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Environmental/Health Impact Assessments - Coggle Diagram
Environmental/Health Impact Assessments
Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) are a critical process used to evaluate the potential environmental consequences of proposed projects or developments before they are carried out. The goal of an EIA is to ensure that decision-makers consider environmental impacts before approving any project.
Key Components
Screening:
Determines whether a project requires an EIA and, if so, the level of detail needed.
Scoping:
Identifies which potential impacts are relevant to assess (e.g., air quality, water resources, biodiversity) and the methods to be used in the analysis.
Stakeholder involvement is key.
All relevant authorities should be included in stakeholder
engagement e.g. public health
Alternatives are considered
the spatial and temporal boundaries (e.g. movement of vectors)
key issues to be addressed in the EIA (based on detailed analysis of the social determinants of health, risks and presence of vulnerable groups)
Scoping is a qualitative assessment
determine the policy and legal context of the proposed
project
Impact Analysis:
Examines the potential environmental impacts of the proposed project, including direct, indirect, cumulative, and synergistic effects.
Mitigation:
Proposes measures to prevent, reduce, or compensate for adverse environmental impacts.
Reporting:
Compiles the findings into an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which includes the project description, assessment methods, impact predictions, and mitigation measures.
Review:
Involves the examination of the EIS by the public, experts, and regulatory authorities to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the assessment.
Decision-Making:
Based on the EIA, decision-makers determine whether to approve the project, require modifications, or reject it altogether.
Monitoring and Compliance:
Ensures that mitigation measures are implemented and that the project complies with environmental regulations during and after its execution.
Purpose do EIA:
Environmental Protection:
Identifies potential environmental harm early in the planning process, allowing for the implementation of measures to mitigate negative impacts.
Informed Decision-Making:
Provides a comprehensive analysis of environmental impacts to support decision-makers in balancing development needs with environmental protection.
Public Participation:
Encourages transparency and involves the public in the decision-making process, fostering greater community involvement and acceptance.
Sustainable Development:
Promotes sustainable development by integrating environmental considerations into the planning and development process.
Legal Compliance:
Ensures that projects comply with environmental laws and regulations, avoiding legal disputes and penalties.
Benefits of EIA
5 points
Risk Management:
Helps to identify and manage risks to the environment and public health.
Cost Savings:
By identifying potential problems early, EIAs can help avoid costly mistakes and project delays.
Improved Project Design:
Provides insights that can lead to better project design and operational efficiencies.
Enhanced Reputation:
Demonstrates a commitment to environmental stewardship, which can enhance a company’s reputation and stakeholder trust.
Challenges
Complexity: EIAs can be complex and time-consuming, requiring significant resources and expertise.
Uncertainty: Predicting environmental impacts involves uncertainties, which can complicate decision-making.
Compliance and Enforcement: Ensuring that mitigation measures are implemented and monitored effectively can be challenging.
When should an EIA be done?
Listed Activities - there are certain activities that require an EIA - building roads and bridges
Geographical Considerations - activity near coast, wetlands, sensitive biological areas, biodiverse regions, national parks.
Thresholds and Criteria - the size of the area to be developed, volume of natural resources, potential emissions and pollution
Impact on heritage sites
Water Use - impact on water quality or quantity
Health Impact Assessment
A combination of procedures, methods and tools by which a policy, programme or project may be judged as to its potential effects on the health of a population, and the distribution of those effects within the population.
HIA identifies appropriate actions to manage those effects
A health impact resulting from a project, plan or programme is a measurable change on the health status of an individual, group or population which may be attributable to the direct or indirect effects of a development. They may be intended or unintended and may not become apparent for many years after prolonged exposure, or due to long-term latency in the human body.
When is an HIA needed?
Where there is an existing high burden of disease and/or
malnutrition in the project area
Where there are existing high levels of pollution in the
area (cumulative effects)
Where large numbers of construction workers and/or
migrant workers will be required
Where water is to be used for irrigation or aquaculture which could be polluted, or where downstream users dependent on the river will be exposed to pollution
Where there are significant stakeholder concerns
Where intensive livestock projects are being proposed;
Where the project will require significant inputs of chemicals such as acids, base metals, fertilisers, pesticides and antibiotics
Where there is a high risk of community exposure to
hazardous materials and emissions
Where there are long, diverse linear features associated with a new project e.g. pipelines, powerlines, roads, canals, etc., which may impact community health far away from the ‘core’ project site
Challenges for HIAs
Limited up-to-date data on
Population data and general demographic information
Presence of vulnerable groups e.g. orphans, child-headed
households
Health data at local or district level, disaggregated by age and
gender
Gaining access to health data by EIA/HIA consultants
High levels of stigma and discrimination in communities
‘Real’ issues are not expressed during public consultation due to stigma, political pressure, peer pressure, gender, mode of consultation, etc
Vulnerable groups may not be identified at all
Lack of integration with social impact assessment and other
specialist studies e.g. air pollution, water quality studies
Scope of study may not encompass scope of health impacts
Health Risks
When does a health risk occur?
There must be three components
There has to be a ‘source’ of contamination present in concentrations that will generate undesired effects on the receptor
There has to be at least one ‘Receptor’ (humans and/or animals);
There has to be an ‘exposure pathway’ that will bring the receptor into direct contact with the source.
Environmental Management Plan
The EMP is a detailed action plan to implement the mitigation measures identified in the EIA.
For each impact identified it should specify:
the mitigation measure required to avoid, reduce, minimize or
control an impact;
• the goals/targets or objectives to be met
the key performance indicators
the person or institution responsible for implementing the
mitigation measure
the time-frame – i.e. over what period must the mitigation
measure be applied
the budget.