EIA lecture of dr quy vinh nguyen

The definition, in the 2004 Macedonian Law on Environment, is as follows: "Environment shall mean the space with all living organisms and natural resources, i.e.. Environment comprises t

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

NONG LAM UNIVERSITY - HCMC

1 Fully participating in the class lectures: (Conditions to final examination for the subject).

COURSE INTRODUCTION

 The subject covers the following questions:

1 purpose and aims of EIA;

2 EIA administration and practice;

3 concept of associated assessment processes;

4 key elements of the EIA process;

5 undertaking an EIA;

6 role of public participation;

7 stages that follow EIA;

8 the costs and benefits of undertaking EIA; and

9 understanding of the strengths and limitations of EIA.

COURSE INTRODUCTION

 The aim of the course is to provide understanding of EIA andconfidence with its application and limitations Broadly the objectives are forstudents to:

• appreciate the purpose and role of EIA in the decision-making process;

• understand the strengths of EIA in regard to environmentalmanagement;

• understand the technical and social/political limitations of EIA;

• know the administration and procedures that apply in the student’sjurisdiction;

• understand the screening process;

COURSE INTRODUCTION

• understand the scoping process and how it is applied;

• know the options for estimating environmental and social impacts;

• know the format of an EIA Report (Environmental Impact Statement,

TEACHING MATERIALS

Teaching materials given to the students include:

1 Lectures of the Unit Coordinator and lecturer:

- Unit outline and handbook - hard copy.

- Unit outline and handbook in Vietnamese language – elect file

2. Scottish natural Heritage (2013)- 4 th edition, A handbook on

Environmental Impact Assessment: Guidance for Competent Authorities, Consultants and Others involved in the Environmental Impact Assessment Process in Scotland : elect file

- Students need to focus on : Part B – Pages 28 – 32 and page 51 – 54

CONCEPTS AND

PRINCIPLES

I CONCEPTS RELATED TO: ENVIRONMENT; RESOURECS;

DEVELOPMENT; AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMET

1.1 CONCEPTS AND FUNCTIONS OF ENVIRONMENT

1.1 CONCEPTS AND FUNCTIONS OF ENVIRONMENT

1.1.1 What is environment?

1 Albert Eistein defined: “The environment is everything that isn't me”

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2 The definition, in the 2004 Macedonian Law on Environment, is as follows:

"Environment shall mean the space with all living organisms and natural resources, i.e natural and man-made values, their interaction and the entire space in which people live and in which settlements, goods in general use, industrial and other facilities, including the media and the areas of the environment, are situated”

3 Environment comprises the natural elements and man-made factors surrounding humans and affecting the life, development and existence of humans and living creatures and affecting manufacturing activities.

(Env Pro Law of Vietnam 2014)

1.1.1 CONCEPTS OF ENVIRONMENT

 The environment is not what is around the human being, that concept is wrong, and has been modified to such point that placed man as the Centre of the environment when it is not.

 The environment is the combination of all those present on the planet, the environment is a space of interaction, relationship and communication between agencies with or without life among those who develop constant changes brought about by external agents that disrupt and modify internal environment and agents that react to the exerted changes

 Environment is the environment formed by natural and artificial elements.

1.1 1 CONCEPTS OF ENVIRONMENT

 The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things

occurring naturally The term is most often applied to the Earth or some part ofEarth This environment encompasses the interaction of all living species,climate, weather, and natural resources that affect human survival andeconomic activity

 The concept of the natural environment can be distinguished by

components:

 Complete ecological units that function as natural systems withoutmassive civilized human intervention, including all vegetations,microorganisms, soil, rocks, atmosphere and natural phenomena that occurwithin their boundaries and their nature

 Universal natural resources and physical phenomena that lack clear-cutboundaries, such as air, water, and climate, as well as energy, radiation, electriccharge, and magnetism, not originating from civilized human activity

1.1 1 CONCEPTS OF ENVIRONMENT

 In social science, the term built environment refers to the man-made

surroundings that provide the setting for human activity, ranging in scale frombuildings and parks or green space to neighborhoods and cities that can ofteninclude their supporting infrastructure, such as water supply or energynetworks

 The built environment is a material, spatial and cultural product of human

labor that combines physical elements and energy in forms for living, workingand playing It has been defined as "the humanitarian-made space in whichpeople live, work, and recreate on a day-to-day basis

 The "built environment encompasses places and spaces created or

modified by people including buildings, parks, and transportation systems."

 In recent years, public health research has expanded the definition of

"built environment" to include healthy food access, community gardens,

mental health, “walk-ability" and “bike-ability.”

1.1.1 CONCEPTS OF ENVIRONMENT

 The environment is constituted by abiotic elements (the medium and itsinfluences) and biotic (living organisms)

 The main abiotic elements are: atmosphere, water and soil

 Biotic elements are all living organisms that inhabit the environment:plants, animals, and humans

 Each of these, are complementary and interrelated, while plantsperform photosynthesis and the entire process to develop, the animal feeds ontheir properties to exist and the man with his capacity of reasoning managesfirst two organisms to survive and keep their environment sustainable

 Currently, the environment has been modified dramatically, compared totimes ago due to the presence of new machinery and technology to exploitrenewable and non-renewable resources of the planet, which represents agreater wear on the environment: abiotic components of environmentalpollution has been increasingly alarming for humans; water supply has becomevery complex and not yet aware that without water there is no life

1.1.2 FUNCTIONS OF THE ENVIRONMENT

1 Environment is the living space of humans and creatures.

2 Environment is providing the resources necessary for life and production activities of man.

3 Environment is the place to contain and assimilate the waste generated by human activity in their lives and their production.

4 Environment is the place to mitigate the harmful effects of nature to people and creatures on earth.

5 Environment is the place of keeping and and providing information to people

1.2 NATURAL RESOURCES

1.2.1 CONCEPTS OF NATURAL RESOURCES

 Ever since the earth was inhabited, humans and other life forms have depended on things that exist freely in nature to survive These things include water (seas and fresh water), land, soils, rocks, forests (vegetation), animals (including fish), fossil fuels and minerals and are called Natural Resources Natural resources are the basis of life on earth.

 All these mentioned above are natural, and they exist in nature No human created them.

Natural

Natural resource resource is is something something that that is is found found in

in nature nature that that is is useful useful to to humans humans

1.2.1 CONCEPTS OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Figure : Some of great things that we get from some natural resources

1.2.2 CLASSIFICATION OF NATURAL

RESOURCES

 Natural resources are mostly classified into renewable and non-renewable resources.

 Renewable resources are those that can be replenished during our

lifetime, such as sunlight, wind, water, plants, and animals The rate at which renewable resources are replenished may differ For example, we will never run out of sun and wind in our lifetime because the Earth constantly supplies these resources

 A non-renewable resource is a natural resource that exists in a

fixed amount that cannot be re-made, re-grown or regenerated as fast as

it is consumed and used up.

 Some non-renewable resources can be renewable but take an extremely long time to renew Fossil fuels, for example, take millions

of years to form and so are not practically considered ‘renewable’

1.2 RESOURCES

☂ Using, conserving and enhancing the community’s resources so that

ecological processes, on which life depends, are maintained, and the total

quality of life, now and in the future can be increased ” (Commonwealth of

Australia 1992).

The four fundamental goals have been adopted by the international community and need to be addressed in moving to wards ecologically sustainable

development, namely:

i) Improvement in individual and community social welfare and economic

well-being that does not impair the welfare of future generation;

ii) The provision of equity within and between generations;

iii) Recognition of the global dimensions of the problems and issues to be

addressed; and

iv) The protection of biological diversity and the maintenance of ecological

proccesses and systems.

1.3 CONCEPTS OF DEVELOPMENT AND

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

1.3.1 DEVELOPMENT.

1) Development means to make something better than

it was, to improve.

 we all grow as children, but then we reach a certain age and stop growing;

 we don't stop developing, we learn a new trade

or hobby, we go new places, make new friends.

1.3 CONCEPTS OF DEVELOPMENT AND

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

1.3.1 DEVELOPMENT

 The difference between "growth" and "development" is a difficult but very important concept for people to understand in order to make progress towards sustainability.

 One comment some people may make is that growth is good

as long as it is "quality" growth However, people need to realize that all growth is finite A small town can only grow so much before it ceases to be a town and becomes a small city Small cities that grow become large cities If a community likes its

"small town feeling" then the community needs to acknowledge that growth must stop at some point in order to preserve that feeling.)

1.3.1 DEVELOPMENT

2) Development: “a specified state of growth or

advancement; a new and advanced product or idea; an event constituting a new stage in a changing situation.”

3) The term “development” in international parlance

therefore encompasses the need and the means by which

to provide better lives for people in poor countries It includes not only economic growth, although that is crucial, but also human development—providing for health, nutrition, education, and a clean environment

1.3.1 DEVELOPMENT

4 ) Development can be understood as :

 The systematic use of scientific and technical knowledge

to meet specific objectives or requirements.

 An extension of the theoretical or practical aspects of a concept, design, discovery, or invention.

 The process of economic and social transformation that is based on complex cultural and environmental factors and their interactions.

 The process of adding improvements to a parcel of land, such as grading, subdivisions, drainage, access, roads, utilities.

1.3.1 DEVELOPMENT

technologies Development involves changes in the awareness, motivation and behaviour of individuals and

in the relations between individuals as well as between groups within a society These changes must come from within the individuals and groups, and cannot be

imposed from the outside” (Burkley 1993)

1.3.2 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Definition of sustainable development

“Sustainable development is development that

compromising the ability of future generations to

 The concept of sustainable development can be interpreted in many different ways, but at its core is an approach to development that looks to balance different, and often competing, needs against an awareness of the environmental, social and economic limitations we face as a society.

1.3.2 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

1 Environmental sustainability is the

ability to maintain rates of renewable

resource harvest, pollution creation, and

non-renewable resource depletion that

can be continued indefinitely

2 Economic sustainability is the ability

to support a defined level of economic

production indefinitely

3 Social sustainability is the ability of a

social system, such as a country, to

function at a defined level of social well

being indefinitely

The principle of The Three Pillars of

Sustainability.

1.4 CONTRADICTION BETWEEN DEVELOPMENT

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

☂ Positivities

 Development is the inevitable trend

 Development helps humanity to meet the growing needs of people both physically and mentally

 Consuming a lot of resources, leading to depletion

or degradation of natural resources, especially the non – renewable resources.

 Emissions into the environment types of waste volume and highly toxic, polluting the environment

1.4 CONTRADICTION BETWEEN DEVELOPMENT AND

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Products

Material, energy and water

Air, water and food Clean environment

waste

Populated environment

The change of environment in developmen

1.4 CONTRADICTION BETWEEN DEVELOPMENT

AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

The inter- relationship between the natural and social sciences for EIA

Ecosystems

Their structure and

Society Their structure and operation

and operation

Environmental impacts

1.4 CONTRADICTION BETWEEN DEVELOPMENT

AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Environment

 The four components needed to be

considered in ecologically sustainable

development, environmental impact

assessment and environmental

management.

 The level of emphasis placed on

each component may change in

accordance with the needs of society,

Environmental decision tetrahedron

Political Economic

Social welfare

accordance with the needs of society,

provided that the final decision moves

towards ecologically sustainable

development Each position of the

environmental decision tetrahedron

places more emphasis on one of the

components while the other three form

a solid base to the decision

1.4 CONTRADICTION BETWEEN DEVELOPMENT

AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

CHAPTER 2 : NATURE OF ENVIRONMENTAL

SYSTEMS – A SYSTEMS APPROACH

2.1 ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

“Environmental quality is a behaviour -related function concerned with the interaction of environmental characteristics and characteristics of individuals and or society viewing each environment” (Huebner and Paul 1979)

“A quantitative estimate of an exposure to one or more pollutants below which significant harmful on specified sensitive elements of the environment do not occur according to our present knowledge” (Brodin and Kuylenstierna 1992)

2.1 ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

 Critical loads are another kind of performance standard that specifies the threshold change in the environment under which no harmful effects in the environment will occur

☛ The concept of target loads

Target loads are operational or management values, used to define the level of deposition of a pollutant that can be tolerated by society in general and a community in particular (Duggin 1999).

 Target loads take into account environmental sensitivity (and critical loads if defined), technical consideration in achieving that target through abatement programme, as well as economic, social and political considerations of each community, society and nation Target loads may vary across a region and may have a series

of time steps incorporated to reduce target loads closer critical loads.

CHAPTER 2 : BEHAVIOUR OF ENVIRONMENTAL

SYSTEMS – A SYSTEMS APPROACH

2.2 A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO EIA

✒ The system approach can be used effectively to characterize the

existing environment and to predict likely changes with theimplementation of a project

✒ An ecosystem is a community of organisms interacting with one

another and with the chemical and physical factors making up theirenvironment It can be considered as a single functioning entity withenvironment It can be considered as a single functioning entity withinputs and outputs For example, a car is considered a single entity

✒ The study of ecosystems can form part of a spectrum in which, at one

end, and holistic approach can be adopted (ie the study of the system as awhole and then the component parts) or, at the other extreme, a study ofthe separate parts can be undertaken in order to construct the wholesystem .

Atmosphere

Ecosystem

Figure 2.1: Major components and linking processes for a forested ecosystem

emphasising nutrient relationships within and between ecosystems

Soil and Rock Minerals Available

nutrients

Biosphere

Intrasystem cycle

 Like a hole in a net that widens because one link held four others in place, and each of those held four more others, and so

on and so forth.

2.3 ECOSYSTEM EQUILIBRIUM

For example:

 The osprey and all the fish in a lake will be affected if the lake dries up;Small animals like rodents and hares are affected when bushes in forest landare cleared;

 Birds, foxes, bears and deer are affected when a forest is harvested

If all the cats are removed from a farm, the number of mice that eat the harvestwill increase;

 If the trees beside a river are cut down, the roots of the trees will no longer

be there to hold the soil, the soil will get washed into the river, and the animalsliving near the river bank will have to go elsewhere

2.3 ECOSYSTEM EQUILIBRIUM

 An ecosystem is balanced when the natural

animals and plants and non-living components are in harmony - i.e there is nothing to disturb the balance With increasing pollution, change

in migratory patterns, and rise of human population, many ecosystems are in danger of losing that harmony

2.4 THE THINGS TO BE CONSIDERED IN EIA

project development will alter the equilibrium position or balance of that system Therefore, environmental impact assessment is concerned with:

 predicting the new equilibrium position;

 assessing the consequences of that new position; and

 determining the social acceptability of the new

2.4 THE THINGS TO BE CONSIDERED IN EIA

2.4 THE THINGS TO BE CONSIDERED IN

EIA

☂ In order to describe the shift in equilibrium position there

are 5 basic questions that need to be considered, that are:

❶ Direction of change): A prerequisite for predicting the

direction of change that a system may undergo after a perturbation, it is a thorough understanding of the system’s structure and function prior to the perturbation Therefore, information describing the initial state is an important requirement for environmental impact assessment.