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Environment Impact Assessment or EIA can be defined as a study to foresee how the proposed project will affect the environment. In other words, EIA is nothing but the decision-making tool, which compares the various choices for a project and tries to determine the one that represents the best combination of economic and environmental costs and benefits.
What is EIA?
Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) is a method for evaluating the potential environmental effects of a proposed project or development, taking into account interrelated, beneficial and adverse socio-economic, cultural and human health implications. Environment Impact Assessment in India is legally approved by the Environment Protection Act 1986, which provides a range of guidance documents on the procedures and process of the EIA.
The EIA thoroughly discusses both the positive and the negative effects of the project and ensures that these effects are taken into account during the design of the project. It helps to identify potential environmental effects of the proposed project, recommends adverse effects mitigation measures, and predicts whether there will be major adverse environmental effects even after mitigation has been implemented. By understanding the environmental effects of the project and its mitigation early in the project planning process, the environmental evaluation has many benefits, such as the protection of the environment, the optimum use of resources and the reduction of project time and expense. Properly applied EIA also reduces uncertainty by promoting community involvement, educating decision-makers and helping to lay the foundation for environmentally friendly projects. Benefits of the operation of the EIA have been established at all stages of the project, from discovery and planning to construction, service, decommissioning and closure of the site.
Evolution of EIA
EIA is one of the key policy innovations for the protection of the environment in the 20th century. Thirty-seven years ago, there was no EIA, but today it is a popular practice in many countries and is being applied in more than 100 countries. The EIA as a compulsory administrative mechanism began in the early 1970s, with the introduction of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in the United States in 1969. Most of the initial growth has taken place in a few high-income countries, such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand (1973-74). Nevertheless, some developed countries have also adopted the EIA relatively early-Columbia (1974), Philippines (1978).
History of EIA in India
The Indian experience with environmental impact assessment started over 20 years ago. This started in 1976-77 when the Planning Commission ordered the Science and Technology Department to evaluate projects in the river valley from an environmental point of view. Subsequently, this was extended to include those projects which required the approval of the Public Investment Board. Before 1994, the Central Government's environmental clearance was an administrative decision and there was no legislative support.
On 27 January 1994, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) of the Government of India, pursuant to the Environmental Protection Act 1986, issued an EIA Notification requiring Environmental Clearance (EC) to extend or modernize any activity or to set up new projects referred to in Schedule 1 of the Notice. Since then, 12 changes have been made to the EIA notification of 1994.
The MoEF announced new EIA Regulations in September 2006. The notification includes environmental clearance for various projects such as mining, thermal power plants, river valley, roads (road, highway, ports and airports) and industries, including very small electroplating or foundry units. However, unlike the EIA Notification of 1994, the new legislation imposed the responsibility of clearing projects on the state government, depending on the size and capability of the project.
Some of the activities allowed under the Coastal Regulation Zone Act, 1991 may require similar clearance. In addition, donor organisations operating in India, such as the World Bank and ADB, have a broad set of environmental clearance requirements for projects financed by them.
The EIA process
The stage of the EIA processes will depend on the country or donor's requirements. Nevertheless, most of the EIA processes have a similar framework, and the implementation of the key stages is a simple principle of good practice.
The environmental impact assessment consists of eight stages, each of which is equally important in the evaluation of the overall performance of the project. Generally, the EIA process starts with a review to ensure that time and money are devoted to proposals that are environmentally responsible and ends with a kind of follow-up to the implementation of decisions and measures taken as a result of the EIA report.
The eight steps of the EIA process are presented in brief below:
Screening: The first stage of the EIA, which determines whether an EIA is needed for the proposed project and, if so, the degree of evaluation necessary.
Scoping: This stage identifies key issues and impacts which need to be further investigated. At this point, the boundary and time limits of the study are also defined.
Impact analysis: This stage of the EIA identifies and estimates the possible environmental and social impacts of the proposed project and assesses its importance.
Mitigation: This step in the EIA proposes steps to mitigate and avoid the potential adverse environmental effects of construction activities.
Reporting: This stage presents the result of the EIA in the form of a report to the decision-making authority and to other interested parties.
Review of EIA: It reviews the adequacy and usefulness of the EIA report and provides the necessary information for decision-making.
Decision-making: This decides whether the plan is accepted, approved or necessary to be further revised.
Post monitoring: This stage will come into play once the project has been commissioned. It shall ensure that the effect of the project does not exceed the legal requirements and that the implementation of the mitigation measures is carried out in the manner defined in the EIA report.
Forms of impact assessment
There are different methods of impact assessment, such as the Health Impact Assessment (HIA) and the Social Impact Assessment (SIA), which are used to evaluate the health and social effects of development such that they are taken into account in accordance with the environmental assessment. One of the forms of impact assessment is a strategic environment assessment, which is briefly discussed below:
Strategic Environment Assessment
Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA) refers to a comprehensive study of the environmental impact of development strategies, plans, initiatives and other planned strategic measures. This mechanism expands the goals and values of the EIA upstream in the decision-making process, above the project level and when large alternatives are still available. SEA represents a pragmatic approach to the incorporation of environmental issues into higher decision-making rates.
Despite its widespread use and acceptance, the EIA has some drawbacks as a tool to minimize the environmental impact of the building proposals. This takes place fairly late at the downstream end of the decision-making cycle, given the potential for significant alternatives and directions.
How was the situation earlier?
Before 1990, SEA had minimal growth and implementation. After 1990, however, a number of developing countries embraced the SEA. Several nations, such as Canada and Denmark, have made provision for SEA laws, plans and services separately from the EIA regulations and procedures. Many nations, such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia and so on, have implemented SEA standards by changes to the EIA legislation and, in the case of the United Kingdom, environmental assessment.
While it is part of the management of resources or biodiversity conservation programs in New Zealand and Australia. The adoption of the SEA is likely to increase significantly in the coming years, in particular with the directives of the European Union and the Protocol to the UNECE Convention on the Transboundary EIA of the signatory countries (with a provisional deadline of May 2003 for completion).
Here is the comparative review of EIA procedures and practices
References:
EIA Training Resource Manual, United Nations Environment Programme, 2002.
Industry & Environment Unit, Centre for Science & Environment, 2006
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