Enp 301 : Environmental Impact Assessment

ENP 301 : ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Part - I: Introduction, Concepts and Procedures Session 1: Concept of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Course Instructor: Er. Ashwani Kumar,

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Asstt. Prof. Faculty of Planning, CEPT, Ahmedabad - 9

Session Outline ■

Human Impact on Environment

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Environmental Impact Assessment – Definition

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EIA Good Practice Approach: – To what should EIA apply? – In what circumstances is EIA appropriate? – How should EIA systems be put in place? – When should EIA be performed? – Who should be involved, and how? – What description of the environment is required? – What potential impacts should be assessed? – How should potential impacts be evaluated? – How should avoiding/reducing/mitigating/compensating for impacts be addressed? – How should the results be used?

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National EIA Capacity Building Issues

Course Instructor: Er. Ashwani Kumar,

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Asstt. Prof. Faculty of Planning, CEPT, Ahmedabad - 9

Human Impact on Environment: ■

Natural Processes/Phenomenon  Natural environment undergoes continual change (time and geographical scale) even without human, ex. continental drift, mountain-building, eutrophication and siltation of lakes, formation of swamp

 Reversible or cyclic (e.g., the annual climatic cycle) or transient (i.e., droughts)

 Irreversible (e.g., eutrophication) ■

Changes/Processes Brought by the Human  Human activities accelerated, triggered, started, widespread, or stopped the natural environmental changes/processes ex Hunter-gatherer, Fire, Domestication of animals, Agriculture, large human settlements, development of industry, fuels/energy production

Course Instructor: Er. Ashwani Kumar,

3

Asstt. Prof. Faculty of Planning, CEPT, Ahmedabad - 9

What is Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) ? ■

A process of predicting and evaluating an action's impacts on the environment, from which the conclusions are used as a tool in planning and decision-making.

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Aim • To provide the factual information about the consequences • which (development) actions could have on the environment • to planners & designers of actions, decision-makers • to prevent environmental degradation

Course Instructor: Er. Ashwani Kumar,

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Asstt. Prof. Faculty of Planning, CEPT, Ahmedabad - 9

Approach and Content ■

Multidisciplinary, Systematic and Predictive

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Involves: – Reviewing the existing state of the environment – Profiling the characteristics of the proposed action (alternatives) – Predicting the state of the future environment with and without the action (Gap is action's impact) – Considering methods for avoiding, eliminating or reducing negative impacts – Considering the possible and appropriate compensation for unavoidable Impacts – Preparing an Environmental Statement or Assessment Report – Preparation of Mitigation or Management Plan – Post Project monitoring of Impacts and feedback mechanism – Revising the Management Plan

Course Instructor: Er. Ashwani Kumar,

5

Asstt. Prof. Faculty of Planning, CEPT, Ahmedabad - 9

Good Practice Principles …… To what should EIA apply? Assessment of ■ Any proposed development or land-use change projects (at defined sites) or modifications of landuse than the original activities ■

Applicable to a programmes (sequences) / projects

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Strategic plans

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Policies

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Project showcasing for development assistance (funding) programmes Course Instructor: Er. Ashwani Kumar,

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Asstt. Prof. Faculty of Planning, CEPT, Ahmedabad - 9

Good Practice Principles …… In what circumstances is EIA appropriate? ■

As systematic "screening" process to identify those instances where EIA may or may not be needed

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Whenever information is required on likely future change in ecological character project sites

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When the nature of the proposed activity and the sensitivity of the location (the "receiving environment") call for screening judgments.

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Benchmarking a project/ program in reference to criteria or thresholds

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To clarify in case of certainty about the likelihood of significant effects, and to workout precautionary measure.

Course Instructor: Er. Ashwani Kumar,

7

Asstt. Prof. Faculty of Planning, CEPT, Ahmedabad - 9

Good Practice Principles …… How should EIA systems be put in place? ■

EIA systems should be incorporated within the policies, laws and administrations

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Measures should be adopted to ensure that – application is systematic, consistent and publicly accountable; – legal implementation is enforced; – quality standards are agreed and applied;

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Guidance and advice on good practice is made available.

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Sufficient significance to be given to the EIA in decisionmaking processes to achieve the genuinely influenced outcomes.

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Encouraging good practice (going beyond the strict minimum of legal compliance) as strategy Course Instructor: Er. Ashwani Kumar,

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Asstt. Prof. Faculty of Planning, CEPT, Ahmedabad - 9

Good Practice Principles …… When should the EIA be performed in Project Cycle? ■

An iterative process, thus important to each stage in the programme or project cycle (including post-project monitoring).

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At an early stage for assessments – Any necessary surveys to cover adequately relevant periods for seasonal interests/variations are carried out – Sufficient data collected for more reliable conclusions – Results to become available well in time to be acted upon – Early decision or modification in project may save the project from time and cost delays Course Instructor: Er. Ashwani Kumar,

9

Asstt. Prof. Faculty of Planning, CEPT, Ahmedabad - 9

Good Practice Principles …… Who should be involved (Stakeholders)? and how? 1. Project/programme proponent 

An proposal profiling, appraisal process,

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Acting on the results of EIA

2. Relevant decision-making Authority 

Risk of bias reduced (commissioned, supervised, independent verification or peer-review method).

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If, proponent of programmes or projects is Authority itself, transparent procedures to ensure impartiality.

3. Suitably qualified professionals  To carries out assessment and evaluation 

Requisite expertise in the relevant field(s)

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Competent to apply correct methods

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Research Institutions – New methods, research initiatives can be designed out of project

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Good Practice Principles …… Who should be involved, and how? Contd…… 4. Focus Group (Advisors)  To equip the requisite technical expertise and 

Advice for judging the adequacy of EIA

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Taking their findings properly into account.

5. Public/NGO 

Provision for consultation and participative involvement of local people, interested non-governmental organizations

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All should given an opportunity, in defined manner,

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To challenge information and observance of relevant procedures, methods which

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they believe to be deficient.

Course Instructor: Er. Ashwani Kumar, 11 Asstt. Prof. Faculty of Planning, CEPT, Ahmedabad - 9

Good Practice Principles …… What description is required? Scoping To define an extent depending on the sensitivities and interests in the location(s) concerned. Potential Impact To address the important expected impacts. Areas Depending on the natural interaction the project is effecting or may affect. And the functions, values and attributes. Legal Aspects Depending upon the applicable rules, regulation the relevant baseline description to be decided. Course Instructor:

Er. Ashwani Kumar, 12

Asstt. Prof. Faculty of Planning, CEPT, Ahmedabad - 9

Good Practice Principles …… What potential impacts should be assessed?  Direct potentially detrimental effects on the functions and values identified in the baseline description, including delayed effects; Any potentially beneficial environmental effects of the proposal; Indirect effects, including influences on adjacent or upstream/ downstream areas;  Cumulative effects (Domnio), adding together over different areas, times, processes, etc.;  Secondary impacts (Masking);  Transboundary effects, of relevance to adjacent jurisdiction(s);  Effects of each alternative or optional proposal under consideration Course Instructor: Er. Ashwani Kumar, 13 Asstt. Prof. Faculty of Planning, CEPT, Ahmedabad - 9

Good Practice Principles ………… How should potential impacts be evaluated? ■

An evaluation of significance of Impacts should be presented.

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Absolute significance (in terms of value in their own right) perhaps to the local community, of numbers of individuals of a species, or area of habitat affected)

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Relative significance (in terms of loss of a resource) as a proportion of its total extent, or as a comparison with losses which would result from an alternative development option.

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Highlight the uncertainties, data gaps

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Legal Implications or policy conflicts: Likely to be precipitated to be made clear (departure from national policy, risk of breaching previous agreements, riskCourse of Instructor: 14 Er. Ashwani Kumar, litigation or liability for compensation).

Asstt. Prof. Faculty of Planning, CEPT, Ahmedabad - 9

Good Practice Principles …… How should avoiding/reducing/mitigating/ compensating for impacts be addressed? ■

Consideration of available alternative locations, alignments, manufacturing processes and other ways of meeting the development need.

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Satisfactorily demonstration of no alternative or feasible options

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Comparison of the environmental effects of all alternatives

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Identification of the least damaging options

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Exploring the methods for avoiding potentially damaging impacts for each alternative

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Choosing a non(least)-damaging alternative (including sometimes "no development")

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Identify the unavoidable potentially damaging impacts

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To consider possible means for mitigating or reducing (adding, modifying the development proposal) or Course Instructor: appropriate compensation may arise. Er. Ashwani Kumar,

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Asstt. Prof. Faculty of Planning, CEPT, Ahmedabad - 9

Good Practice Principles …… How should the results be used? 1. Consultation – Draft findings should be provided to affected parties – At a stage when it is possible to make modifications

2. Information Gathering – In case of deficient information presented in the impact report – Process for gathering the further information can be undertaken

3. Information to Public – Made available to the public (at least separately published). – Summary written in non-technical language Course Instructor:

Er. Ashwani Kumar, 16

Asstt. Prof. Faculty of Planning, CEPT, Ahmedabad - 9

Good Practice Principles …… How should the results be used? 4. Decision-Making – Results to be given due weight (unfavorable findings as sufficient grounds) to refuse consents or approval or require modifications. – Uncertainty, a precautionary approach can be taken. – Decisions published, showing the manner in which they have been influenced by any EIA carried out. 5. Project Implementation – Provide a framework for monitoring the project management for minimizing the environmental effects – A ready reckoner for making any implementation adjustments required – To ensure mitigation measures perform as expected

Course Instructor: Er. Ashwani Kumar, 17

Asstt. Prof. Faculty of Planning, CEPT, Ahmedabad - 9

Good Practice Principles …… How should the results be used? 6. Post Project Monitoring – During the operational phase provided a framework for monitoring actual effects with reference to the predictions – For providing the feedback to the decision makers for better decisions on the future similar projects

Course Instructor: Er. Ashwani Kumar, 18 Asstt. Prof. Faculty of Planning, CEPT, Ahmedabad - 9

National EIA Capacity Building - Issues Essential Requirements ■ Advanced standards ■ Substantial institutional structures ■ Personnel Trainings ■ Development of the technical material on methods, tools etc. ■ Value of the Environmental Component

Course Instructor: Er. Ashwani Kumar, 19 Asstt. Prof. Faculty of Planning, CEPT, Ahmedabad - 9

THANK YOU 20