How Can an Environment be Assessed?
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Environmental Impacts Assessments (EIA) are carried out as a major step in the early planning of projects that are likely to affect biological resources and habitats in the surrounding environment. The EIA shall ensure that the environmental effects of the project are taken into consideration in the planning and design phases. The EIA is often based in national legislation, international conventions and agreements. EIA requires a multi-disciplinary and holistic approach, involving identification of vulnerable resources and areas of conflict based on a thorough evaluation of the area affected and the expected discharges and technical implementations.
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
The Environmental Impact Statement is usually the term used to describe the actual report that is compiled to report the findings of an EIA. Environmental consultants need to know suitable formats for presenting an EIS. A draft or preliminary EIS may precede an actual EIS. Public comment may be called for using a draft or preliminary document as a guide before the production of a final EIS.
Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA)
The purpose of Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) is to provide decision makers with a tool that enables them to establish and maintain acceptable environmental safety levels for their operations. An ERA identifies how much each individual activity or component contributes to the total risk to the environment, so that risk reduction can be undertaken. There are four stages involved in an ERA, including:
- Hazard identification, involving identifying chemicals or materials present and determining their quantity, form and location.
- Hazard analysis, which determines the characteristics of a pollutant, the release potential of a pollutant and potential pathways through which a hazard could be released.
- Risk estimation, which involves an application of a low dose of a pollutant to determine the effect of a pollutant on the environment.
- Risk evaluation, which involves a prediction of the probability that an adverse effect will occur and the significance of this effect.
Ecological Risk Assessment
Ecological Risk Assessments examine the effects that human activities have on the plants and animals that make up ecosystems. Ecological risk assessments can be used to identify vulnerable and valued resources, prioritise data collection activity, and to determine which human activities may have which potential effects. Risk assessments provide a basis for comparing different management options, enabling decision makers and the public to make better informed decisions about the management of ecological resources.
Environmental Audit
Environmental Audits are used in some countries to evaluate a company's environmental management system, including its regulatory compliance status. Environmental audits are voluntary.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), defines an Environmental Audit as a "systematic, documented, periodic and objective review by a regulated entity of facility operations and practices related to meeting environmental requirements." In the US, Environmental Audits are either transaction-triggered audits or compliance audits.
Companies commonly conduct transaction-triggered audits before completing real estate deals, mergers, or acquisitions. Transaction-triggered audits are generally less rigorous than compliance audits. Environmental compliance audits are conducted so that a company can detect and correct any environmental violations before they are forced to do so by authorities. They are designed so that the company knows it is operating within the environmental laws. The company can use the information to streamline and improve its environmental policies.
Economic and Fiscal Impact Assessment
Economic and Fiscal Impact Assessments look at how a proposed change or development will impact the public and private sector in an economic sense. For example, will a city council be required to construct better infrastructure to cope with an increase in population that accompanies the establishment of a new steelworks? These kinds of assessments are especially important from a town planning point of view.
Health Impact Assessment
Health Impact Assessment is a way to determine how a proposal will affect people’s health. Health can be affected by a variety of developments in agriculture, transport and housing. Air and noise pollution arising from developments can adversely affect health. Usually, a health impact assessment will outline ways in which the proponent can make the proposal as positive as possible, reducing any potential health risks. Health Impact Assessments may be incorporated into environmental impact assessments along with social and economic impact assessments.
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