EIA Flashcards
Why was the EIA introduced?
economic growth and planning big projects
Introduction of National environmental policy
10.000 lawsuits in 2 years.
What is the idea or ratio of EIA?
Foresight: uncertainity: think before you act
You can make better planning and decision-making about projects by gathering more info and systematic analysis.
You have different types of impact assessment. What do economic, social, health, ecological and water impact assessment focus on?
Economic: focus on economic effects of projects (national / regional level)economic methods, cost-benefit analysi
Social Impact Assessment: focus on social issues (equity, poverty, well-being, employment, gender issues, barrier effects, local communities) use of methods from social science
Health Impact AssessmentFocus on health (diseases, mortality, issues at population / individual level) use of methods from medicine / demography sciencesis more than adding up noise, air, safety issues et
Ecological Impact Assessment:focus on ecological issues (biodiversity, habitats, barrier issues, prevention, mitigation, compensation
Water Impact Assessmentfocus on water (management) issues (water quality, quantity, safety (floodings), aridification issues)
What is an EIA in essence?
an instrument for planning and decision-making oriented to the provision and evaluation of information about environmental effects of development proposals with the aim to improve planning and decision-making.
Name characteristics of EIA
Aid to decision-making (tool)Links up with existing procedures/plan process (streamlining)
*Specific instrument (oriented to project & context)
*Integral instrument (all relevant environmental impacts)
*Selective (only crucial decisions, projects)
*Ensures environmental interests (safeguard, ‘internalisation’)
*Prevention (assessment of impact before action)
Explain the essence of the DPSIR model.
Human intervention leads to environmental change and interactions. Driving forces lead to pressure (human acitivities directly affecting environment). This leads to a specific state about the environment. Then impacts can be measured. Effects of a changed environment. To these effects, there is then a response of society to solve the problem.
What are all the phases about?
Scoping
Alternatives
Impacts
Remedial measures
Comparing alternatives
Scoping: deciding on coverage of the EIA. Tailoring it to relevant info.
Alternatives: development of multiple alternatives for the activity: 0 alternative, most favourable for environment, preference alternative, modality alternatives.
Impacts: forecasting, predicting. Sensitivity analysis.
Remedial measures: prevention, mitigation, comepnsation, spatial reallocation
Comparing alternatives: too much info of different kinds, need for complexity reduciton.
EIA weaknesses in practice in NL?
- good system, poor image. The regulations are advanced and extensive, but is always trying to be avoided.
weakness:
* delayed decisiion making
*raised administrative costs
*was often lacking quality
*was adding little value to decision-making
Linear approach to cyclic decision-making processScoping of alternatives & effects (big EISs, info overload)Long-lasting plan process (outdated EISs) Dynamic context (politics & other developments)Implementation of new policies, (EU)regulationsRelevance of EIA for project designUsefulness of EIA for decision-making (appraisal in stead of project development)*Money time quality ! (trade-off)
EIA advantages
Structured process (rigorous thinking in creative planning process)
*More environmental awareness of developer (internalisation)
*Attention to various interests involved (environment, other)
*Openness to public (disclosure)
*Legal protection (safeguard)
*Streamlining of decision-making (coordination of processes)
*Better projects ?
What are issues for the future of EIA?
improving effectiveness appraisal, efficiency of the EIA and the quality of EIA’s.
How can the issues of follow up evaluation be solved?
Through integration and coordination of time (continuous assessment SEA, Followup), process (Impact assessment, designing, decision making), interests (participation, cooperation with other parties) and spatial developments (Infra + housing, working recreation).
What is EIA critized for according to Arts et al.? And how is EIA perceived?
Politically, EA is criticized for causing delays and high costs in planning and decision-making.
The perception of EA as a source of bureaucratic hurdles has led to calls for streamlining and simplification.
In the paper of Arts et al there is spoken of a ‘tension of goals’ what does this mean?
EIA highlights tensions between development objectives and environmental protection, particularly in a densely populated, high pressure environment like NL
Explain the name of the paper ‘don’t shoot the messenger’ where does this name come from? what does it mean?
The paper underscores EA’s role as a “messenger” of inconvenient truths, advocating for its integrity against political pressures. The EIA basically shows things politicians don’t wanna hear cause it puts pressure on their goals. EA as a messenger will always be subject to critique
Most important conclusion from the Arts et al paper? (Add which one)
persistent cumbersome (moeizame) planning and decision-making about development plans and projects and the creation of impromptu ‘escape routes’ (called ‘goat-trails’ in Dutch) and evermore-detailed proposals and EA studies, which are costly, time-consuming, lack quality, are heavily contested among societal stakeholders, and often fail
before court (‘juridification’)
