BasicConcepts for Assessing Environmental Impacts

Basic Concepts for Assessing

Environmental Impacts

1

What is Environment ?

Set of physical, chemical and biological

systems and its relationships, and of

economic, social and cultural factors with

direct and indirect, immediate or mediate

effects on living systems and humans

quality of life.

2

IMPACT ASSESSMENT- Large Family of tools

4

Range of interests Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

Biodiversity and Ecology

Disasters and Conflict.

Corporate Stewardship and Risk

Management

Health Impact Assessment

Impact Assessment Law, Policies

and Practice

Integrated Assessment of Trade-Related

Policies

Public Participation

Social Impact Assessment

Strategic Environmental Assessment

EIA - Environmental Impact Assessment SEA - Strategic Environmental Assessment HIA - Health impact assessment, SIA - Social impact assessment, Cumulative effects assessment, Risk assessment, Technological Impact Assessment

.....

5

WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT ?

Principles of good practice in impact assessment

The process of identifying, predicting, evaluating and mitigating

the biophysical, social, and other relevant effects

of development proposals prior to major decisions being taken and

commitments made.

Why doing EIA?

6

To reduce environmental risks. To apply preventive policies. To reduce corrective actions and repairness. To improve project design. To avoid unnecessary costs. To ensure better social and environmental equity. For ethical reasons.

Benefits of EIA

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Preventively avoid proposals that do not have environmental quality Identify and optimize favourable environmental issues Identify and implement cost-effective environmental alternatives Identify and engage affected and interested stakeholders Identify more efficient and equitative decisions Adequately integrate economic, environmental and social issues

Greatest benefit: a successful decision

EIA Evolution

8

Currently: EIA in the sustainability context 1995 Integrated assessment 1990 Sustainability paradigm 1985 Process and procedural reconception 1980 Social dimension incorporated 1975 Methodological development 1970 Pre-EIA

EIA in the International Conventions

Environmental impact assessment, as a national instrument, shall be

undertaken for proposed activities that are likely to have asignificant

adverse impact on the environment and are subject toa decision of a competent national authority.

Rio Earth Summit, 1992

Rio Declaration (1992) Principle 17 and 19

(Transboundary impacts)

Biodiversity Convention (CBD) (1992) Art. 14

Espoo Convention (Transboundary impacts) (1997)

Aarhus Convention (1991) Access to information, participation and

environmental justice

EIA is now a formal process in over 100 countries around the

world.

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Environmental impact assessment, as a national instrument, shall be undertaken for proposed activities that are likely to have asignificant adverse impact on the environment and are subject toa decision of a competent national authority. Rio Earth Summit, 1992

Rio Declaration (1992) Principle 17 and 19 (Transboundary impacts) Biodiversity Convention (CBD) (1992) Art. 14 Espoo Convention (Transboundary impacts) (1997) Aarhus Convention (1991) Access to information, participation and environmental justice EIA is now a formal process in over 100 countries around the world.

Project and Action

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Project: technical document of architecture and engineering, that contains the written reports and drawings that enable the physical design of an initiative. Project preparation and approval is usually a phased process (ex: previous study, ante-project, execution or licensing project). Action: activity, inserted or not in a project.

Project cycle

12

Screening Initial Environmental

Examination (IEE)

EIA Not Required

EIA Required

Monitoring EIA Audit and

Evaluation

IEE Review

Scoping/ Terms of

Reference

Full-Scale EIA

Evaluate Options

EIA Not Approved

EIA Review

Decision Making

EIA Approved

You are here

Environmental Impact Assessment is:

13

In EIA, the term

impacts is used instead of effects of activities.

What is an

impact?

A formal process for identifying:

likely effects of activities or projects on the

ENVIRONMENT, and on

human health and welfare.

means and measures to mitigate & monitor these

impacts

Environment is

broadly interpreted:

physical, biological,

and social.

a system. it is the form of organizing and managing a process

Components, scale and time dimensions

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Influence of impact

The impact of an activity is a deviation (a change) from the baseline situation that is caused by the activity.

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To measure an impact, you

must know what the

baseline situation is.

!

The baseline

situation is the

existing

environmental

situation or

condition in the

absence of the

activity.

The baseline

situation is a key

concept in EIA. More

The baseline situation

16

In characterizing the

baseline situation,

many environmental

components MAY be

of interest

Water Quantity, quality, reliability,

accessibility

Soils Erosion, crop productivity,

fallow periods, salinity,

nutrient concentrations

Flora Composition and density of

natural vegetation,

productivity, key species

Fauna Populations, habitat

Special Key species

ecosystems

Env. Health Disease vectors, pathogens The components of

interest are those that

are likely to be affected

by your activityor upon which your

activity depends for its

success

The baseline situation

The baseline situation is not simply a snapshot.

Describing the baseline situation requires

describing both the normal variability in

environmental components & current

trends in these components.

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time

Wate

r ta

ble

This chart of

groundwater levels

shows both variability

and a trend over time.

Both are part of the

groundwater baseline

situation.

Basic concepts of impact

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Types of impacts & their attributes

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Direct & indirect impacts

Short-term & long-term impacts

Adverse & beneficial impacts

Cumulative impacts

The EIA process is concerned with

all types of impacts and may describe them in a number of

ways

Intensity Direction Spatial extent Duration Frequency Reversibility Probability

But all impacts are NOT treated equally.

Classification of impacts

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! It is ESSENTIAL in EIA to focus on the most significant impacts.

Dont waste effort & time analyzing and discussing impacts that are less important.

Specifically,

What is an activity?

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ACTIVITY: market access road rehabilitation

ACTIONS:

Survey, grading, culvert construction, compaction, etc. . .

a desired accomplishment or output

E.g.: a road, seedling production, or river diversion to irrigate land

An activity is:

Accomplishing an activity requires a set of actions

We are discussing the impacts of activities.

What are activities?

A project or program may consist of many activities

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Examination (IEE)

EIA Not Required

EIA Required


Evaluation

IEE Review

Scoping/ Terms of

Reference

Full-Scale EIA

Evaluate Options

EIA Not Approved

EIA Review

Decision Making

EIA Approved

You are here

The EIA process

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Scope Evaluate baseline situation Identify & choose alternatives Identify and characterize potential

impacts of proposed activity and each alternative

Develop mitigation and monitoring Communicate and document

Phase I:

Initial inquiries

IEE

Phase II:

Full EIA study

(if needed)

Our focus!

Understand proposed activities

Screen

Conduct preliminary assessment (if needed)

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Phase 1 of the EIA Process : 3 steps

Screen the activity

Based on the nature of the activity what

level of environmental

review is indicated?

Conduct a Preliminary Assessment

A rapid,

simplified EIA study using simple tools

IEE

ACTIVITY IS OF MODERATE OR UNKNOWN RISK

SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE IMPACTS

POSSIBLE


VERY UNLIKELY

ACTIVITY IS LOW RISK (Of its nature, very unlikely to have significant adverse impacts)

ACTIVITY IS HIGH RISK (Of its nature, likely to have significant adverse impacts)

Phase II Phase I Understand

proposed activity

Why is the

activity being proposed?

What is being

proposed?

BEGIN FULL EIA STUDY

STOP the EIA

process

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Phase 1 of the EIA Process: Understand proposed activity

Screen the activity





A rapid,


(e.g. the USAID IEE)



POSSIBLE


VERY UNLIKELY




proposed activity

Why is the


What is being

proposed?


STOP the EIA

process

Phase 1 of the EIA process:

Understand the proposed activity

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Understand the proposed activities

Why is the activity being

proposed?

What is being proposed?

ALL EIA processes begin with

understanding WHAT is being proposed,

and WHY.

The question

WHY IS THE ACTIVITY BEING PROPOSED? Is answered with the development objective (D.O.).

If we dont understand it,

we cant assess it!

building a road

increasing access to markets

We must understand the Development Objective to identify environmentally sound alternatives

Not a D.O.! Is a D.O.


Understand the proposed activity

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Understand the proposed activities

Why is the activity being

proposed?

What is being proposed?

Once we understand the development objective, we must fully understand WHAT is being proposed.

Oops. I forgot about the borrow

pit.

This includes associated actions! PRIMARY ACTIVITY: construction of

diversion dam & irrigation canal

ASSOCIATED ACTIONS: Survey negotiate land tenure construct borrow pit establish construction camp construct temporary diversion

structure dispose of soil, debris

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Phase 1 of the EIA Process: Screen the activity

Screen the activity





A rapid,


(e.g. the USAID IEE)



POSSIBLE


VERY UNLIKELY




proposed activity

Why is the


What is being

proposed?


STOP the EIA

process


Screen the activity

30

Screen each activity

Based on the nature of the

activity, what level of environmental

analysis is indicated?

SCREENING is the process of asking a very basic set of questions about the nature of activity. These questions:

do NOT require analysis. do NOT require detailed knowledge about the

proposed sites, techniques or methods

Example screening questions: Does the activity involve:

Penetration road building?

Large-scale irrigation?

Introduction of non-native crop or agroforestry species?


Screen the activity

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Screen each activity

Based on the nature of the

activity, what level of environmental

analysis is indicated?

screening classifies the activity into a RISK CATEGORY:

VERY LOW RISK

VERY HIGH RISK

MODERATE OR UNKNOWN RISK

EIA process ends

Do full EIA study

Do preliminary assessment

The outcome of the screening process determines the next

step in the EIA process


Screen the activity

32

Each donor agency and national EIA law has its own set of screening questions.

!

Screening is the topic of an upcoming module

33

Phase 1 of the EIA Process:

IEE Screen the

activity





A rapid,


IEE



POSSIBLE


VERY UNLIKELY




proposed activity

Why is the


What is being

proposed?


STOP the EIA

process


The Preliminary Assessment

34


A rapid, simplified EIA

study using simple tools

The purpose of a preliminary assessment is to provide documentation and analysis that:

Screening determines whether the preliminary

assessment is necessary

!

Allows the preparer to determine whether or not significant adverse impacts are likely

Allows the reviewer to agree or disagree with the preparers determinations

Sets out mitigation and monitoring for adverse impacts


The Preliminary Assessment

35

Typical Preliminary Assessment outline

1. Background (Development

objective, list of activities) 2. Description of the baseline

situation 3. Evaluation of potential

environmental impacts 4. Mitigation & monitoring 5. Recommended Findings

For each activity it covers, a preliminary assessment has 3 possible findings:

The project is very unlikely to have significant adverse impacts. (EIA process ends)

With specified mitigation and monitoring, the project is unlikely to have significant adverse impacts

The project is likely to have significant adverse impacts (full EIA study is required)

What is mitigation?

Mitigation is. . .

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The implementation of measures designed to

reduce the undesirable effects of a proposed action

on the environment

Mitigation is the topic of an upcoming module!

To arrive at findings: Identify, Predict and Judge

37

Identify potential impacts

Judge the significance of

potential impacts

Predict potential impacts

Arriving at the FINDINGS in a preliminary assessment requires 3 steps:

Many resources describe the potential impacts of typical small-scale activities.

Determine which potential impacts are likely to become actual, and quantify these impacts to the extent possible.

1

2

3 Determine whether the predicted impacts are indeed significant! THIS WILL OFTEN DEPEND ON HOW EFFECTIVE THE PROPOSED MITIGATION MEASURES ARE!

Subsequent modules. . .

38

Present tools to assist in identifying & predicting impacts

Discuss the factors involved in judging significance

IEE Flow Chart 1. Identify Potential Significant

Environmental Issues 2. Obtain Information

3. Effects Classification/ Identification of Significant Environmental Issues (SEIs)

4. Resolve SEIs Where Possible (Review Alternatives/Develop

Environmental Management Plans and Protection Measures)

The IEE makes recommendations for further study:

Full-Scale EIA

IEE is the final EIA Report, including:

1. SEIs 2. EPM 3. EMP

5. Are all SEIs resolved?

YES NO

Identification of Potential Significant Issues

1. Identify valued environmental/ecosystem components (VECs)

Professional judgement/past experience Legislative requirements Stakeholder and community values

2.Identify the potential for impacts to each VEC

3.Identify potential for cumulative impacts (i.e.,to the site as a whole and to the region)

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Commonly Considered VECs

41

Natural physical resources (e.g., surface and groundwater, air, climate, soil)

Natural biological resources (e.g., forests, wetlands, river and lake ecology)

Economic development resources (e.g., agriculture, industry, infrastructure, tourism)

Quality of life (e.g., public health, socio-economic, cultural, aesthetics)

National commitments (e.g., endangered species protection)

Methods for Identifying Potential Impacts to VECs

Matrices Sectoral Project type

Checklists

Professional expertise and experience with similar project types

Combination of techniques

42

Sectoral Matrix Example

Ports and Harbours

Airports

Rapid Transit

Highways

Oil/Gas Pipelines

Development Projects

Valued Env. Component

(VEC)

Insignificant Impact Significant Impact Moderate - Significant Impact

Project Checklist Example

44

Potential Damages: Actions Affecting

Resources and Values:

1. Disruption of Hydrology

2. Resettlement

3. Encroachment on Precious

Ecology

4. Encroachment on Historic/

Cultural Values

5. Cooling Tower Obstruction

6. Regional Flooding Hazard

7. Waste Emissions Related to

Siting

1. Impairment of Other Beneficial

Water Uses

2. Social Inequities

3. Loss of these Values

4. Loss of these Values

5. Conflicts with Other Beneficial

Water Uses

6. Hazard to Plant Operations

7. Intensification of Problems of

Pollution Control

Considerations in Determining Potential Effects

Impacts to: individual VECs entire site (i.e., impacts to all VECs combined) cumulative impacts to the area (i.e., considering

other existing and planned projects)

Impacts from all phases of the project (i.e., construction, operation, decommissioning)

Impacts on different time-scales

Impacts from different orders of impact

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46

Screening Initial Environmental Examination (IEE)

EIA Not Required

EIA Required


Evaluation

IEE Review

Scoping/ Terms of

Reference

Full-Scale EIA

Evaluate Options

EIA Not Approved

EIA Review

Decision Making

EIA Approved

You are here

47

We only proceed to Phase II of the EIA

process if

Phase I indicates that a FULL EIA STUDY

is required

!

Most small-scale activities do not require a full EIA

study!


The Full EIA study

The full EIA study has very similar objectives and structure to a preliminary assessment.

However, the full EIA study differs in important ways:

48

A formal scoping process precedes the study to ID issues to be addressed

Analysis of environmental impacts is much more detailed

Alternatives* must be formally defined. The impacts of each alternative must be identified & evaluated, and the results compared.

Public participation is usually required.

A professional EIA team is usually required.

!

!

!

*includes the project as proposed, the no-action alternative at least one other real alternative

!


The Full EIA study

With a few additions, the basic outline of the preliminary assessment is the template for the steps involved in a full EIA study:

49

Scope

Evaluate baseline situation

Identify & choose alternatives

Identify and characterize potential impacts of proposed activity and each alternative

Compare alternatives

Develop mitigation and monitoring

1. Background (Development objective, list of activities)

2. Description of the baseline situation

3. Evaluation of potential environmental impacts

4. Mitigation & monitoring

5. Recommended Findings

Basic steps of the full EIA study

Co

mm

un

icate &

Do

cum

en

t thro

ugh

ou

t

In summary,

50

The full EIA study is a far more significant effort than the preliminary assessment.

It is reserved for activities for which screening or the preliminary assessment shows that significant impacts are likely.


The Full EIA study

Who is involved in EIA?

Sponsor of the activity (usually commissions/conducts the EIA)

Regulatory agencies/ Review authorities

Broad-based public

51

Public consultation is usually only REQUIRED for full EIA studies.

However, it is good practice for preliminary assessments because:

Predicting impacts is FACILITATED by broad-based public consultation; Judging significance is very difficult without it.

Transparency and accessibility require disclosure to stakeholders

Communities (men & women) Civil society Private Sector

Making EIA effective

To be an effective tool for ESD, EIA must be:

a integral part of the project

development cycle.

Honest

Transparent & accessible

52

EIA is undertaken early enough to affect project design

Mitigation and monitoring developed in the EIA process is implemented.

The full EIA study must consider real alternatives

Impacts must be assessed honestly.

The EIA products must be clear and accessible to key actors.

EIA and Project cycle

53


EIA Not Required

EIA Required


Evaluation

IEE Review

Scoping/ Terms of

Reference

Full-Scale EIA

Evaluate Options

EIA Not Approved

EIA Review

Decision Making

EIA Approved

You are here

54

WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT ?

Principles of good practice in impact assessment

The process of identifying, predicting, evaluating and mitigating

the biophysical, social, and other relevant effects

of development proposals prior to major decisions being taken and

commitments made.

Why doing EIA?

55

To reduce environmental risks. To apply preventive policies. To reduce corrective actions and repairness. To improve project design. To avoid unnecessary costs. To ensure better social and environmental equity. For ethical reasons.

56


EIA Not Required

EIA Required


Evaluation

IEE Review

Scoping/ Terms of

Reference

Full-Scale EIA

Evaluate Options

EIA Not Approved

EIA Review

Decision Making

EIA Approved

You are here

57


Examination (IEE)

EIA Not Required

EIA Required


Evaluation

IEE Review

Scoping/ Terms of

Reference

Full-Scale EIA

Evaluate Options

EIA Not Approved

EIA Review

Decision Making

EIA Approved

You are here

Documents

BasicConcepts for Assessing Environmental Impacts