Transcript new.unep.org

MODULE 1:
Introduction to Environmental
Assessment
WHY MODULE 1
To conduct a successful Integrated
Environmental Assessment and
reporting (IEA), it is very important to
understand the different types of
assessments and how they differ or
relate to IEA.
This module discusses the different
assessments and sets the overall
context of IEA.
OBJECTIVES OF THE MODULE
 To highlight the different types of
environmental assessment and the
evolution of IEA.
 To give the background to IEA and how it
informs decision making.
 To provide an overview of the different
approaches for the different assessments.
 To identify some opportunities for synergy
among the different assessment
approaches.
The different types of Environmental
Assessments
 State of the Environment (SOE)
 Integrated Environmental Assessment and
Reporting (IEA)
 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
 Corporate Environmental Assessment and
Reporting
State of the Environment (SOE)
Main focus is on the biophysical aspect of
the environment
Usually undertaken by a government
agency in fulfillment of a statutory
requirement
Typically has no outlook component
Provides the basis for IEA
Traditional SOE Reports
Early environmental assessment reports
focussed on reporting the SOE as it
existed at the time of reporting. These are
now referred to as “traditional SOE
Reports”
Traditional SOE Reports have been useful:
 in pointing out existing environmental
trends and conditions.
 in providing key leverage points to
decision-makers.
 in giving us an inventory of resources
which can be used as a starting point for
planning sustainable development.
Traditional SOE Reports (cont’d)
 Are, however, weak in many areas:
They are narrative syntheses of the state of the
environment, not analyses intended to plan
sustainable development
 Are not integrated with the assessment of key
driving forces and policies that cause or
influence the environmental trends that have
been identified.
 Are not analytically linked to the potential
future outcomes of the current state of the
environment

 To overcome these, SOE must be
transformed into IEA with backward and
forward linkages to what is continuously
happening to the environment.
The evolution of IEA
Need for broad-based assessment
 If we are to respond to interconnected issues. we
require:
 Realistic assessment and reporting practices
that communicate problems and solutions to
decision-makers and the public.
 A broader assessment and reporting process
that takes into account the links among
ecological, socioeconomic and policy issues
more systematically.
INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT AND REPORTING (IEA)
Integrated Environmental
Assessment and reporting (EA) is a
process of producing and
communicating policy-relevant
information on key interactions
between the natural environment
and human society.
IEA
Integrates social, economic and
environmental issues in the analysis
Strives to show cause-effect linkages
of human and natural action on the
environment and the implications on
livelihoods
IEA needs to incorporate policy
assessment for the whole system
The intentional or unintentional
consequences of policies are often
dispersed over space, sectors of the
economy or environmental media.
The effects of policy are delayed in time.
The consequences of policies can be
incremental and cumulative, they may also
represent root causes of environmental
problems.
Human well-being and vulnerability are
affected by the system as a whole and the
policies used to manage it.
IEA: Human well-being
 Human and
natural driving
forces and
pressures are
impacting the
environment
IEA: Human well-being and vulnerability
 Environmental services and human well-being
affected, widening gap between the haves and
have-nots, and increasing vulnerability for the
latter.
IEA: Human… (cont’d)
 Achieving human well-being is a
balancing act.
IEA multidimensional and incorporates other
elements not in the traditional SOE reporting
Environmental media (state-and-trends of
land, water, atmosphere and biodiversity)
Functional (provision of environmental
goods-and-services)
Resource sectors (e.g. links with energy
use, tourism, agriculture, manufacturing,
mining and trade)
IEA multidimensional… (cont’d)
 Crosscutting issues (relating to production,
consumption, gender, poverty, human
wellbeing and vulnerability)
 Environmental issues (land degradation, air
and water pollution, disasters, overexploitation
of resources)
 Interlinkages within and between all of the
above
 Policy responses and analyses
IEA
links environmental state-and-trends with
policy responses
integrates environmental analysis with
social and economic trends and policies
incorporates global and sub-global
perspectives
incorporates historical and future
perspectives
involves diverse environmentsocioeconomic expertise
IEA
IEA answers five consecutive questions in
sequence, as shown below, from which we
can get information to relate socioeconomic
activities, environment and policy
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
A tool used to determine the social,
economic, and environmental impact of
major developments, and proposes
measures to mitigate impacts.
Is project and site specific
In the context of IEA, it is a policy response
Demands for public participation
Strategic Environmental Assessment
(SEA)
Deals with the effects of a proposed
strategic action (policy, programme and
plan) and identifies best practicable
environmental option
A decision-support tool
Helps to incorporate sustainability principals
in policy making process
Provides a context for assessing cumulative
effects of different projects or initiatives
Provides context for screening projects for
EIA (fully fledged EIA or Reviews)
In the IEA context, SEA are policy
responses.
Corporate environmental assessment
and reporting
Management support tool (ISO
certification)
Response to statutory obligation or
corporate social responsibility
In the context of IEA, it is both an
action and policy response