Definition of EIA
EIA is an on-going process of review, negotiation and incremental decision-making, culminating in the essentially political action of making a final decision about whether or not the proposal is to proceed and under what conditions..
PapermillImage © Jeremy Barker
The stages of the EIA process vary from country to country, depending largely on the legislation in place. Differing methods also exist for undertaking each step.
Integrating biodiversity to EIA
This requires an analysis of the change in biodiversity characteristics, richness and role from the situation before the project to the projected situation after the project:
- Composition of ecosystem (biological diversity and richness)
- Ecosystem structure (spatio-temporal distribution of biodiversity resources)
- Functional aspects of ecosystem (e.g. pollinator, top predator, food chain component etc.)
- Uses and values
- Future consequences: what happens if...?
Two approaches can be taken to achieve this analysis:
Science-based
- Understand the ecological dimension of the receiving environment (distributions, structure and function)
- Superimpose activities and predict a response within zone of influence
- Decide whether this is within limits of baseline variation
- Design mitigation to avoid/fix impacts
- Evaluate the ecological outcome with/without mitigation
- Finally consider whether anyone cares
Value-driven or objective-led
- Understand distributions and needs of people and communities
- Identify and participate with people who need or use biodiversity/ ecosystem services
- Structure EIA around key values and services, possibly using objectives and indicators
- Consider main driving forces and whether key values can be sustained
- Design mitigation to maintain, restore or replace these values (offsets)
Expected outputs of good EIA practice
Positive planning 'hierarchy' for biodiversity:
- Enhance biodiversity
- Avoid impacts on biodiversity (no net loss of genetic variability, range, abundance).
- Minimise unavoidable impacts on biodiversity (no irreversible damage to ecosystem characteristics and functions).
- Ensure sustainable use of biological resources.
Key within this process is the inclusion of public participation
, the process whereby the views of those affected by a proposed development may be taken into the IA process.