Poor presentation of EIA report (bulky volumes, scientific explanation, difficult to understand)  Compliance monitoring after EIA is seldom carried out FLAWS

An EIS is a document that describes the impacts on the environment as a result of a proposed action/undertaking. It also describes impacts of alternatives as well as plans to mitigate the impacts. Impacts may be positive or negative or both. To "mitigate" means to lessen or remove negative impacts.

The EMP is a plan to manage and rehabilitate the environmental impacts of the mining process including prospecting, reconnaissance, and exploration or mining operations.

An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a set of processes and practices that enable an organization to reduce its environmental impacts and increase its operating efficiency. Is a framework that helps a company achieve its environmental goals through consistent control of its operations.

EMS is a proactive approach to help address both regulated and non-regulated issues and can help promote stronger operational control and ensure employee stewardship.

Reviewing the company's environmental goals Analyzing its environmental impacts and legal requirements Setting environmental objectives and targets to reduce environmental impacts and comply with legal requirements Establishing programs to meet these objectives and targets

Monitoring and measuring progress in achieving the objectives Ensuring employees' environmental awareness and competence Reviewing progress of the EMS and making improvements.

A continual cycle of activities which a company carries out to integrate and meet their business and environmental goals.

This cycle is what is refered to as the Deming Cycle, which is; Plan Do Check Act

Internal: time-wasting to both managers and employees. Externally: training of personnel and engaging the services of consultants.

Improved environmental performance Enhanced compliance Pollution prevention Resource conservation

Increased efficiency/reduced costs Enhanced employee morale Enhanced image with public, regulators, lenders, investors Employee awareness of environmental issues and responsibilities

The most commonly used framework for an EMS is the one developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for the ISO standard. Established in 1996, this framework is the official international standard for an EMS. It provides a systems approach patterned after the Deming model of plan, do, check and act.

There are five main stages of the ISO 14001, and they are; Commitment and policy Planning Implementation Evaluation Review