SCOPE 5 - Environmental Impact Assessment

Preface

As the term is used in this book, environmental impact assessment (EIA) is an activity designed to identify and predict the impact on the biogeophysical environment and on man's health and well-being of legislative proposals, policies, programmes, projects, and operational procedures, and to interpret and communicate information about the impacts. Although the institutional procedures to be followed in the assessment process have been formalized in a number of countries, the scientific basis for these assessments is still rather uncertain. The published literature on the subject is scattered through many journals, and has not been evaluated critically in ways that are useful to managers and scientists. The assessor and his advisors are sometimes unaware of the fact that their task is not to prepare a scientific treatise on the environment, but rather to help the decision-maker select from amongst several choices for development and then to consider appropriate management strategies ^_quite a different goal.

Recognizing the need for an international review and synthesis of current practices, SCOPE organized a Workshop on EIA, with the co-sponsorship of the Canadian National Committee for SCOPE, the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), Environment Canada, and UNESCO. The Workshop was held at Victoria Harbour, Canada, in February 1974, with participants from all continents and from many different disciplines and backgrounds. The book could not have been written by a single person; the prerequisite depth of knowledge in separate fields was too great.

The first edition appeared in early 1975, with a second printing in 1977. Translations have been published in both Japanese (through the initiative of Dr. Y. Shimazu, one of the Workshop participants) and French (through the sponsorship of the Canadian Department of the Environment).

Since 1975, the number of jurisdictions requiring impact assessments has increased, as well as the literature on assessment methods. In several countries, more than five years of operational experience provide a basis for examining the merits and failures of the EIA process in a better perspective than was possible in 1974. For these and other reasons, SCOPE convened a meeting in Toronto in October 1977 to prepare a second edition. Much of the original material remains, but Chapter 6 of the first edition has been merged with Chapter 1 and a new chapter on socio-economic methods has been added. In addition, there has been a major reorganization of the Appendices. Many new literature references have been added.

As in the first edition, no attempt has been made to describe methods of under-taking the detailed calculations required to ensure that environmental standards are met, e.g., for air, water, noise, and solid waste disposal. However, a feature of the second edition is Appendix 4.4, which gives a selection of engineering references that may be of help when designing to meet environmental standards.

I am indebted to the participants who offered consistently relevant and constructive comments and text. Special thanks must be given to Professor Frank Fenner for his help as Chairman of one of the Working Group Committees and for his advice as General Editor of SCOPE publications.

The intended readers fall into three main classes;

1. the decision-makers, as well as their policy and management advisors, in both the public and the private sectors;
2. the assessors, the reviewers, and their technical staffs and advisors who have responsibility for preparing and reviewing impact assessments; 
3. the layman with an interest in environmental quality . 

The principles embodied in this book are equally valid for both developing and developed countries. This is, in fact, one of the unique features of the publication.

January 1979

R. E. MUNN Editor

 

Back to Table of Contents

The electronic version of this publication has been prepared at the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai, India.