1. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
What is an EIA?

2. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
“process for identifying the likely consequences
for the biophysical environment and for man’s
health and welfare of implementing particular
activities and for conveying information at a stage
where it can materially affect the decision, to
those for sanctioning the proposals.” (Wathern,
1992)

3. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
That is a very long way to say
The purpose of EIA is to:
Helps the decision making process by providing
information about the consequences of development
Promotes sustainable development by identifying
environmentally sound practice and mitigation
measures for developments

4. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
Some History
In 1969 the US Federal government passed
the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA).
Federal Agencies had to consider the natural
environment in any land use planning
This gave the environment the same status
as economic priorities

5. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
Some History
Within 20 years other countries had also
included EIA’s as part of their planning policy.
Canada 1973,
Columbia 1974,
Netherlands 1981
UK in 1988.

6. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
So what is an EIA?
Confusingly:
It is the process of examining the impacts of a
development on the environment
But it is also used to mean the document that is the
result of the examination

7. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
What are EIA’s used for?
Google Earth 2010
Often part of a National planning
process for large scale
developments
Developments that need an EIA
differ from country to country
Maasvlate Port development, rotterdam,
Netherlands - Extending the worlds
second largest port needed an EIA

8. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
Which developments? Do wind-farms need an EIA?
Google Earth 2010
Major new road networks
Airport and port developments
Building power stations
Building dams and reservoirs
Quarrying
Large scale housing projects

9. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
How does an EIA work?
The EIA needs to be structured with a set of clear
aims
It has to occur during the planning, design and
authorisation stage of any development.
It needs to be comprehensive, addressing all
potential impacts

10. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
How does an EIA work?
There needs to focus on the potentially significant
issues
There needs to be consultation and public
participation throughout the EIA process.
The findings of the EIA should be part of the final
decision process

11. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
How does an EIA work?
While it is often mainly
concerned with the natural
environment the effect on man
should also be considered.

12. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
Stages of an EIA N=dÉåÉê~äáëÉÇ=bf^=éêçÅÉëë=ÑäçïÅÜ~êí
Proposal
Identification
Is an EIA needed and which impacts Screening
need to be considered(SCREENING) EIA Requiered
Scoping
Initial
environmental
examination
No EIA
*Public involvement
Identifying impacts (SCOPING)
Impact analysis
*Public involvement typically
Mitigation occurs at these point. It may
and impact also occur at any other stage
managment of the EIA Process
Predicting the scale of potential
EIA Report
Resubmit Review *Public involvement
impacts Redesign Decision-making
Information from this process
Not approved Approved contributes to effective future EIA
Limiting the effect of impacts to Implementation
and follow up
acceptable limits (MITIGATION) båîáêçåãÉåí~ä=fãé~Åí=^ëëÉëëãÉåí

13. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
What do you need to know?
Baseline data - what are the
conditions like now
What effects do different phases of
a project cause
Who or what is likely to be
affected

14. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
Phases of an EIA
Baseline data
This can be thought off as a
project description
What are conditions like now
What does the project plan to
do

15. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
Phases of an EIA
Description of project
Physical characteristics - land
use both during construction
and operation
Production process
Waste products

16. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
Phases of an EIA
Alternatives
What different approaches
exist?
Why choose this one?

17. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
Phases of an EIA
Impact identification (scoping and
screening)
Consider all potential environmental
impacts whether good or bad
Detail those impacts that are
potentially significant
Comprehensive but focused

18. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
Phases of an EIA
Impact on
Ecosystems
People
Resources
and their interactions

19. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
Impact Assessment Techniques
Systematic and comprehensive but also flexible enough
to respond to changing conditions
Be able to arrange large amounts of data often from
different sources in a meaningful way
Based on quantitative evaluation that is both accurate
and objective

20. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
Impact Assessment Techniques
Checklists of impacts:
General set of criteria
Often designed for certain
types of project
Can be very thorough if
designed well

21. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
Impact Assessment Techniques
Impact matrices
Combine a checklist of
environmental conditions and a list
activities that may have an effect
Cause and effect between the
environmental feature and the
activity can be individually identified

22. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
Impact Assessment Techniques
Cost and benefit analysis
This outlines the value both positive
and negative of each impact
Can be very difficult to add a “cost”
value to ecosystems

23. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
Evaluation Techniques
Evaluation techniques compare
various possible scenarios and
analyse the consequences

24. Topic: 2.7 Measuring changes in
the system
2.7.3: Environmental Impact Assessment
Evaluation Techniques
Magnitude: What scale will the impact have?
Extent: How big an area does the impact affect: Site only, Local
or regional.
Duration: How long will the impact be for: Short, Medium or
Long term.
Using Magnitude, extent and duration together it is possible to
analyse the impacts from various scenarios for most projects.