ES 552 2 Credit hours

Environmental
Impact
Assessment
Introduction
and
Overview
Objectives of this course are to learn:

1. What are the principles of EIA?

2. What is the process of EIA?
3. What are the applications of EIA?
4. What are the methods of conducting EIA?
5. What is the format of an EIA report?
6. What is the governance framework for EIA?
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
▪ Principles ▪ Conducting
▪ Procedures ▪ Reporting EIA
▪ Process ▪ Managing

Environmental Management Plan

ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK
Final Examination 50% 16th week
Midterm 30% 08th week
EIA Exercise 10% 12th week
Term Paper 10% 14th week
 Management Approaches

▪ Regulatory Approach
▪ Participatory Approach Integrated
Approach
▪ Systematic Approach
 Orientation

Environmental Impact Assessment -

a tool for sustainable development
 Development and its impacts
■ Economic, social and ecological change is
inherent to development.
■ Development aims to bring about positive
change, it can also lead to conflicts.
■ In the past, the promotion of economic growth
as the motor for increased well being was the
main development thrust with little sensitivity to
adverse social and environmental impacts.
 Mental Models
Typical business view Sustainable view
Environmental Impact Assessment
■ EIA is a planning tool to ensure that
development process is sustainable
■ EIA is a tool to predict social, economic and
ecological consequences of a proposed
activity
■ EIA allows for the systematic examination
of proposals, following clear procedures.
 Why EIA?
■ EIA is the primary means of managing the
approval of new development proposals in
Pakistan.
■ Globally, EIA is now a mandatory condition of
all donors and IFIs
■ It is a global commitment for sustainable
development
 What is Sustainable
Development ?

Lets explore the concept …

Sustainable Development
Sustainable development is
development that meets the
needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own
needs

UN Commission’s Report -
Our Common Future, 1987
Sus·tain·able
Pronunciation: s&s-'stA-n&-b&l
Function: adjective
Date: circa 1727

1 : capable of being sustained

2a: of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting

or using a resource so that the resource is not
depleted or permanently damaged <sustainable
techniques> <sustainable agriculture>
2b: of or relating to a lifestyle involving the use
of sustainable methods <sustainable society>-
sus·tain·abil·i·ty/-"stA-n&-'bi-l&-tE/noun

Source: Merriam-Webster Dictionary

 Sustainability - a simple concept

If human society continues to operate as we

have so far on this earth,
the natural environmental resources and
services that the earth provides as life support
system will cease to sustain us and our
generations.
Development – a complex concept

Process of making positive progress in the

conditions of a society
Process of moving from pre-industrialized
society to an industrialized one
 Society changes because of
human quest for self perfection

Change is a dynamic process

hence development is dynamic

Development is natural
A MULTIDIMENSIONAL APPROACH
Development must be conceived as a multi-
dimensional process involving major changes in
social structures, popular attitudes, national
institutions and policies as well as the
acceleration of economic growth, the reduction
of inequality and eradication of absolute poverty.

The development has become a global

challenge
 Sustainable Development
A framework for addressing the global challenge

✔ Growth that does not compromise the ability of

future generations to meet their own needs
✔ Improving quality of human life without doing
harm to environment
✔ Shared responsibility
✔ The “Triple Bottom Line” encompasses
Economic, Environmental and Social
performance
 The Global Challenge
Why must society make different choices?
DECLINING RESOURCES ALTERED BIO GEOCHEMISTRY
Overfishing NATURAL Ozone Depletion
Food System Stress
Carbon Dioxide and Global Warming
Fresh Water Scarcity
Eutrophication
Loss of Forests and
Species

UNSUSTAINABLE = INSTABLE

SOCIAL DISINTEGRATION SWELLING POPULATION

Unemployment SOCIAL 3 Billion more by 2025
Health Crisis Refugees
Family Breakdown Urbanization
Regional armed Income inequity
conflicts Developing country
growth
 3 arenas for assessing performance
Key Concept:

ic

ob
Triple Bottom Line

om

jec
on

t iv
Growth

ec

es
Shareholder value
Efficiency
Innovation

en
vir
Sustainable

nmo
Growth
es

en
t iv

tal
jec

o
Empowerment & Equity Ecosystem integrity

bje
ob

Social mobility Climate integrity

cti
l
cia

Social cohesion Carrying capacity

ve
so

s
Cultural identity Biodiversity
Institutional
development
 The Global Capitals
Key Concept: Learn to think of three
capitals

Manmade/ Ecological capital

Economic capital

Human capital
 The Global Poverty
Key Concept: Learn to think of three kinds of poverty

Economic/ Ecological Poverty

Income Poverty

Human Poverty
Poverty
Poverty may be define as deprivation or
lack of entitlements.
In this definition of poverty are included:
1. economic or income poverty,
2. human or social poverty, and
3. ecological poverty.
1- Economic/Income Poverty
Economic or income poverty is measured in terms of
absolute minimum income necessary to satisfy basic
need relevant to income levels.
Basic needs are calculated as:
1. minimum calorie requirement in food,
2. minimum clothing,
3. energy essential for living,and
4. shelter essential for human survival.
2- Human/Social Poverty
Human/Social Poverty is reduced capabilities to
take advantage of the market opportunities, like:
i. Illiteracy,
ii. Malnutrition,
iii. poor maternal health,
iv. illness from preventable diseases,
v. lack of physical assets, and
vi. lack of freedom to realize human potential.
3- Ecological Poverty

Ecological Poverty include:

i. degraded land
ii. lack of clean air and water
iii. inadequate access to natural resources, and
iv. lack of basic infrastructure.
These THREE kinds of poverty, though separated
for analytical purpose, are closely linked.

How ?
The lack of income hinders human development,
while the reverse is also true.
Similarly, environmental deterioration and lack of
infrastructure make access to livelihood difficult.
Pathways to Sustainability
Metrics

Innovati
Committin o
n
g
A powerful paradigm to
address global change
is the concept of
Sustainability
Learning

Complex forces are

reshaping the global
marketplace and present
unprecedented challenges Wh y
and opportunities for Change
business. ?
What are the features of the global system?
■ Economic Dimensions of Sustainability
■ Environmental Dimensions of Sustainability
■ Social Dimensions of Sustainability
Economic Sustainability
What are the features of the global
system?
■ Continuous improvement in economic well
being.
■ Investment in the infrastructure, goods, and
services that improve our lives.
■ Greater economic equality; narrow the gap
between the world’s haves and have-nots.
■ Meet material and energy needs by efficient
use of renewable resources.
 Environmental Sustainability

What are the features of the global

system?
■ Renewal and stewardship of natural
resources and natural systems.
■ Renewable energy and materials and food.
■ Reduction of environmental footprint.
■ Doing more with less.
■ Mimic natural systems — produce no waste
& use solar income.
 Social dimensions of sustainability
What are the features of the global
system?
■ Fair and equal access to information and
knowledge.
■ Participation in decision-making processes
that are transparent and accountable.
■ Shared responsibility among societal actors
for creating sustainability.
■ Profound respect and protection for human
rights.
 The Concept of Sustainability
Sustainable Corporate Social
Development Responsibility
3Es Triple Bottom Line 3Ps
Economy / Profits Environment / Planet Equity / People
Sustainable business Eco-Efficiency Ethical business
▪Profits ▪Manufacturing eco-efficiency • Internal employees
▪Taxes, R&D ▪Operations eco-efficiency ▪Human rights
▪Jobs ▪Product eco-features ▪Health & Safety
▪Expenditures ▪Supplier eco-inspections ▪Empowerment
▪Training ▪Cradle-to-cradle, take-back ▪Respect, Caring
▪Fair trade ▪Beyond compliance local community &
▪Core values ▪Restorative to nature rest of the world
En
vi en
ro pm
nm lo
en v e
t De
t

n Re
it o s
l a ou
pu rc
Po es
 PPP
Triple Bottom Line Concept
ECOLOGICAL
Processes-Products-Pollutants
SOCIAL
Population-Poverty-Peace
ECONOMIC
Policy-Planet-Profit
Sustainable Future
 Triple Bottom Line
Indisciplined
resource consumption

Inefficient Indifferent
management people’s participation
Equity and justice - ….
 Sustainable development

Development with freedom of

CHOICE
Freedom to choose and use resources
The Indian economist Amartya Sen says …
generations?
on behalf of future
Who we are to decide

He was awarded Nobel Prize in Economics in 1998

His book Development as Freedom (Oxford UP, 1999)

Development with Freedom

What is a resource?
Anything capable of satisfying need(s)
at a given space and time.

What is a need?
Anything if not achieved or lost may
cause damage at a given space and
time.
What is meant by natural resource?
Neither the nature as such, nor any
part of it, should be considered as a
resource until it is, or is considered to
be, capable of satisfying human needs.
▪ Resources are an expression of
appraisal and represent entirely
subjective concepts.
▪ Therefore concept of a resource
is subjective, relative and
functional one.
Availability for human
use, not physical
presence, is the
criterion for a resource.

Availability, in turn,
depends upon human
wants and abilities.
 Since1990s
▪we might summarize these ideas in
terms of existence of stakeholders in
relation to any natural entity or attributes
of nature which is referred to as a
resource.
▪in other words, for every resource, there
are one or more stakeholders.
The resources are dynamic and becoming
available through a combination of:
▪ increased knowledge
▪ technological progress
▪ changing individual & societal objectives,
▪ economic means
Attributes of nature are no more than
a “neutral stuff” until:
▪one or more of the stakeholders is
able to perceive their presence and
▪to recognize their capacity to satisfy
needs and wants of society and
industry.
Resources and Stakeholders
Sustainable Development is
nothing ……. except

Ju st i c
e