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INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND TRENDS IN EIA FOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. Clive George EIA Centre and Institute for Development Policy and Management University of Manchester, UK. SEPA/World Bank/DFID workshop Beijing 21-22 March 2005. International experience - background. USA – NEPA 1970
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INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND TRENDS IN EIA FOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS Clive George EIA Centre and Institute for Development Policy and Management University of Manchester, UK SEPA/World Bank/DFID workshop Beijing 21-22 March 2005
International experience - background • USA – NEPA 1970 • EU – EIA Directive 1985 • Russia – State Ecological Expertise 1985 • NOTE – all had extensive environmental legislation prior to EIA • EIA introduced to “fill the gaps” (mainly for large or complex projects) • World Bank OD 4.01 1990 • NOTE – similarities and differences compared with national EIA systems Ongoing legislative/procedural improvements: • UK Environmental Protection Act 1990 • UK Environment Agency 1996 • EU Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive 1996 • Revised EU EIA Directive 1997 • World Bank OP 4.01 1999 • EU SEA Directive 2001 (in force 2004)
International experience – examples of good practice Case study examples from: Lee and George (2000) Environmental Assessment in Developing and Transitional Countries, Wiley, Chichester • air pollution impacts – Bidadi Hobli, India • seismic impacts – Xiaolangdi, China • ecological impacts - Chevron, Namibia • social impacts – Xiaolangdi, China • strategic impacts – coastal development, Egypt
Improving EIA – issues • quality of EIA studies - strengthening the review system • assessment of alternatives - mainstreaming into project design • improving cost-effectiveness • refining screening and scoping mechanisms • simplifying the system for simple projects • strengthening the system for complex projects • integrated decision-making and trade-offs • improving public involvement • follow-up - environmental management plans, monitoring and enforcement • biodiversity impacts • transboundary and global impacts • strategic issues derived from MENA Regional EIA Directors’ workshop, Tunis, 2002
Quality of EIA studies • mainstreaming into project design - begin early, assess alternatives • independent consultants? • the case of Turkey • authorised consultants? • the case of Bulgaria • strengthening the review system • competence of the competent authority • the case of Rades Power Plant, Tunis
Screening and scoping - full EIA and simple EIA Examples of success – Egypt, Tunisia
Integrated decision-making • environmental decisions • availability of standards or policies • sustainability decisions • environmental, social and economic trade-offs • environmental economics (limited validity) • value judgements – political/technical/public • the case of Manchester airport
Public involvement • good governance • source of environmental knowledge • source of free technical expertise • validation of EIA quality • the case of UK road schemes • source of free monitoring capacity • use of NGOs in India • early warning of unexpected concerns • the case of UK recycling (Leicester)
Follow-up • Environmental Management Plans • World Bank OP 4.01 Annex C • monitoring and enforcement • the case of Tanzania • the need for resources • co-ordination with other national, local and sectoral environmental authorities • quality of legislation • the case of UK environmental law
Strategic issues • can often be assessed only by checking compliance with national, regional or local policy • SEA as policy development • the case of China’s energy policy • SEA as problem-solving • the case of Egyptian coastal degradation • transboundary impacts • Europe’s Espoo Convention on EIA • the Danube Convention • the Mekong Convention • global impacts • Kyoto commitments • commitments under Convention on Biological Diversity, Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), Hazardous Wastes (Basel Convention) etc.
Biodiversity impacts • Guidelines for Incorporating Biodiversity-Related Issues into Environmental Impact Assessment Legislation and/or Process and in Strategic Environmental Assessment CBD COP 6 2002 Decision VI/7 Annex • Capacity Building in Biodiversity and Impact Assessment, International Association for Impact Assessment http://www.iaia.org/Non_Members/Special%20Projects/CBBIA/CBBIA%20Inception%20Report%20(1).doc