EIA: web based tools for a participatory approach

1. EIA: web based tools for a participatory approach DDr. Kurt Fedra, ESS GmbH, Austria kurt@ess.co.at http://www.ess.co.at

2. EIA: predict and evaluate EIA and SIA/SEA are designed to • predictand • evaluate the likely environmental and socio-economic consequences or impacts of major projects or policies  select “best” alternative.

3. EIA structure: Issues: project related,subjective Baseline: data, measurements, field surveys: objective Projects/alternatives: who defines them ? Prediction of impacts: expert systems, models: objective (uncertain) Evaluation: perceptions, believes, opinions, preferences, fears, agenda: (inter) subjective

4. EIA tools: Conceptual framework: Checklists of potential impacts Assessment tools: simulation/optimization models, data bases, GIS, expert system Evaluation: Multi-criteria DSS

5. On-line ES: Structured interactive hierarchical checklists, by project class, grouped into: design, construction, operation, mitigation, follow-up/monitoring (project phases)

9. Stakeholder involvement: Assessment: issues ? Evaluation: perceptions, believes, opinions, preferences, fears, agenda: (inter) subjective Participation: • WHO to involve and HOW ?

10. Shared information basis: Participation requires a shared information basis: • Common language, concepts (ontology) • Common understanding • Shared facts • empowerment through information(Agenda 21, chapter 40, Aarhus convention)

12. Risk management

13. Risk management

14. Risk management

15. Projects and Mitigation Instruments

20. IMPACT assessment

21. IMPACT assessment

22. Release scenarios

23. Release scenarios

24. Release scenarios

25. Impact assessment: targets Find the best solution (project, policy) Definition of optimality: • Acceptability, satisficing • Requires a participatory approach: • Identification and involvement of major actors, stakeholders • Shared information basis • Easy access, intuitive understanding • Web based, local workshops

26. ㅡㅕㅣ샤-ㅊ걋ㄷ걈 ㅐㅔ샤ㅡㅑㅋㅁ샤ㅐㅜ: Acceptability, satisficing: Easier for stakeholders to define several fixed targets as constraints than multiple objectives and trade offs, weights, preferences, etc.  Facilitate participation.

27. Participatory valuation: EIA procedure foresee a public participation component (The UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters, Aarhus convention, UNECE 2005)

28. Participatory valuation: Specific projects or activitiesArticle 6 of the Convention establishes certain public participation requirements for decision-making on whether to license or permit certain types of activity. Similar listing of projects as in EIA: DIRECTIVE 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985, amended 97/62/EC, 2001/42/EC.

29. Participatory valuation: Internet access: Parties are required to 'progressively' make environmental information publicly available in electronic databases which can easily be accessed through public telecommunications networks. The Convention specifies certain categories of information (e.g. state of the environment reports, texts of legislation related to the environment) which should be made available in this form.

30. Participatory approach: • Identify the actors and stakeholders (on-line stakeholder data base) • On-line questionnaires of issues, criteria, constraints, ….. • On-line tools for impact assessment using simulation and optimization models to describe ALTERNATIVES • DSS tools for valuation/selection

32. Multi criteria optimization

39. STAKEHOLDER’S WORKSHOPS

40. Assessment criteria: Water resources example: • Supply/Demand, availability • Reliability of Supply (%) • Efficiencies (water use, economic) • Sustainability (content change) • Water quality (standards) • Costs and benefits • Equity (sectoral criteria)

41. Assessment criteria: Air quality example: • Compliance with standards • Population exposure, public health • Environmental/material damage • Emission targets (Kyoto) • Costs (emission control) • Equity (cost allocation)

42. Decision Support (multi-attribute) Reference point approach: utopia A4 efficient point A5 A2 criterion 2 A6 A1 dominated A3 better nadir criterion 1

44. In summary: Direct participation through web based EIA tools: • Identification of issues, criteria, preferences • Design of alternatives, mitigation instruments • Feed-back on model representation, structure • Multi-criteria evaluation

45. In summary: “Problems” that require EIA are man made Solutions involve valuation, trade off: bargaining, subjective political – choices; NOT optimal, but acceptable to a majority  Democratic decision making processes No single method, solutions need a well balanced combination of strategies and tools, based on preferences, believes, fears, and a little science.