Environmental Impact Assessment
This module looks at the historic and planning background to EIA, knowledge of the concepts and techniques utilized in the EIA process, and assessment as related to specific environmental components.
Syllabus outline:
- Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment – recapitulation:
- recapitulation of the historical background;
- the legislative background;
- EIA in the planning process
- Environmental Impact Assessment – recapitulation:
- project proposals and EIA
- the impact assessment process
- techniques and methods available
- Environmental Impact Statements
- assessment and specific environmental components
- EIA case studies
- EIA in Europe and developing countries.
- Strategic Environmental Assessment
- assessment at levels of decision-making higher than the local;
- assessment of policies, plans and programmes;
- specific Local Plans and the assessment of policies and project proposals.
- Social Impact Assessment
- introduction – its history and place today;
- socio-economic impact assessment;
- cultural impact assessment;
- stages in the SIA process;
- strengths and weaknesses;
- effective community participation in the assessment process and GIS.
Current students enjoyed the real-world case studies and the public participation lectures.