A Critical Review of the Adequacy of EIA Reports-Evidence from Pakistan
The preparation of good-quality Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports contribute to enhancing overall effectiveness of EIA. This component of the EIA process becomes more important in situation where public participation is weak and there is lack of expertise on the part of the competent authority. In Pakistan, EIA became mandatory for every project likely to cause adverse environmental impacts from July 1994. The competent authority also formulated guidelines for preparation and review of EIA reports in 1997. However, EIA is yet to prove as a successful decision support tool to help in environmental protection. One of the several reasons of this ineffectiveness is the generally poor quality of EIA reports. This paper critically reviews EIA reports of some randomly selected projects. Interviews of EIA consultants, project proponents and concerned government officials have also been conducted to underpin the root causes of poor quality of EIA reports. The analysis reveals several inadequacies particularly in areas relating to identification, evaluation and mitigation of key impacts and consideration of alternatives. The paper identifies some opportunities and suggests measures for improving the quality of EIA reports and hence making EIA an effective tool to help in environmental protection.
[1] J. Glasson, R. Therivel, and A. Chadwick, Introduction to
environmental impact assessment, 2nd ed., London: UCL Press. 1999.
[2] Fuller, K., "Quality and quality control in environmental impact
assessment," in Handbook of environmental impact assessment, vol. 2,
Petts, J., Ed. Oxford: Blackwell, 1999.
[3] I. Thomas, Environmental Impact Assessment in Australia: Theory and
Practice, 3rd ed., Australia: The Federation Press, 2001, p. 279.
[4] B. Sadler, International study of the effectiveness of environmental
assessment: final report. Ottawa: International Association for Impact
Assessment and Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, Ministry
of Supply and Services, 1996.
[5] Commission for the European Communities, " Directive on the
assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the
environment," official journal of the European Communities, 175,
pp.40-48, 1985.
[6] N. Lee, and R. Colley, "Reviewing the quality of environmental
statements," Occasional paper no. 24, EIA Centre, Manchester:
University of Manchester, 1990.
[7] P. Modak and A. K. Biswas, Conducting environmental impact
assessment for developing countries," Tokyo: United Nations Press,
1999, pp. 185-191.
[8] O. Nadeem, and R. Hameed, "Good Environmental Governance
Through EIA: The Case of Public Sector Development Projects in
Pakistan," in Proc. 12 Annual International Sustainable Development
Research Conf. Hong Kong, April 6-8, 2006a.
[9] Govt. of Pakistan, Pakistan environmental protection ordinance, 1983.
Islamabad, the Gazette of Pakistan, 1983.
[10] Govt. of Pakistan, Pakistan environmental protection act, 1997.
Islamabad: The Gazette of Pakistan, 1997.
[11] Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency-s Policy and procedures for
the filing, review and approval of environmental assessments,
Islamabad: Pak-EPA, 1997a.
[12] Pakistan environmental protection agency review of IEE and EIA
regulations, 2000. Islamabad, 2001.
[13] Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency-s Guidelines for the
preparation and review of environmental reports, Islamabad: Pak-EPA,
1997b.
[14] O. Nadeem, and R. Hameed, "Public participation in environmental
assessment of development related initiatives in Pakistan," in Proc.
Gulf First Urban Planning and Development Conf. Kuwait, Feb. 20-22,
2006b.
[15] S. Momtaz, "Environmental assessment in Bangladesh: A critical
review," Environmental Impact Assessment Review, vol. 22, pp. 163-
179, 2002.
[16] C. Skeham, "EIA in Ireland," presented at EIA conference, Bloomsbury
Hotel, London, Nov. 25-26, 1993
[17] Beg, "Effectiveness of EIA based decision making," paper presented at
UNDP-Pak EPA, training workshop on EIA-A tool to achieve
sustainability, Islamabad, Dec. 21-22, 2004
[18] B. Alo, "Environmental impact analysis: policy formulation and
implementation in Nigeria" paper presented at the FEDEN National
Training Session, 1999
[19] G. C. Lim, "Theory and practice of EIA implementation: a comparative
study of three developing countries,- Environmental Impact Assessment
Review, vol. 5, pp. 133-153, 1985.
[1] J. Glasson, R. Therivel, and A. Chadwick, Introduction to
environmental impact assessment, 2nd ed., London: UCL Press. 1999.
[2] Fuller, K., "Quality and quality control in environmental impact
assessment," in Handbook of environmental impact assessment, vol. 2,
Petts, J., Ed. Oxford: Blackwell, 1999.
[3] I. Thomas, Environmental Impact Assessment in Australia: Theory and
Practice, 3rd ed., Australia: The Federation Press, 2001, p. 279.
[4] B. Sadler, International study of the effectiveness of environmental
assessment: final report. Ottawa: International Association for Impact
Assessment and Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, Ministry
of Supply and Services, 1996.
[5] Commission for the European Communities, " Directive on the
assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the
environment," official journal of the European Communities, 175,
pp.40-48, 1985.
[6] N. Lee, and R. Colley, "Reviewing the quality of environmental
statements," Occasional paper no. 24, EIA Centre, Manchester:
University of Manchester, 1990.
[7] P. Modak and A. K. Biswas, Conducting environmental impact
assessment for developing countries," Tokyo: United Nations Press,
1999, pp. 185-191.
[8] O. Nadeem, and R. Hameed, "Good Environmental Governance
Through EIA: The Case of Public Sector Development Projects in
Pakistan," in Proc. 12 Annual International Sustainable Development
Research Conf. Hong Kong, April 6-8, 2006a.
[9] Govt. of Pakistan, Pakistan environmental protection ordinance, 1983.
Islamabad, the Gazette of Pakistan, 1983.
[10] Govt. of Pakistan, Pakistan environmental protection act, 1997.
Islamabad: The Gazette of Pakistan, 1997.
[11] Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency-s Policy and procedures for
the filing, review and approval of environmental assessments,
Islamabad: Pak-EPA, 1997a.
[12] Pakistan environmental protection agency review of IEE and EIA
regulations, 2000. Islamabad, 2001.
[13] Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency-s Guidelines for the
preparation and review of environmental reports, Islamabad: Pak-EPA,
1997b.
[14] O. Nadeem, and R. Hameed, "Public participation in environmental
assessment of development related initiatives in Pakistan," in Proc.
Gulf First Urban Planning and Development Conf. Kuwait, Feb. 20-22,
2006b.
[15] S. Momtaz, "Environmental assessment in Bangladesh: A critical
review," Environmental Impact Assessment Review, vol. 22, pp. 163-
179, 2002.
[16] C. Skeham, "EIA in Ireland," presented at EIA conference, Bloomsbury
Hotel, London, Nov. 25-26, 1993
[17] Beg, "Effectiveness of EIA based decision making," paper presented at
UNDP-Pak EPA, training workshop on EIA-A tool to achieve
sustainability, Islamabad, Dec. 21-22, 2004
[18] B. Alo, "Environmental impact analysis: policy formulation and
implementation in Nigeria" paper presented at the FEDEN National
Training Session, 1999
[19] G. C. Lim, "Theory and practice of EIA implementation: a comparative
study of three developing countries,- Environmental Impact Assessment
Review, vol. 5, pp. 133-153, 1985.
@article{"International Journal of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences:59067", author = "Obaidullah Nadeem and Rizwan Hameed", title = "A Critical Review of the Adequacy of EIA Reports-Evidence from Pakistan", abstract = "The preparation of good-quality Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports contribute to enhancing overall effectiveness of EIA. This component of the EIA process becomes more important in situation where public participation is weak and there is lack of expertise on the part of the competent authority. In Pakistan, EIA became mandatory for every project likely to cause adverse environmental impacts from July 1994. The competent authority also formulated guidelines for preparation and review of EIA reports in 1997. However, EIA is yet to prove as a successful decision support tool to help in environmental protection. One of the several reasons of this ineffectiveness is the generally poor quality of EIA reports. This paper critically reviews EIA reports of some randomly selected projects. Interviews of EIA consultants, project proponents and concerned government officials have also been conducted to underpin the root causes of poor quality of EIA reports. The analysis reveals several inadequacies particularly in areas relating to identification, evaluation and mitigation of key impacts and consideration of alternatives. The paper identifies some opportunities and suggests measures for improving the quality of EIA reports and hence making EIA an effective tool to help in environmental protection.
", keywords = "Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA Guidelines,EIA Reports, Pakistan.", volume = "2", number = "11", pages = "146-8", }
