National Plan

Environmental Impact Assessment

Public Participation

Political and Public Awareness

Land and Resources Planning

Economic Evaluation of Environmental Issues

Human Resources Capacities

Limited Financial Resource

Environmental Impact Assessment

Issue

The limited scope and poor quality of EIAs being conducted for infrastructure planning and development both nationally and sub-regionally.  Lack of monitoring to ensure compliance with mitigation requirements in effect makes an EIA report a "certificate for investment approval" and renders the EIA report ineffective as a tool for environmental protection.

Background

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is recognized as an important tool to assist project planning, prevent and mitigate adverse environmental and social impacts, and promote benefits. The process of EIA in the program or project cycle can be applied at the policy level, regional or sectoral planning stage, pre-feasibility and feasibility assessment stages, construction and operation phases, and post development phase.

The extent to which EIA is used varies widely throughout the GMS. In general some form of an initial environ­mental examination (IEE) or a more detailed EIA is carried out during the pre-feasibility or feasibility phase of a project but EIA in the planning stage is rare. High quality and properly funded EIAs are often undertaken on specific types of proposed projects, particularly those funded by International Banks or Donor Agencies.

There appears to be limited consideration of environmental matters and issues in development policy, regional planning, land use planning, or local planning within the GMS.  Sectoral guidelines for infrastructure development rarely include environmental considerations.

EIA requirements are increasing, however domestic experience is generally weak and integration of disciplines is poor. Often the EIA comes too late in the project development cycle to properly consider project development options. As a result, the EIA process is seen as an unnecessary regulatory and cost burden. The EIA is not seen as a planning tool to assist reduction of liability and improvement of the overall sustainability of the project. Strategic, regional and sector EIAs are not conducted. Thus, a full understanding of cumulative impact issues is not attained. Methods to analyze development impacts and benefits are also limited.