Key principles and effectiveness of EIA Consultant CMDC

Key principles and effectiveness of EIA Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture

Aims and objectives of EIA can: modify and improve design ensure efficient resource use enhance social aspects identify key impacts and measures for mitigating them inform decision-making and condition-setting avoid serious and irreversible damage to the environment protect human health and safety Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture

EIA — guiding principles The EIA process should be: purposive – meeting its aims and objectives focused – concentrating on the effects that matter adaptive – responding to issues and realities participative – fully involving the public transparent – clear and easily understood Source: Sadler, 1996; IAIA/IEMA 1999 Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture

EIA — guiding principles (continued) 1. rigorous – employing ‘best practicable’ methodology 2. practical – establishing mitigation measures that work 3. credible – carried out with objectivity and professionalism 4. efficient – imposing least cost burden on proponents Source: Sadler, 1996; IAIA/IEMA 1999 Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture

Key operating principles of good EIA practice 1. EIA should: 2. be applied to all proposals with significant impacts 3. begin early in the project cycle 4. address relevant environmental, social and health impacts 5. identify and take account of public views 6. result in a statement of impacts and mitigation measures 7. facilitate informed decision making and condition setting 8. Source: Sadler, 1996 Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture

Benefits of EIA include: environmentally sound and sustainable design better compliance with standards savings in capital and operating costs reduced time and costs for approvals increased project acceptance better protection of the environment and human health Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture

Delays are caused during EIA when: the EIA is commenced too late in the project cycle the terms of reference are poorly drafted the EIA is not managed to a schedule the EIA report is inadequate and needs to be upgraded there is a lack of technical data Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture

Effectiveness EIA Results of a study in the Netherlands (Technical University Delft) Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture

The scope of the research • What was the effect of the EIA in the final decision? • What is the explanation for the results? • What is the contribution of the various actors in the process? Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture

Effectiveness: actions and/or images Actions: EIA was effective when 1. The original proposal (design or permit application) has changed because of the results of the EIA 2. The competent authority takes a decision that is clearly influenced by the results of the EIA process Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture

Effectiveness: actions and/or images Images: EIA was effective when 1. An actor changed his opinion on the needs or necessity of the proposed activity 2. An actor has changed his opinion on the “reasonability” of the alternatives that were introduced in the EIA 3. An actor has gained insight in alternatives 4. An actor has gained insight in environmental impacts 5. Actors involved have closed “the gap” between their (conflicting) position because of Consultant: CMDC Joint. EIA Venture the

Effectiveness: actions Effect according to Prop and CA: • On the original proposal (design or permit application): 31 • On the final decision taken by the CA: 40 Total effectiveness (actions): 52 EIA’s out of 105 Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture

Effectiveness: images Effect according to Prop and CA: 1. Changed opinion on the needs/ necessity of the proposed activity: 1 2. Changed opinion on the “reasonability” of the alternatives that were introduced in the EIA: 9 3. Gained insight in alternatives: 42 4. Gained insight in environmental impacts: 52 5. Closed “the gap” between (conflicting) position because of the EIA: 29 Total effectiveness (images): 68 out of 105 Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture Over all effectiveness (actions and images): 79 out of 105

Extra element: efficiency Efficiency: when the actor thinks the EIA has had added value for the decision making process, taking into account the time and money spend on the EIA process. No 29 Little 29 Reasonable/fairly 26 Large 14 Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture

Background information Total in the Netherlands Involved in this research Permit-EIA 122 44 Spatial planning EIA 46 28 Road construction 20 16 Plans and programmes 23 17 Total 211 105 Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture

Background information Respondents for 105 EIA’s: 590 actors (95%!) Proponents (Prop) Competent Authorities (CA) Legal Advisors (Leg) National EIA committee (EIA Com) Public involved (Pub) Advisors of proponents (adv Prop) Consultant: CMDC Joint Venture