Environmental Impact Assessment Course Code: GeES

Transcript:Environmental Impact Assessment Course Code: GeES:
Environmental Impact Assessment Course Code: GeES 531 Cr.h : 3 By Dr. Kindie Gebeyehu Department of Geography and Environmental Studies 2012 E.C Post graduate Regular Program 2nd semester for First year Students CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION TO EIA: PROCESSES AND SYSTEMS 1.1. Background Environmental Impact Assessment EIA is now increasingly being seen and used within the wider context of serving sustainable development objectives. Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a process which can be used to improve decision-making and ensure that development options under conservation are environmentally, socially and economically sound and sustainable. Back ground…… It is concerned with identifying, predicting and evaluating the foreseeable/ predictable impacts, both beneficial and adverse of proposed development projects and alternatives It aims to eliminate or minimize negative impacts and optimize positive impacts through mitigation and enhancement measures and relates to a process rather than a particular activity EIA relates to a process rather than a particular activity, the environmental impact study itself being only one component of the process… 1. Environmental Impact Assessment Introduction Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a relatively recent phenomenon: Simply defined, EIA is a systematic process to identify, predict and evaluate the environmental effects of proposed actions and projects This process is applied prior to major decisions and commitments being made. Whenever appropriate social, cultural and health effects are considered as an integral part of EIA, particular attention is given in EIA practice to preventing, mitigating and offsetting the significant adverse effects of proposed undertakings. EIA has continuously acquired a greater importance through understanding it as an integrated part of the planning process devoted to the identification, quantification and qualification of environmental impacts due to the development of a plan or a project as well as the definition of policies and strategies to monitor and control the impacts EIA is now increasingly being seen and used within the wider context of serving sustainable development objectives. EIA is recognized as a planning tool used to predict the likely/probable/expected environmental impacts of a proposed activity such as a project, plan, program or legislative action so that they can be addressed at an appropriate stage in the design or formulation before further decisions are taken on the activity or action. The EIA involves a systematic process for identifying, predicting and evaluating potential effects or impacts associated with a new development project, plan, program or legislative action. The EIA process is the various stages a