Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a formal process designed to predict the environmental consequences of proposed development activities, promoting proactive environmental protection and effective stakeholder engagement. It seeks to identify potential problems and impacts, allowing for informed decision-making and the implementation of mitigation measures. EIA is integral to development planning, ensuring that environmental considerations are included at all levels to support sustainable development.

1. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
- A formal process to predict the environmental consequences of human development
activities and to plan appropriate measures to eliminate or reduce adverse effects
and to augment positive effects.
- EIA is a preventive tool used by government regulators to abate the environment
consequences of a proposed major development project. This planning tool
emphasized on proactive environmental protection and management.
- This concentrates on problems, conflicts or natural resources constraints that could
affect the viability of the project.
- This is a management tool for officials and managers who make important decisions
about major development projects.
- The usefulness of EIA is that enables environmental consideration to be included I
the appraisal of project options at a very early stage and thus promotes the effective
involvement of various concerned groups in the development actions.
Environmental Impact assessment
- It is a systematic study of the relationship between the project and the environment. It
is a process to use to predict the environmental consequences of a proposed
development activity or project. It determines what influence a project will have on
the environment and how the environment will affect the project. It also plans
appropriate measures to reduce adverse effects.
EMVIRONMENT- Unit composed of physical factors like water, air, and soil.
IMPACT- effect of human induced action on ecosystem
ASSESSMENT- analyzing and evaluating impact on ecosystem
ANALYSIS -Objective task of identifying actions, taking measurement of baseline
information likely to occur as a result of the action.

2. EVALUATION - Subjective or normative task which depends on the significance of the
effects to the affected parties.
GOALS OF EIA
a. To promote the implementation of appropriate procedure consistent with the national
laws and decision-making process.
b. To encourage the development of reciprocal procedures for information exchange
notification and consultations between countries when proposed activities are likely
to have significant transboundary effects on the environment.
c. To establish that before decisions are taken by the competent authorities to
undertake or authorize activities that are likely to significantly affect the environment,
the environment effects of these activities should be taken fully into account.
PRINCIPLES OF EIA
1. State should not undertake or authorized activities without prior consideration at an
early stage of environmental effects.
2. The criteria and procedures for determining wethere an activity is likely to
significantly affect the environment and is therefore subject to EIA should be defined
clearly by legislation, regulation or other means so that subject activities can be
applied as the activity is being planned.
MECHANISMS INVOLVED:
a. List of categories of activities that by their nature are or not likely to have
significant effects.
b. List of areas that are special importance or sensitivity (national park, wetland
areas) so that any activity affecting such areas is likely to have significant effects.
c. List of categories or resources (water, forest) or environmental problems (soil
erosion, desertification, and deforestation) which are of special concern so that

3. any diminution of such resources or exacerbation of such problems is likely to be
significant.
d. An initial environmental evaluation or a quick and informal assessment of the
proposed activity should be done to determine wethere its effects are likely to be
significant.
e. Criteria to guide determination whether the effects of proposed activity are likely
to be significant.
3. In the EIA process the relevant significant environmental issues should not study
where appropriate, all efforts should be made to identify these issues at an early
stage in the process.
4. An EIA should include at a minimum:
a. A description of the proposed activity
b. A description of the potentially affected environment; including specific
information necessary for identifying and assessing the environmental effects
of the proposed activity
c. A description of the practical alternatives, as appropriate.
d. An assessment of the likely or potential environmental impacts of the proposed
activity and alternative including direct, indirect, cumulative, short term and long
term effects.
e. An identification and description of measures/ solution available mitigate adverse
environmental impacts of the proposed activity and alternatives and assessment
of those measures.
f. An indication of gaps in knowledge and uncertainties which may be
encountered in compiling the required information.
g. An indication of whether the environment of any other states or area beyond
national jurisdiction is likely to be affected by the proposed activity or
alternatives.

4. h. A brief, .nontechnical summary of the information provided under the above
headings.
5. The .environmental effects in an EIA should be assessed with a degree of detail
commensurate with their likely environmental significance.
6. The information provided as part of EIA should be assessed and examined
impartially prior to the division.
7. Before a decision is made on an activity, government agencies, members of the
public, experts in relevant disciplines and interested groups should be allowed
appropriate opportunities to comment on the EIA
8. A decision as to whether a proposed activity should be authorized or undertaken
should be taken until an appropriate period has elapsed to consider comments
pursuant to principles 7 & 12
9. The 'decision on any proposed activity subject to an ETA should be in writing, state
the reason therefore and include provisions if any, to prevent, reduce or mitigate
damage to the environment.
10. Where it is justified, following a decision on an activity which has been subject to an
EIA, the activity and its effects on the environment or provisions (pursuant to principle
9) of the decision on this activity should be subject to appropriate supervision.
11. States should endeavor to conclude bilateral, regional. or multilateral arrangement as
appropriate, so as to provide, on the basis of reciprocity, notification, exchange of
information and agreed upon consultation on the potential environmental effects of
activities under their control or jurisdiction which are likely to significantly affect other
states Or areas
12. When information provided as part of an ETA indicates that the environment
within another state is likely to be significantly affected by a proposed activity, the
State in which the activity is being planned should to the .extent possible:
a. Notify the potentially affected state of the proposed activity.
b. Transmit to the potentially affected state any relevant information from the EIA

5. c. When it is agreed between the states concerned, enter into timely
consultations.
13. Appropriate measures should be established to ensure implementation of ElA
procedures.
PURPOSE A EIA:
The traditional decision-making process often tended to, maximize short-term gains
at the expense of incurring long-term environmental liabilities. Project/program alternatives
were more often evaluated and selected from a purely economic and technical context.
Deterioration of environmental quality was viewed as a necessary and justifiable act of
economic growth.
In the wake of escalating environmental problems, planners and decision-Makers
were forced to acknowledge that environmental and natural resources degradation can
result in real losses in the long-term and impair the sustainable improvement of human
welfare; that economic , development and Prosperity are dependent on the rational long-
term management of natural resources.
It was -therefore apparent that development must be planned in a manner that
would make the best use of resources and minimized the adverse impacts of human actions
on environment. To this end, it was imperative to evolve a planning tool which could affect
environmentally-sound development. Environmental impact assessment has been
established to be one such tool.
FUNCTIONS OF EIA
a. Predicts
Problems
Conflicts
Constraints

6. b. Find ways to minimize them
Design options
Implementation options
Contingency plans
BENEFITS OF EIA
a. EIA makes projects more successful in three ways:
More likely to be completed on time
Resources relied upon are conserved
Project benefits are enhanced.
What is the role of EIA in in Environmental Management?
EIA is used as a planning and management tool. As a planning tool, it helps
identify where to locate projects, how such projects should be designed,
determine the operational constraints that will be encountered and minimize
adverse environmental impacts. As a management tool, it is used for collecting and
analyzing information about the environmental effects of projects so as to help in
implementing decisions.
EIA as a Component of Planning and Decision-making.
Planning is a process widely recognized as a necessary component of decision
making which leads to certain predicted results. Results are nothing more than effects or
impacts of a particular decision. Planning consists of several or more exercises, starting with
the definition or recognition of the problem, need or opportunity. Policy formulation follows
from this, specific objectives are set forth. Such objective is translated into programs which
are in turn comprised of a number of projects. In the formulation of these programs and
projects, basic physical and economic and social analysis is conducted often resulting in the
formulation of alternative plans.

7. EIA IN DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
Development planning is defined as the process of evolving and implementing
policies, programmes and projects to improve the welfare of the nation’s populations. Ideally,
environmental impact assessment should be an integral component of planning to effect
sustainable development. As to where and in what level of the planning process EIA should
be incorporated is still subject of debates even up to the present.
LEVELS OF PLANNING
1. The Project Level
- A project is defined as a conglomeration f related activities designed to achieve
specific goals. These activities may be infrastructures, management measures or
implementation incentives. Examples of these are construction of a multi-purpose,
dam, a reforestation project, construction of a power plant. Environmental impact
assessment has been most readily undertaken at the project level because the
effects of activities are perceived to be most discernible and easily measured at this
stage.
2. Regional level
- It involves the formulation of a number of interrelated projects which are consolidated
into a plan or program for a implementation over a period of several years.
- Example is a forest management program for a specific region comprising a number
of interrelated projects on reforestation, harvesting, fire prevention and etc.
3. The sectorial level
- Usually consists of 'a group of individual projects for 'a specific sector which will be
geographically distributed throughout the country and scheduled for implementation
over a span of several days.
4. National plan/program level

8. - It is the stage where national objectives and policies are set. Such will then serve to
guide regional, sectorial and project development planning.
METHODS IN EIA
a. Identification- Determine types of impact
b. Prediction- determine the magnitude of impacts identified
c. Evaluation- determine the importance of magnitude estimated
d. Mitigation- determine measures to avoid or minimize impacts and enhance benefits
e. Documentation- informs decision makers concisely.
EIA PROCESS
Screening
Pre study
Preliminary assessment
Organization
Scoping
Identification of project impacts
EIA Study
Prediction of Project Impacts
Evaluation of project Impacts
Comparison of Alternatives & Consideration of Mitigation
Measures
Presentation of study results
Review of study
Post study steps
Decision making
Post auditing and monitoring
HOW EIA WORKS
1. Generates a comprehensive and detailed study of

9. - project and its surrounding environment
- alternatives of both design and location
Study gathers baseline information on environmental quality.
Study predicts interaction between project and environment.
2. Uses EIA study results for Project Management
Mitigation measures
- prevent or minimize potential adverse environmental impacts
- enhance environmental benefits
Monitoring programme
- assess actual impacts
- discover impacts that may not have been predict
EIA in the Project Cycle
As a planning tool, the different steps in EIA can come in a different stages in the project
cycle. The following illustration depicts the role of EIA in project development (UNEP,
1988)

10. The relevant EIA activities for each stage in the project cycle are:
a. Project Concept / Identification
- At the initial stage of the project, quick environmental overview or preliminary EIA can
indicate the environmental implications of any proposed alternatives.
b. Pre-feasibility Stage
- This stage identifies issues and impacts for investigation, which is equivalent to
'Scoping'
c. Feasibility Stage
- EIA study is carried out during this stage.
d. Project Appraisal and Decision
- A decision on whether a project is feasible or not will be made at this stage.
e. Implementation of the project

11. - If the project is feasible, it will be implemented. EIA report will be used as guideline
during this phase.
f. Management of EIA Study
- Conducting an EIA report that can be understood by all the related stakeholders.
Project Concept/Identification
- At the initial stage of the project planning, information on the detailed project designs
will not be available, but the basic nature of the project will be known (for example,
whether it is to be a coal, oil or nuclear power station; a highway or a dam/reservoir)
power output, and an area of land which is likely to be inundated and the site or sites
where the project is being proposed to be implemented. At this stage, the project
may be subject to "screening" to decide whether a full and comprehensive EIA report
must be prepared.
- If screening recommends that an EIA report is required, then the initial study will
begin. At this early stage quick environmental overview/reconnaissance or
preliminary EIA can indicate whether any of the alternatives proposed are
environmental "disastrous". These can be eliminated from further consideration, and
new alternatives can be identified. Major benefits of a "quick and dirty" overview are
as follows:
a. identification of "viable" alternatives (from an environmental viewpoint), and
b. Provision of an early indication of likely significant impacts for further EIA work.
Pre-feasibility Stage
- The main EIA activities, at this stage, are identification of issues/impacts for
investigation and, formulation of the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the EIA. The term
used for this activity is "scoping"
Feasibility Stage

12. - EIA study should be carried out:
a. during feasibility stage in conjunction with economic, technical and design work,
b. preliminary EIA works such as scoping and preperation of TOR should be carried
out during project pre-feasibility stage,
c. If EIA is carried out late in project cycle as an "add on", the process of EIA
becomes cumbersome, time consuming and expensive to incorporate the EIA
recommendations in the project construction.
Project Appraisal and Decision
- During the project appraisal, a decision is made by the proponent or by the
government, and in some case by the lending agencies, as to whether the project is
viable. At this stage, EIA results will be put into consideration with feasibility study.
An application for authorisation(s) has to be made by the project proponent to a
local/central government agency. This decision is the final and determines whether a
project is to be implemented. The EIA report also plays an important role in this
decision making process.
Implementation of the Project
- At this stage, in the project cycle, the EIA report will act as a "reference" guide to the
implementation and use of mitigation strategies and monitoring schemes. Thus, the
usefulness of an EIA report does not end with the "official" authorization to proceed.
It may form a basis for management plan to assist project implementation and
management practice. For example, EIA report recommendations can form a part of
contract tender documents.
- Lastly, after the project is completed, an "audit" can be made to determine how close
the EIA's predictions were to the actual impacts of the project. This forms a valuable
records for others conducting EIAs on similar projects in the future