Transcript SIDE EVENT - United Nations Environment Programme

REVIEW BACKGROUND
 2006
SPREP Council Decision
 2007-08 Review Implementation
–Review Consultant:
CARDNO LTD of Australia
–Matt McIntyre
–Erin Young
 Report available in cds
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
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Part I: Review:
– 1.Context,
– 2.Objectives,
– 3. Methodology,
– 4. Findings &
– 5. Recommendations
Part II: Strategies for the Way Forward
Part III: Support for Current Activities
Discussions
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UNEP GOE-IEA Regional
Workshop, Thailand, ‘08
Regional Review of Environmental
Impact Assessment in the Pacific
(EIA & SEA Capacities)
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Part I-1. REVIEW CONTEXT
- The Image of the Pacific -
It’s
Paradise?
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Part I-1. REVIEW CONTEXT
- The Reality -
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Part I-1. REVIEW CONTEXT
- The Situation 100 – 300 metres
2 –4 metres
Ocean
msl
Island
Reef Beach
Babai
pit
water table
Lagoon
msl
Freshwater
Transition zone
Notes: msl - mean sea level
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Seawater
Small, Vulnerable, Isolated with
Extreme Limiting Factors to Any
form of Development
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Part I-1. CONTEXT
- Vulnerabilities & Threats -
Coastal Erosion
Droughts
Cyclones
Flooding
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Part I-1. CONTEXT
- Development Pressures Beach Mining:
Salt water
Intrusion,
Erosion, Coral
Impacts
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Causeways for
necessary Access:
Stops flushing of
Lagoons – coral
Reef deaths, lack
of land protection,
Infrastructural
Pits for materials
developments
replacing
agriculture & food
production
Land and Coastal
Clearing:
Foreign investment,
Infrastructure
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Part I-1. REVIEW CONTEXT
- Why interest in EIA & SEA 
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Vast and ever growing areas of land and marine
resources degradation; such as the loss of native
forests and viable coral reef ecosystems through
the pressures of population demands and
development activities;
Increasing pressures from the impacts of climate
change – variability, rising temperatures & sea
level rise.
In-adequate supply of basic resources such as
nutritious food and fresh water - under increasing
demand and of deteriorating quality;
Increasing population growth and urbanization
affecting quality of life choices & environmental
resources.
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Part I-2: OBJECTIVES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Update the review of EIA capacities in 1997
Establish current baselines on individual and
institutional EIA & SEA capacities
Identify barriers to assessing development impacts
Identify priorities for effective impact assessments
and resources to implement those priorities
Identify opportunities and recommend actions for
the long-term improvement of EIA & SEA in the
region
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Part I-3: METHODOLOGY
1.
2.
Literature Review
Consultation with EIA & SEA stakeholders
-national, regional & international
– National: visits to Tuvalu, Samoa, Guam &
Palau
– Regional: CROP Agencies
– International: International Association for
Impact Assessment
3.
Capacity Needs Electronic Questionnaire
Survey
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Part I-4: FINDINGS
- EIA Capacity Building Processes  Short-termed,
ad hoc and externally
driven
 Practices are inhibited by ineffective
land-use planning system, limited
human and capital resources, lack of
know-how, deficiencies in information
& experience requirements, and weak
state and community commitment
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Part I-4: FINDINGS
- Policy & Legislative Frameworks  Weak
legislative basis
 Weak monitoring and enforcement
 Outdated legislative frameworks with
 Persistence national legislation
conflicts/contradictions with
traditional governing practices
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Part I-4: FINDINGS
- Science & Technology  Limited
capacities to access and
utilize modern science applications
 Limited technical know-how of both
government agencies & locally
available consultancy services
 Limited expertise or reference
materials available to assist scoping,
research & compliance monitoring
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Part I-4: FINDINGS
- Institutional Capacities  Many
PICTs have established
centralized agencies/units that
administer EIA regulatory processes
 Limited awareness and weak
involvement of institutions and
communities in the EIA process
 Political Influence determines EIA
enforcement & compliance
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Part I-4: FINDINGS
- Individual Capacities Most PICs have critical human capacities
limitations for effective EIA processes
 Lack of national EIA/SEA knowledge base
 Limited available training and
development opportunities
 PICs with smaller and isolated populations
more vulnerable to human resources
constraints
 General absence of guidelines and
standards for assessments and reporting
quality
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Part I-4: FINDINGS
- Financial Aspects of EIA  Limited
funding for EIA system
 Burdensome requirements on
developers
 Absence of information for user pay
systems (resource rents)
 Limited understanding for assessing
impacts on subsistence economies
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Part I-4: RECOMMENDATIONS
- Improving Enabling Environments  Institutional
–
–
–
–
–
Arrangements:
Linkages and synergies;
Coordinate policy,
Criteria & actions,
Case studies & choices;
Mechanisms for participation
 Legislative
Frameworks:
– Plethora of laws not the answer
– Integrated, simple & strategic legal
bases required
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Part I-4: RECOMMENDATIONS
- Improving Enabling Environments 
Land Use / Environmental Planning
Systems:
– support to current & planned activities
– land suitability,
– soil conservation, & resource use.
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Information:
– Support GIS/ RS capacities
– Clearinghouses
– Assist with Indicators, benchmarks &
strategic reporting processes
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SEA
– Precautionary measures
– Controls/Limits/Thresholds
– Standards
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Part I-4: RECOMMENDATIONS
- Improving Enabling Environments 
Training, Awareness and HR Capacity
Development
– regional,
– national/local focus and ownership of
direction necessary
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Technology & Expertise
– Exchanges & energy efficient alternatives
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Financial Support
– strategic, consistent, streamline &
coordinated
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Part II: THE WAY FORWARD
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National/Local Focus
– Systematic development of human resources through
training, planning, practical services and consultations
(sharing of experiences, lessons learned, etc.)
– Development of Networks (Individual & Institutional)
– Strengthen EIA/SEA legislation & governance
Regional/International Focus
– Training Courses & Case Studies development
– Technical Support & Advisory Services
– Exchange & Attachment Services/Sharing of
Experiences across the three sub-regions
– Accessing International IA Professionals Networks
(IAIA)
– Regional EIA/SEA Support Center, Network & Forum for
Impact Assessment Professionals
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PART III: SUPPORT FOR CURRENT
ACTIVITIES (National Focus)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Niue – Development of EIA Regulations, Guidelines &
Training
Tuvalu – Awareness & Training
Solomon Islands – Development of EIA Guidelines &
Training
Marshal Is – Training for New Staff & Case
Studies/Guiding References
Samoa – Improving standards of EIA research, analysis
and other regulatory compliance standards
Kiribati – Training & strengthening of the national EIA
system
Vanuatu – Training & strengthening of the national EIA
system
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Fiji – Health Impact Assessment training
PART III: SUPPORT FOR CURRENT
ACTIVITIES (Regional Focus)
Training Courses, Practices/Services – UNEP,
USP, In-Country, etc.
 Access to & Networking with International IA
Professionals (IAIA, UNEP, etc.)
 Development of a Regional IA Professional
Capacity Building Strategy, Network & Forum
for Exchange of Knowledge and Experiences
 Advisory Services for EIA Research and
Reporting, and National IA Networks
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DISCUSSIONS
THANK YOU!
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