MODULE 9

Lesson 1. What is Aesthetics and Environmental Aesthetics?

Aesthetics is a science, or philosophy that deals with beauty and with human decisions regarding beauty.
The environment refers to our environments – specially, those that are witnessed. Although environment
includes observed objects and space of varied size and scale, generally, when environment is used in
combination with aesthetics, ‘environment’ and ‘landscape’ are used interchangeably.

Environmental aesthetics is the interaction among individual and the environment, in relation to beauty.
The human-environment interaction encompasses both the physical environment and the objects that
occupy it, as well as the psychological and physiological processes of human insight and understanding.

Lesson 2. Basic Statistical Concepts in Environmental Science

✓ Meaning of Statistics

The word ‘Statistics’ came from the Latin word ‘status’, Italian word ‘statista’ and the German word
‘statistik’, which means political state. The perception of modern statistics came during the mid-
seventeenth century with the introduction of theory of probability and games of chance. Statistics now a
day’s deal with collection, presentation, analysis and interpretation of numerical data. The subject
statistics, therefore deals with exploration, summarization and inferences about the state of a nation, the
state of the health of the people, the state of the environment etc.

✓ Application of Different Statistical Tools

In modern times statistical theory and methods have been applied to various fields of life. One such
important discipline is studying environment i.e. in collecting and planning data, in designing surveys and
experiments etc. for an environmental statistic.

✓ Data Analysis

Data analysis is divided into two sections: descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (Bhagawati,
2014).

1. Descriptive statistics - is the initial stage of data analysis where exploration, visualization and
summarization of data are done. This analysis also studies about the classification of population
and random sample. And study about different types of data like quantitative or qualitative,
discrete or continuous are useful in understanding the features of the data distribution, patterns
and associations.

The data distribution like position, spread and shape efficiently can best be represented by
using frequency tables, bar charts, pie diagrams, histograms etc. This type of statistical methods
is suitable for understanding the information contained in the data and therefore for drawing
conclusion. Additional, different measures of central tendency viz. mean, median, quartiles,
percentiles etc. were calculated for analyzing environmental quantitative data (Bhagawati, 2014).
 Descriptive analysis is also suitable to study dispersion measures such as range to
measure variability in small samples. The sample variance and standard deviation are found to
be appropriate where the sample mean is considered as the ideal measure of central tendency.
One of the important measure of relative dispersion is coefficient of variation that is useful for
comparing variability of data with different units.

Skewness and kurtosis describe the shape of the sample distribution. The thoughts of
association and correlation show the connections between variables and are useful tool for
better understanding of the linear and nonlinear relationships. For examples:

A survey was disseminated among the students asking their personal information such as
age, gender, weight or height, or their opinion about a critical environmental problem or 230 an
environmental factor which they consider more important where they live, etc. Students can
create the two-way table and summarize the results using the descriptive statistics.

2. Inferential Statistics - concept of probability is important for studying the uncertainties in

environment. For example, whether it will rain or not tomorrow can be best inferred by using
probability.

Theoretical probability distributions like Bernoulli distribution; binomial distribution; and

Poisson distribution are useful for modelling probability distribution of real environmental data.
For example, decisions such as coin tossing, rain/no rain, yes/no etc. are explained by Bernoulli
variable since their outcomes are binary.

Statistical tools such as estimation for example estimating population parameters from
sample values, hypothesis testing etc. plays a dynamic part in evaluating environmental data.
Some of the frequently used teat statistic in atmospheric and environmental science is Z test, t
test, F test etc.

Another statistical approach is time series analysis, which study environmental quantities
with respect to time. For example, monthly/yearly mean temperature, rainfall, humidity etc. is
best studied by time series.

Lesson 3. Adaptation to the Environment and Problems Brought by the Climate Change

Causes and Impacts of Climate

Causes Impacts
• Studies shows that carbon dioxide Climate Impacts is consequences of climate
absorptions in the atmosphere have change on natural and human systems.
amplified noticeably since Depending on the consideration of
industrialization. adaptation, one can distinguish between
• The use of fossil fuels has become a potential impacts and residual impacts.
progressively important part of our
 lives. Most of us rely on fossil fuels a) Temperature increases beyond 1.5-
for everything from driving our cars, 2.5 degrees C will lead to
to heating our homes, to producing − 20-30% of plants and animals are
the products that we have come to at increased risk of extinction
rely on in our daily lives. − Forest loss due to fires and pests
• Approximately 30% of carbon dioxide − Coral bleaching due to CO2
concentrations have increased since acidification.
pre-industrial times that resulted in b) In seasonally dry areas 1-2 OC - rise in
strengthening of the greenhouse temperature could lead to
effect, which has a big part in − Decrease in productivity of rice,
warming our planet. corn
• Land use change is one of the human − Decrease in aquaculture and
activity that are also causing changes fisheries
to our planet. Our forest, which are − Irrigation requirement will
very important in carbon sink, are increase
being cleared at cumulative rates for − Increase floods and droughts
urban development, human c) Could increase food scarcity and
settlement and agricultural purposes. hunger
By removing these valuable carbon − Warming may increase grassland
sinks, we are hastening warming productivity but decrease rain
even further. could neutralize
• Approximately there are 150% − Subsistence farmers will be most
increase in Methane concentration in vulnerable
the atmosphere since pre-industrial − Inequitable access to food will
times. This value has also played a exacerbate impact on poor
role in the warming that we are − Poor farmers will be less able to
currently experiencing. Our reliance adapt
on fossil fuels, as well as land use d) Sea level rise could damage
changes, has caused in growing mangroves, coastal areas and corals.
methane concentrations in our Sea level rise will:
atmosphere. Thorough livestock a) Extend salt water intrusion and
operations, decomposing garbage in affect groundwater
our landfills, decomposing organic b) Affect mangroves
matter and burning biomass all play c) Inundate coastal farms
an important part in this increase. d) Increase flood risks for
• Industrialization made our lives settlement areas and
easier, but this ease has come at a infrastructure
great cost.

✓ Impact by sector
The categorized key impact areas by sectors of climate change from different sources of
authors as shown in Table 1. Climate change is commonly felt through temperature,
precipitation and sea level variations, which has an impacts on agriculture through crop yields,
irrigation demands; forestry by changes in forest productivity, forest composition; water
resources through variability of water supply and quality; coastal areas by erosion of beaches,
inundation of coastal areas; species and natural areas through shifts in ecological zones, loss of
habitat and species; as well as health impacts through infectious diseases, air quality respiratory
illnesses and water-related mortality.

SECTOR IMPACTS
Agriculture Increase in Temperature:
• Changes in growing seasons
• Heat strain in plants and animals
• Increased yields (at up to 2oC increases for some crops)
• Increased epidemics/incidences of pests and diseases
• Changes in hydrological cycle
Changes in rainfall regimes:
• Changes in crops and crop areas
• More severe droughts and/or floods
• Deterioration of land cover/land resources
Changes in frequency/intensity of extreme climate:
• Increased damaged to crops and/or livestock
• Decreased productivity
• Increased erosion
Forest and Watershed • Suitable area for the growth of certain species will be
changed (shift or disappearance of some productive
systems)
• Variation in production per unit area
• Changes in types and incidence of pests and diseases
• Altered ecosystem functions/biochemical cycles
• Increased or decreased nutrients retention
• Changes in species reproductive cycles.
• Changes in the value of a system as a tourist attraction
• Increased risks of forest fires that will lead to changes in
tree and plant species and in forest boundaries
• Increased runoff, soil erosion and flood occurrences, and
decreased productivity of water resources
• Changes in local biodiversity (extinction and inhibition of re
immigration from adjacent areas).
Coastal and Marine Bio-physical Changes:
Resources • Augmented coastal erosion, stresses on coral reefs, and
coral bleaching
• Inhibition of main production processes
• Occurrence of algal blooms accountable for toxic red tides
• Higher storm-surge flooding
• Landward intrusion and aquifers
• Changes in surface water quality and groundwater
characteristics
• Variations in the distribution of pathogenic microorganism
Submergence inundation of low-lying areas:
• Disturb coastal population, settlements, and infrastructure
 • Increased soil water logging that will result to poor
drainage
• Lesser plant production and survival
• Move freshwater seaward, resulting to low dissolved
oxygen availability.
Water Resources • Changes in hydrological (an crop water) regimes
• Augmented demand for irrigation water
• Changes in ground water quality (salt water intrusion)
• Changes in stream flow and groundwater recharge
• Sedimentation of reservoirs
Species and natural Reported impacts:
areas (Biodiversity) • Changes in species scattering and in timing of biological
events
• Changes in morphology, physiology and behavior of many
bird, insects and plants
• Increased occurrence and/or intensity of pest and diseases
outbreaks
• Increased number of plant growing days

✓ Climate Change and Sustainable Development

Adaptation measures embedded within climate-change policies could, by design, try to

reduce susceptibilities and risks by enhancing the adaptive capacity of communities and
economies. This would be consistent with sustainability goals. Researchers and practitioners
should not associate vulnerability to poverty, though, and they should not consider adaptation
and adaptive capacity in isolation. The efforts to endorse adaptive capacity should incorporate
aspects of education, health and governance and in that way extend the context beyond a
particular stress (such as climate change) to include factors that are critical in a broader
development context.

✓ There are 2 RESPONSES to CLIMATE CHANGE

1. ADAPTATION
a. increases resilience and ability to cope with current and future changes in climate
b. reduces adverse effects of climate change and capitalize on opportunities
c. But maladaptation can exacerbate adverse impacts and further compound vulnerability

Adaptation: Natural Ecosystems

• Developed technologies for tree plantation development and reforestation could

likely enhance adaptation
• Enhancement of protection from fires, insects and diseases
• Comprehensive inter sectoral programs that combine measures to control
deforestation and forest degradation with measures to increase agricultural
productivity and sustainability
 • Decreasing logging waste, implementing soil conservation practices, and using wood
in a more carbon-efficient way
• Using more crop varieties that are drought tolerant species.

Climate Change Adaptation

• Working with local government units

• Adaptation of upland farmers in Mindanao
• Mainstreaming climate change in SE Asia
• Policies that lead to maladaptation
• Link with Senate on Climate Change bills

2. MITIGATION
a. Reducing sources of carbon
• Converting from coal to natural gas
• Nuclear power
• Wind and solar power

b. Reducing sources of carbon

• Biofuels
• Waste Management
• Energy conservation

c. Enhancing sinks of carbon

• Reforestation
• Afforestation
• Reducing deforestation
• Soil conservation to increase carbon storage
• Land use change and forestry activities such as afforestation, reforestation and
land management
• Use of renewable energy sources such as biomass, solar power and wind power
instead of fossil fuels.
• Regulations and laws restricting the use of fossil fuels
• Energy efficiency improvement

Lesson 4. Green Environment, Sustainable Habitat: Green Building, GRIHA Rating Norms

✓ What is Green Environment and Sustainable Habitat?

A 'sustainable' habitat is an environmental unit that yields food and shelter for people
and other organisms, without resource reduction and in such a way that no outside waste is created. It is
also referring to sustainable human habitats, which normally include some form of green building or
environmental planning.
 ✓ What is Green Building?
According to World Green Building Council (WGBC), a ‘green’ building is a
building that has a design, construction or operation that decreases or reduces negative
effects, and can build positive impacts, on our climate and natural environment. It
preserves valuable natural resources and develop our quality of life

. There are a number of structures which can make a building ‘green’. These include:

• Effective use of energy, water and other resources

• Use of renewable energy, such as solar energy
• Pollution and waste reduction measures, and the allowing of re-use and recycling
• Good indoor environmental air quality
• Use of materials that are non-toxic, ethical and sustainable
• Consideration of the environment in design, construction and operation
• Consideration of the quality of life of residents in design, construction and operation
• A design that allows adaptation to a varying environment

✓ What is GRIHA?
GRIHA is an acronym for Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment. It is a
Sanskrit word meaning – ‘Abode’. GRIHA tries to reduce a building’s resource
consumption, waste generation, and overall ecological impact to within certain nationally
suitable limits / benchmarks.

This also attempts to quantify aspects such as energy consumption, waste

generation, renewable energy adoption, etc. to manage, control and reduce the same to
the best possible extent.

It is also used as a rating tool that helps people evaluates the performance of
their building against certain nationally acceptable benchmarks. It weighs the
environmental performance of a building holistically over its entire life cycle, thereby
providing a definitive standard for what constitutes a ‘green building’

✓ What are the benefits of using GRIHA?

This method, together with the activities and processes that lead up to it, will help the
community at great with the progress in the environment by decreasing GHG (greenhouse gas)
emissions, reducing energy consumption and the stress on natural resources.

Some of the benefits of a green design to a building owner, user, and the society as a whole are
as follows:
• Reduced energy intake without forfeiting the comfort levels
• Reduced damage of natural areas, habitats, and biodiversity, and reduced soil loss from
erosion etc.
• Reduced air and water pollution (with direct health benefits)
 • Reduced water reduction
• Limited waste generation due to recycling and reuse
• Reduced pollution loads
• Increased user productivity
• Enhanced image and marketability

MODULE 10

ETHICS AND EDUCATION

Lesson 1. What is Ethics?

Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending,

and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior". The field of ethics, along with aesthetics,
concerns matters of value, and thus comprises the branch of philosophy called axiology.

It is the discipline concerned with what is morally good and bad and morally right and wrong.
The term is also applied to any system or theory of moral values or principles.

Lesson 2. What are Environmental Ethics?

Environmental ethics is a branch of ethics that studies the relation of human beings and the
environment and how ethics play a role in this. Environmental ethics believe that humans are a part of
society as well as other living creatures, which includes plants and animals. These items are a very
important part of the world and are considered to be a functional part of human life.

Therefore, it is essential that every human being respected and honor this and use morals and
ethics when dealing with these creatures.

Lesson 3. Environmental Ethics and its Principles

There are several approaches or principles to determine how we are to value our environment. It
is such a huge field, and it is so vast that it is difficult for one principle to cover all the ground. Many
theories have emerged over the years, and each one has stressed on various principles of environmental
ethics. The list below states all the principles that have been predominantly found in those theories.

1. Anthropocentrism - It suggests that human beings are the most important beings. All other
living beings are but accessories that would assist in their survival. Now, there are two
further divisions of anthropocentrism. They are weak anthropocentrism and strong
anthropocentrism.
• While weak anthropocentrism believes that human beings are the center
because it is only through their perspective that environmental situations can
be interpreted.
 • Strong anthropocentrism, however, believes that human beings are at the
center because they rightfully deserve to be there.

2. Non-Anthropocentrism - As opposed to anthropocentrism, non-anthropocentrism, this

principle gives value to every object, every animal in nature. It is a principle that believes in
everything that sustains itself in nature

3. Psychocentric – it is the principle that believes that human beings hold more value in the
environment since their mental capacities are better developed and far more complex than
any other element in the environment.

4. Biocentrism - It is a term that holds not only an ecological but also a political value. It is a
philosophy that imparts importance to all living beings. In terms of environmental ethics,
biocentrism is the principle that ensures the proper balance of ecology on the planet.

5. Holism – it considers environment systems as a whole rather than being individual parts of
something. It considers these environment systems to be valuable.

6. Resourcism –its principle says that nature is considered to be valuable only because it has
resources to provide with. Thus, nature ought to be exploited.

7. Speciesism – its principle is to justify the superiority of the human race. Thus, it also justifies
the exploitation and maltreatment of animals by humankind.

8. Moral Considerability – it is also an important principle of environmental ethics. Intrinsic

value is added to every being, which makes us consider being moral. Moral considerability
towards a being means that we agree that all our interactions whatsoever with the being is
bound by moral laws.

9. Instrumental Value – it is the value imparted to a being as long as it can serve us with
resources.

10. Intrinsic Value – it is the value attached to a being just for itself and not only for its
resourcefulness.

11. Aesthetic Value – it is imparted to a being by virtue of its looks or its beauty.

12. Animal Liberation or Animal Rights – it is evident from its name, animal liberation or rights
try to secure animal life and ensure their welfare by enforcing certain laws.

13. Animal Welfare - It ensures that the animals are treated well and humanely.
Lesson 4. Types of Environmental Ethics

With the emergence of several theories, several environmental ethics have emerged. While
some protect human beings, others protect plants, animals and other elements of nature. The types
include:

a. Social ecology, which is the study of human beings and their relation to their environment.
b. Deep ecology promotes that all beings have an intrinsic value.
c. Ecofeminism is a branch of feminism that helps us look at earth as a woman so that we can
respect it in a better way.

Lesson 5. Corporate Ethics and Social Responsibility

✓ Business and the Environment

The way business responds to environmental concerns and laws tells us about their ethics
or commitment to doing what is right. Business is like a three-legged stool: each legs stands for a
different goal. Those three goals are the following:

a.) financial goals;

b.) Environmental goals; and
c.) Social Goals

✓ What is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)?

• It is also called corporate conscience, corporate citizenship, social performance, or
sustainable responsible business.
• It is totally based on holistic concern of the business and its output.
• It is form of corporate self-regulating integrated into a business model. CSR policy
functions as a built-in, self-regulating mechanism whereby a business monitors and
ensures its active compliance with the spirit of the law, ethical standards, local and
international norms.

Lesson 6. Environmental Education And Creation Of Sustainability Consciousness Consumer Education

1. What are the features of Environmental Education? (RA 9512, 2008)

1. Environmental Education is neither environmental information (which focuses on
general public rather than specific target) nor advocacy but communication.
2. Environmental Education is learner centered about facts, fairness and accuracy.
3. Environmental Education promotes and build lifelong skills such as critical and creative
thinking, problem solving and action skills, and effective decision making skills.
4. Environmental Education adopts appropriate and sound assessment and
interdisciplinary approach to curriculum implementation.
 2. What is National Awareness and Education Act of 2008 (Republic Act 9512)?

It is an act mandating government agencies to integrate Environmental Education (EE) in

its school curricula at all levels, whether public or private, including in Barangay Daycares, pre-
school, non-formal, vocational, professional level, indigenous learning and out-of-school youth
courses or programs (RA 9512, 2008),

It shall encompass environmental concepts and principles, environmental laws, the state of
international and local environment, local environmental best practices, the threats of
environmental degradation and its impact on human well-being, the responsibility of the
citizenry to the environment and the value of conservation, protection and rehabilitation of
natural resources and the environment in the context of sustainable development (RA 9512,
2008).

It shall cover both theoretical and practicum modules comprising activities, projects,
programs including, but not limited to, tree planting; waste minimization, segregation, recycling
and composting; freshwater and marine conservation; forest management and conservation;
relevant livelihood opportunities and economic benefits and other such programs and
undertakings to aid the implementation of the different environmental protection law (RA 9512,
2008).

✓ What are the participating government agencies implement RA 9512?

1. DepEd – Department of Education
2. CHED – Commission on Higher Education
3. TESDA – Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
4. DSWD – Department of Social Welfare and Development
5. DENR – Department of Environment and Natural Resources
6. DOST – Department of Science and Technology

Lesson 7. Environmental Education for attainment of Sustainable Development Goals

✓ What is Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)?

3. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by
all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the
planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.

The 17 SDGs are integrated—that is, they recognize that action in one area will affect
outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental
sustainability.
 4. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
a. No poverty, end poverty in all its forms everywhere.
b. Zero hunger, end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition and promote
sustainable agriculture.
c. Good health and well-being, ensure healthy lives and well-being for all at all ages,
d. Quality education, ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote
lifelong learning opportunities for all.
e. Gender equality, achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, 255 f.
Clean water and sanitation, ensure availability and sustainable management of
water and sanitation for all,
f. Affordable and clean energy, ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and
modern energy for all;
g. Decent work and economic growth, promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable
economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all,
h. Industry, innovation and infrastructure, build resilient inclusive and sustainable
industrialization and foster innovation.
i. Reduce inequality within and among countries,
j. Sustainable cities and communities, make cities and human settlements inclusive,
safe, resilient and sustainable,
k. Responsible consumption and production, ensure sustainable consumption and
production pattern,
l. Climate action, take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
m. Life below water, conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine
resources for sustainable development,
n. Life on land, protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems,
sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land
degradation and halt biodiversity loss;
o. Peace, justice, and strong institutions, promote peaceful and inclusive societies for
sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective,
accountable and inclusive instructions at all levels.
p. Partnerships for the goals strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize
the global partnership for sustainable development.

MODULE 11

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND PROPOSED SOLUTIONS

Introduction

The environmental impact assessment (EIA) process is an interdisciplinary and multistep

procedure to ensure that environmental considerations are included in decisions regarding projects that
may impact the environment. Simply defined, the EIA process helps identify the possible environmental
effects of a proposed activity and how those impacts can be mitigated. The purpose of the EIA process is
to inform decision-makers and the public of the environmental consequences of implementing a
proposed project. The EIA document itself is a technical tool that identifies, predicts, and analyzes
impacts on the physical environment, as well as social, cultural, and health impacts. If the EIA process is
successful, it identifies alternatives and mitigation measures to reduce the environmental impact of a
proposed project. The EIA process also serves an important procedural role in the overall decision-
making process by promoting transparency and public involvement.

Lesson 1. What is Environmental Impact Assessment? (DENR, 2003)

An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process that involves predicting and evaluating the
likely impacts of a project (including cumulative impacts) on the environment during construction,
commissioning, operation and abandonment phase. It also includes designing appropriate preventive,
mitigating and enhancement measures addressing consequences to protect the environment and the
community welfare.

The environmental impact assessment (EIA) process is an interdisciplinary and multistep procedure
to ensure that environmental considerations are included in decisions regarding projects that may
impact the environment.

The EIA document itself is a technical tool that identifies, predicts, and analyzes impacts on the
physical environment, as well as social, cultural, and health impacts. If the EIA process is successful, it
identifies alternatives and mitigation measures to reduce the environmental impact of a proposed
project. The EIA process also serves an important procedural role in the overall decision-making process
by promoting transparency and public involvement.

Lesson 2. Benefits of the EIA Process (DENR, 2003)

1. Potentially screens out environmentally-unsound projects

2. Proposes modified designs to reduce environmental impacts
3. Identifies feasible alternatives
4. Predicts significant adverse impacts
5. Identifies mitigation measures to reduce, offset, or eliminate major impacts
6. Engages and informs potentially affected communities and individuals
7. Influences decision-making and the development of terms and conditions.

Lesson 3. Steps of Environmental Impact Assessment

3.1. Formation of EIA Team

An interdisciplinary team should be organized to conduct the EIA. It is important that

the disciplinary specialist in socio-economic and bio-physical must be able to work harmoniously
 with mutual respect with other members. The number of experts of a team depends on the
project and the available funds for the study.

3.2. Environmental impact assessment is a process as shown below

1. Project screening
2. Scoping
3. Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Study 1. Description of the project
Preparation 2. Description of the environment baseline-
ecological profile
3. Identification of key impacts
4. The prediction of impacts
5. Evaluation of assessment of significance
6. Environmental management plan
4. Environment Impact Statement (EIS)
preparation, review and evaluation
5. Decision making
6. Monitoring, validation and evaluation/audit

1. Screening - is an EIA needed?

Determine what type of document such as

1. Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) - It aims to protect the environment despite the
increasing demand of natural resources and development to attain sustainability.
2. Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) - documentation of actual cumulative
environmental impacts of co-located projects with proposals for expansion. The PEPRMP
should also describe the effectiveness of current environmental mitigation measures and
plans for performance improvement.
3. Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) report - document similar to an EIS, but with reduced
details and depth of assessment and discussion.
4. Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) checklist - simplified checklist version of an IEE
Report, prescribed by the DENR, to be filled up by a proponent to identify and assess a
project’s environmental impacts and the mitigation/enhancement measures to address such
impacts.
5. Project Description report - document, which may also be a chapter in an EIS, that describes
the nature, configuration, use of raw materials and natural resources, production system,
waste or pollution generation and control and the activities of a proposed project.
6. Environmental Performance Report and Management Plan (EPRMP) - documentation of the
actual cumulative environmental impacts and effectiveness of current measures for single
projects that are already operating but without ECC's
7. Programmatic Environmental Performance Report and Management Plan (PEPRMP) -
documentation of actual cumulative environmental impacts of co-located projects with
proposals for expansion. The PEPRMP should also describe the effectiveness of current
environmental mitigation measures and plans for performance improvement.
 2. Scoping – process of setting the limits on the environmental impact study.
a. Determine focus Term of Reference 264
b. Determine the boundaries (time and space).
c. Identify most significant issues/impacts of a proposed project
d. Delimit the extent or baseline information to those necessary to evaluate and mitigate
the impacts
e. Determine for a need of Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA)
f. Conduct 3 levels of scoping activity:
1st Level: Project Briefing Meeting with the Review Team
2nd Level: Public Scoping with the Community
3rd Level: Technical Scoping with the Review Team

Lesson 4. EIA Study Preparation (DENR, 2003)

3.1 Description of the proposed project and its alternatives

3.2 Baseline Studies/characterization of the project environment (DENR, 2003)

It is conducted to establish or determine the condition of existing environmental, social and

economic conditions in the area. It includes the collection, collation and analysis of data/information.

Baseline studies on:

• air quality (wind, stability of the atmosphere- meteorological data, noise level data and air
pollution)
• water quality (physical, chemical, biological and meteorological parameters)
• Land environment – (soil characteristics – soil texture, depth, color, PH, NPK,
• Terrestrial ecosystem (flora and fauna)
• Marine Environment
• Socio-economic aspect (population, employment, age distribution, ethnicity, etc).

Pointers For Baseline Studies:

• List data requirements

• Collect and review secondary data before collecting primary data
• Identify data gaps
• Validate secondary data
• Design a system of primary data collection
3.3 Key Impact Identification (DENR, 2003)

a. Identifying impacts is basically a determination of cause and effect relationship. Based on the
knowledge of project activities from construction to decommission/abandonment) and the
existing environmental condition.
b. Tools for impact identification: expert’s knowledge, checklist, matrices, networks, overlays and
models

3.4 Prediction of impacts (DENR, 2003)

a. Prediction of impacts is the determination of the type, magnitude and extent of changes or
effects on the environment resulting from the project. Basically, this involves forecasting future
environmental conditions with or without the project, and sorting out changes caused by a
proposed project and those that are part of the natural environment.
b. Methods of identifying impacts area useful in predicting impacts
c. The quality of EIA predictions depend on a proper understanding of cause and effect
relationships and the status and trends of environmental characteristics.
d. Methods in predicting impacts such as comparisons, on-site experiment, knowledge on carrying
capacity and threshold limits and knowledge on limiting factors.

3.5 Impact Evaluation and assessment of significance (DENR, 2003)

Evaluation or assessment of impacts answers the question of desirability or undesirability of the

predicted impacts. The relative importance of impacts may be determined on the basis of the following:
timespan of effects (short/long-term), permanence of effects (reversible and irreversible), intensity of
effects (moderate or severe) and beneficence (positive or negative).

3.6 Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) ((DENR, 2003)

• ERA is the integrative analysis of risk and its quantification. Risk is defined as the probability of
an accident occurring in a certain period of time resulting in adverse consequences to people,
property and environment.
• The objectives of ERA are to: determine the safety of installations or operation, identify work
areas requiring improvement, demonstrate that project operations are safe despite the presence
of risks and ensure value for money on safety provisions
• The following are the key steps in ERA 267
• Identification of hazards. Hazards in the situation with potential to cause human injury and
damage to property and the environment
• Hazard analysis. This step involves the identification of the sequence of events leading to the
previously identified hazardous incidents and quantifying the probability of the incident
happening
• Consequence analysis. The impact on people, property and environment when a particular
incident occurs is assessed
 • Risk determination. The result of hazard and consequence analysis are used to identify risk
which is the probability of a severe accident occurring in a certain period of time
• Risk evaluation. Under this step, it is determined whether risk is acceptable.

3.7 Environmental Management Plan (EMP) (DENR, 2003)

After evaluating impacts and risk associated with a proposed project or course of action, a
plan must be prepared designed to mitigate and monitor the environmental impacts and to describe
contingent actions for the identified risk.

Its main objectives are to enhance positive impacts and reduce or alleviate negative impacts.
The EMP is composed of the following (DENR, 2003):

✓ Impact Management is composed of:

a. Impact Management Plan (IMP) – is the creation of a series of plans and protocols
aiming to manage and monitor the identified mitigation measures and risks that may
occur over the project lifetime, such as technology failures and natural disasters.
b. The Social Development Plan (SDP) - is a comprehensive plan that focuses on enhancing
the quality of life for the citizens of a community and helps provide a direction for future
decisions in the key areas identifies by its community members.
c. Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Plan – is a plan that aims to create
awareness and disseminate information regarding the benefits available under various
programs.

IMP has mitigation and enhancement plan, compensation plan and contingency plan (DENR,
2003):

a) Mitigation and enhancement plan. Mitigation is the elimination, reduction or controls

the adverse environmental impacts of a project. It often includes the following:
Relocation of site, Modification of design, Introduction of appropriate technologies for
environmental conservation. While Enhancement measures is the further improvement
or complementation of beneficial project impacts.
b) Compensation plan is the provision for replacement, restoration, and restitution for any
damage done to property and the environment. It seeks to pay for impacts that could
not be mitigated. It should specify how much compensation will be provided to whom,
by whom and under what condition.
c) Contingency plan is aimed at preventing or remedying impacts resulting from accidents
or breaches of safety rules. It should be prepared for any hazardous incident that are
likely to occur.