DEFINITION OF EIA (What is EIA?)

Simply put, EIA involves determining any changes or impacts that a project or action will have on our environment – be it positive or negative effects – before that project is carried out in order to prevent irrevocable damage from occurring. Thus EIA has been defined as “a systematic process to identify, predict and evaluate the environmental effects of proposed actions and projects”.

The EIA process:

- is applied before major decisions and commitments are made;
- adopts a broad definition of environment, therefore social, cultural and health effects are considered as an integral part of EIA;

- gives particular attention to preventing, mitigating and offsetting the significant adverse effects of proposed undertakings in EIA practice.

PURPOSE OF EIA (Why do EIA)

The purpose of EIA is to:

• Provide information for decision-making on the environmental consequences of proposed actions; and

• Promote environmentally sound and sustainable development through the identification of appropriate enhancement and mitigation measures.

Sustainable Development is defined as “development that meets the needs of today’s generation without compromising those of future generations”. Reducing the burden of environmental impact is therefore necessary if any development is to become sustainable, hence EIA plays a key role in ensuring sustainability in preventing and minimizing adverse environmental effects of proposed development projects. This role is formally recognized in Principle 17 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development which states that “Environmental Impact Assessment, as a national instrument, shall be undertaken for proposed activities that are likely to have a significant adverse impact on the environment and are subject to a decision of competent national authority”.