Environmental Impact Assessment (E.I.A)

Introduction

EIA is a systematic examination conducted to determine whether or not an activity or project will have any adverse impact on the environment. It is designed to Identify, Interpret, predict and communicate information about the impact of a project. It is a critical and objective examination of the impacts of a project on the environment before its implementation. The term impact describes both negative and positive environmental influences caused by a project.

Functions of E.I.A

1. Ensures that decisions on proposed actions take the environment into consideration.
2. Identify impacts of a project on the environment.
3. Predict likely changes on the environment as a result of development.
4. Evaluate the various alternatives (options) to the project.
5. Propose mitigation measures for the significant negative impacts.
6. Generate baseline data for monitoring, auditing and evaluation.
7. Highlight environmental issues with a view to guiding policy makers, planners, stakeholders and government agencies to make sustainable decisions.

Core values of E.I.A

1. Sustainability- the EIA process will result in environmental safeguards.
2. Integrity- the EIA process will conform to agreed standards.
3. Utility- the EIA process provides balanced, credible information for decision making.

Guiding Principles of E.I.A

1. Participation- appropriate and timely access to the process for all interested and affected parties.
2. Transparency- all assessment decisions, and their basis, should be open and accessible.
3. Certainty- the process and timing of assessment should be agreed in advance and followed by all participants.
4. Accountability- decision makers are responsible to all parties for their actions and decisions under the assessment process.
5. Credibility- assessments are undertaken with professionalism and objectively.
6. Cost effectiveness- the assessment process and its outcomes will ensure environmental protection at the least cost to society
7. Flexibility- the assessment process should be able to adopt to deal effectively with any proposal or decision making situation.
8. Practicality- the information and outputs provided by the assessment process are readily usable in decision making and by planners
9. Precautionary principle.