Environmental impact assessment

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a process that identifies the environmental effects (both negative and positive) of a proposed plan, policy, program, or project prior to the decision to move forward with the proposed action. The purpose of an EIA is to inform decision-makers and the public about the environmental implications of proposed actions before decisions are made.

History

The concept of EIA originated in the United States in the 1960s, with the enactment of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in 1969. NEPA required that all federal agencies prepare assessments of the environmental impact of their proposed actions. The practice of EIA has since spread to many other countries, and is now a standard part of planning and development.

Process

The EIA process involves several key steps:

1. Screening: This step determines whether a proposed project or decision requires an EIA. Not all projects require an EIA; the need for one depends on the potential environmental impacts of the project.
2. Scoping: This step identifies the key environmental issues and impacts that should be assessed. This is typically done through consultation with stakeholders.
3. Assessment: This step involves the collection and analysis of data to forecast the likely environmental impacts of a project.
4. Mitigation: This step involves the identification and development of measures to avoid, reduce, or offset the potential negative environmental impacts identified in the assessment.
5. Reporting: This step involves the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) detailing the findings of the EIA. The EIS is then made available to the public and decision-makers.
6. Review: This step involves the evaluation of the EIS by the decision-making authority.
7. Decision-making: This step involves the decision on whether to approve the project and what mitigation measures to apply.
8. Monitoring: This step involves the monitoring of the implementation of the project and the environmental impacts to ensure that they are as predicted.

Types of EIA

There are several types of EIA, including:

1. Project EIA: This type of EIA is conducted for individual projects, such as a proposed dam, highway, airport, or factory.
2. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA): This type of EIA is conducted for proposed policies, plans, or programs. It is broader in scope than a project EIA.
3. Regional EIA: This type of EIA is conducted for proposed actions in a specific region.
4. Global EIA: This type of EIA is conducted for actions that have the potential to significantly affect the environment on a global scale, such as climate change.

Criticisms and challenges

While EIA is a valuable tool for environmental management, it is not without its criticisms and challenges. Some of the main criticisms include the quality of EIAs, the timing of EIAs, the influence of EIAs on decision-making, and the public participation in the EIA process.

See also

• Environmental management
• Environmental policy
• Sustainability assessment
• Environmental planning