Introduction

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a tool used to identify the environmental, social and economic impacts of a project prior to decision-making. It aims to predict environmental impacts at an early stage in project planning and design, find ways and means to reduce adverse impacts, shape projects to suit the local environment and present the predictions and options to decision-makers.

By using EIA both environmental and economic benefits can be achieved, such as reduced cost and time of project implementation and design, avoided treatment/clean-up costs and impacts of laws and regulations.

Key Elements

• Scoping: identify key issues and concerns of interested parties;
• Screening: decide whether an EIA is required based on information collected;
• Identifying and evaluating alternatives: list alternative sites and techniques and the impacts of each;
• Mitigating measures dealing with uncertainty: review proposed action to prevent or minimise the potential adverse effects of the project;
• Issuing environmental statements: report the findings of the EIA.

Further Information

International Association for Impact Assessment [http://www.iaia.org/] -   This website provides information on the activities of the IAIA including its listserver, IAIA Handbook, and IAIA. There is also an extensive listing of relevant websites.

EIA Centre [http://www.art.man.ac.uk/EIA/eiac.htm] - This site provides information on the EIA Centre and gives an overview of their activities including research, training and information. The website also provides an on-line information service on EIA and SEA sources as well the Centre's EIA expert network.

The Institute of Environmental Assessment (IEA) [http://www.iema.net/index2.htm] - This Institute is the Competent Body for the European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) for the UK. The site gives information on the Institute's activities and its members. It has an extensive list of publications including recent conference papers on EIA.

Resources on EIA [http://www.gdrc.org/uem/eia/impactassess.html] - This is an electronic index of EIA information sources. It provides links to document and information repositories on EIA, tools methodologies and techniques that have been developed as well as organisations and current initiatives dealing with EIA.

EIA in general [http://www.brad.ac.uk/staff/pghopkin/whatisea.html] - This site provides a brief overview of what an EIA is and the process for conducting one by identifying the most environmentally suitable option at an early stage, the Best Practicable Environmental Option and the alternative processes.

EIA Review [http://www.elsevier.nl/inca/publications/store/5/0/5/7/1/8/] - This site offers the latest edition of the EIA Review electronically. Back editions are also available for consultation.

Australian EIA Network [http://www.ea.gov.au/assessments/eianet/index.html] - This site contains information on EIA and its processes within Australia and elsewhere. It has information on Australian legislation, current assessments, and a listing of EIA practitioners. It also provides links to the IAIA training course database, international study on the effectiveness of EIA as well as the UNEP EIA Training Resources Manual.

 

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Last Update: 10 August, 2001