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 well-being 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.
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) can be defined as the systematic identification and evaluation of the potential impacts (effects) of proposed projects, plans, programs, or legislative actions relative to the physical, chemical, biological, cultural, and socioeconomic components of the total environment.
To disclose significant environmental effects of proposed projects to decision-makers and the public.
ii) To identify ways to avoid or reduce environmental damage.
iii) To prevent adverse environmental impacts by requiring implementation of feasible alternatives or mitigation measuresEnvironmental clearance or the ‘go ahead’ signal is granted by the Impact Assessment Agency in the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.
All projects that require clearance from central government can be broadly categorized into the following:-
(1) Industries ..\Unit 1 notes\Environmental Clearance.docx
(2) Mining
(3) Thermal power plants
(4) River valley projects
(5) Infrastructure and CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone)
(6) Nuclear power projects
Baseline information is important reference point for conducting EIA.
The term "baseline" refers to the collection of background information on the biophysical, social and economic settings proposed project area.
Baseline data are collected for two main purposes:
to provide a description of the status and trends of environmental factors (e.g., air pollutant concentrations) against which predicted changes can be compared and evaluated in terms of importance, and
to provide a means of detecting actual change by monitoring once a project has been initiated
important to establish mechanisms by identifying projects which requires EIA, and this process of selection of project is referred to as "Screening“
Scoping is to determine what should be the coverage or scope of the EIA study for a project proposal as having potentially significant environmental impactsEnvironmental impact assessment (EIA) can be defined as the systematic identification and evaluation of the potential impacts (effects) of proposed projects, plans, programs, or legislative actions relative to the physical, chemical, biological, cultural, and socioeconomic components of the total environment.
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) can be defined as the systematic identification and evaluation of the potential impacts (effects) of proposed projects, plans, programs, or legislative actions relative to the physical, chemical, biological, cultural, and socioeconomic components of the total environment EIA
2. *Introduction
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 well-
being 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.
Main functions
• To predict problems
• To find ways to
avoid them
• To enhance positive
effects
3. *Definition of Environmental
Impact Assessment
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) can be
defined as the systematic identification and
evaluation of the potential impacts (effects) of
proposed projects, plans, programs, or legislative
actions relative to the physical, chemical, biological,
cultural, and socioeconomic components of the total
environment.
4. Canter, 1986
• The primary
purpose of the EIA
process is to
encourage the
consideration of the
environmental
issues in planning
and decision-
making and to
ultimately arrive at
actions that are
more
environmentally
compatible
International
Association of
Impact Assessment
• EIA is the
systematic process
to identify the
future
consequences of a
current or proposed
action.
United
Nations
• EIA as an
assessment of
impacts of a
planned activity on
the environment.
5. United Kingdom
• EIA as a technique and a
process by which
information about
environmental effects of
a project is collected,
both by the developer
and from other sources,
and taken into account
by the planning authority
in forming the judgment
on whether the
development should
proceed.
US Environmental
Protection Agency
• EIA as a systematic,
reproducible, and
interdisciplinary
evaluation of potential
effects of proposed
action and its practical
alternatives on the
physical, biological,
cultural, and
socioeconomic attributes
of a particular
geographic area.
Government of India
• EIA as a process of
identifying, predicting,
evaluating and
mitigating the
biophysical, social and
other relevant effects of
development proposals
prior to major decisions
being taken and
commitments made.
These studies integrate
the environmental
concerns of development
activities into the
decision-making
process.
6. *List out the need for EIA?
To disclose significant environmental effects of
proposed projects to decision-makers and the
public.
ii) To identify ways to avoid or reduce
environmental damage.
iii) To prevent adverse environmental impacts
by requiring implementation of feasible
alternatives or mitigation measures.
9. Environmental Clearance
Environmental clearance or the ‘go ahead’ signal is granted by the
Impact Assessment Agency in the Ministry of Environment and
Forests, Government of India.
All projects that require clearance from central government can be
broadly categorized into the following:-
(1) Industries ..Unit 1 notesEnvironmental Clearance.docx
(2) Mining
(3) Thermal power plants
(4) River valley projects
(5) Infrastructure and CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone)
(6) Nuclear power projects
11. *EIA processes in sequences of
application
Environmental Impact Assessment 11
12.
13. *Screening
*important to establish
mechanisms by identifying
projects which requires EIA,
and this process of selection
of project is referred to as
"Screening“
Environmental Impact Assessment 13
Screening
14. Project Scoping
*Scoping is to determine what
should be the coverage or
scope of the EIA study for a
project proposal as having
potentially significant
environmental impacts.
Environmental Impact Assessment 14
15. *Baseline Data Collection
*Baseline information is
important reference point
for conducting EIA.
*The term "baseline" refers to
the collection of background
information on the
biophysical, social and
economic settings proposed
project area.
Baseline data are collected for
two main purposes:
*to provide a description of the
status and trends of
environmental factors (e.g., air
pollutant concentrations)
against which predicted
changes can be compared and
evaluated in terms of
importance, and
*to provide a means of
detecting actual change by
monitoring once a project has
been initiated
Environmental Impact Assessment 15
