Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)

Economic, social and environmental change is inherent to development. Whilst development aims to bring about positive change it can lead to conflicts. In the past, the promotion of economic growth as the motor for increased wellbeing was the main development thrust with little sensitivity to adverse social or environmental impacts. The need to avoid adverse impacts and to ensure long term benefits led to the concept of sustainability. This has become accepted as an essential feature of development if the aim of increased wellbeing and greater equity in fulfilling basic needs to be met for this and future generations. In order to predict environmental impacts of any development activity and to provide an opportunity to mitigate negative impacts and enhance positive impacts, the environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedure was developed in the 1970s.This course aims to assist staff from different disciplines and backgrounds (government officials, consultants and planners) to incorporate environmental considerations into planning, designing, implementing and regulating programs, plans and projects: thus leading to sustainable development.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, the delegates will be able to:

• Discuss and define the environmental issues and concerns
• Identify coverage of baseline environment setting
• Discuss the environmental problems and their adverse impacts
• Identify coverage of related laws, decrees and international conventions
• Discuss political, economic and social aspects
• Describe the methodology, procedures, techniques and outputs of EIA
• Discuss development potential impacts and mitigation measures
• Demonstrate the integrated environmental management plan
• Provide inter-disciplinary advice to those engaged in preparing EIAs
• Enhance institutional capacity for carrying out an EIA

Course Outline

Day 1

Introduction:

• Definitions, concepts and objectives
• Origins of EIA
• Valuing the environment and justification for EIA
• Related Laws and Decrees
• International Conventions
• Political, social, institutional and economical frameworks
• Building institutional capacity
• Group discussion

### Day 2

EIA Process I:

• Resources
• Screening
• Project Criteria
• Sensitive area criteria
• Scoping
• Baseline setting
• Without project description
• With project description
• Group discussion

Day 3

EIA Process II:

• Impacts prediction and evaluation
• Pollution hazards and nuisance control
• Hazardous wastes
• Prediction methods and interpretation
• Mitigation Measures
• Assessment of comparisons
• Concept of alternatives

### Day 4

Management, monitoring and auditing:

• Contractual background
• Implementation of action plan
• Management organization
• Managing uncertainty
• Monitoring programs
• Environmental supervision
• Auditing
• Public participation
• Group discussion

Day 5

EIA Techniques:

• Baseline studies
• ICID Checklist
• Matrices
• Network diagrams
• Overlays
• Mathematical Modeling
• Expert Advice
• Economic techniques
• Final report: Environmental Impact Statement EIS
• Case study
• Group discussion

Course Methodology

A variety of methodologies will be used during the course that includes:

• (30%) Based on Case Studies
• (30%) Techniques
• (30%) Role Play
• (10%) Concepts
• Pre-test and Post-test
• Variety of Learning Methods
• Lectures
• Case Studies and Self Questionaires
• Group Work
• Discussion
• Presentation