Planning Environmental Impact Assessment Orienting Sustainable Development: Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract

Strategic Environmental Assessment is a frontier subject in the field of Environmental Impact Assessment. In the past two decades, especially in recent years, much more importance has been attached to Strategic Environmental Assessment. The Environmental Impact Assessment Law of the P.R. China which was promulgated provides a great opportunity for the development of Planning Environmental Impact Assessment and brings great challenges for the development of traditional Project Environmental Impact Assessment and Planning Environmental Impact Assessment at the same time. In order to promote the implementation of “The EIA Law”, the inherent limitations of Project Environmental Impact Assessment must be identified sufficiently and the theory research and practice of Planning Environmental Impact Assessment should be strengthened as well. Measures should be taken currently to enforce the operation system. The authors wish to offer a few references to the progress and implementation of Planning Environmental Impact Assessment in China.     

Planning Environmental Impact Assessment Orienting Sustainable Development:Opportunities and Challenges

1 INTRODUCTION Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a useful and effective instrument for sustainable development. Most countries require instruction projects to carry out EIA. EIA of our country began at the end of the 1970s; Chinais one of the earliest countries that carried out Project EIA. Through the fulfillment of more than 20 years, this system has been improved gradually and is playing a significant role in facilitating the enterprise reasonable layout and optimal addres…     

环境影响评价需要新的突破

中国环境影响评价已取得巨大成绩，在项目建设、区域发展中起着重要的作用，成为环境保护的重要保证手段。但中国环境影响评价依然存在十分突出的问题，还不能充分发挥其应有的功能。为此，环境影响评价应坚持正确的价值观，要打破环评单位隶属于项目建设单位的主从关系，环境单位要有独立行使调整、考察、分析、评价和下环评结论的权利；环境影响评价的时间要适时、充分，杜绝项目先上马后补环评，或项目要上马临时补环评的做法；战略环评应在宏观发展战略发挥更大的作用，成为国家宏观调控的有力工具之一；要构建环评的公共服务信息平台，反对信息部门垄断和数据虚假；环评方法贵在创新、重在实用，要积极应用新方法、新技术，反对数学方法与模型的滥用。     

Study Progress and Trends of Strategic Environmental Assessment in China

Strategic environmental assessment （SEA） in China has developed rapidly since it was introduced into China in the 1990s. Chinese government promulgated the Environmental Impact Assessment Law of China （hereinafter referred to as the EIA Law） in 2002. In this law, it is stipulated clearly that regional and sector plans should be assessed. Through investigating materials and analyzing literatures, this article analyses the practical and academic study achievements of SEA in China that have been achieved since the EIA Law was implemented, probes into the current situation of the main level of SEA in China-plan EIA, then summarizes the development characteristics, and eventually, puts forward the development trends of SEA in China. The research conclusions can offer the foundations for comprehending systematically the progress of SEA in China.     

Strategic Environmental Assessment： A New Tool for Ecological Urbanization of Coastal Cities in China

Recently, there has been growing concerns about environmental issues related to urbanization in China. The intense natural resources utilization and increasing population has brought great pressure, especially in coastal areas, consequently affecting the sustainable development of coastal cities. In 2002, Environmental Impact Assessment Act （EIA Act） was enacted in China. Environmental impact assessment targeted at planning, one level of strategic environmental assessment （SEA）, thus became a legislative requirement. This paper considers SEA to be one of the important approaches not only to control coastal pollution, but also to conserve coastal ecosystems and finally to achieve sustainable development during urbanization, thus it will be a set an example for other areas of China. The experience of SEA in Xiamen, a coastal city in southeast China, illustrates the potentials of SEA. This paper first briefly introduces the concept and potentials of SEA, then compares two SEA cases and a project EIA case in Xiamen, and finally identifies the key characteristics of SEA.     

Study Progress and Trends of Strategic Environmental Assessment in China

Abstract

Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) in China has developed rapidly since it was introduced into China in the 1990s. Chinese government promulgated the Environmental Impact Assessment Law of China (hereinafter referred to as the EIA Law) in 2002. In this law, it is stipulated clearly that regional and sector plans should be assessed. Through investigating materials and analyzing literatures, this article analyses the practical and academic study achievements of SEA in China that have been achieved since the EIA Law was implemented, probes into the current situation of the main level of SEA in China—plan EIA, then summarizes the development characteristics, and eventually, puts forward the development trends of SEA in China. The research conclusions can offer the foundations for comprehending systematically the progress of SEA in China.     

Comparison between the Chinese EIA Guidelines for Air Dispersion Modelling and the Advanced Air Dispersion Model ADMS

1 INTRODUCTION According to the Environmental Protection Law of P.R. China, and the Environmental Protection Management Method on Construction Projects the Technical Guidelines for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) (HJ/T 2.1~2. 3-93) have defined how environmental impact assessment should be carried out for construction projects, in terms of the general principle, methodology, contents and requirements. Technical Guidelines for Environmental Impact Assessment on the Atmosphe…     

基于生态系统服务功能价值评估的土地利用总体规划环境影响评价研究

随着全国性、地区性土地利用总体规划的制定与实施，探讨适台于土地利用总体规划环境影响评价的技术方法显得相当重要。在对生态系统服务功能价值评估研究进展进行评述的基础上。分析了生态系统服务功能价值评估在土地利用总体规划环境影响评价中应用的必要性．并结合实例对其应用方法进行了探讨．实例分析表明，生态系统服务功能价值评估在土地利用总体规划环评中的应用具有把土地利用的生态效益转化为简单易懂的货币形式．可为决策者提供直观的生态信息及生态系统服务功能价值。可作为一项量化指标。对土地利用总体规划目标及规划方案的生态效益进行综合评估，且核算简单。有助于节省规划环评的时间和资源等优势，本文还指出了进一步研究的方向。     

城市开发区大气环境影响评价研究--以扬州市经济技术开发区为例

对开发区进行环境影响评价是开发区可持续发展的需要。大气作为环境的重要要素，其状况优劣对开发区的发展及布局都产生较大的影响，因而大气环境影响评价是环境影响评价体系中不可缺少的组成部分。如何进行开发区的大气环境影响评价，国内已取得了不少经验，但仍在探索之中。对城市开发区大气环境影响评价的内容和方法进行了探讨；以扬州市经济技术开发区为例，进行了分析、预测和评价，对环境评价中的公众参与环节进行了有益的探索与尝试；对开发区进行了大气功能区划分，给出了开发区大气主要污染物总量控制方案；最后，针对扬州市经济技术开发区的实情，在产业发展方向、项目规划布局、能源使用、绿化、环境管理以及土地管理等方面提出了环境保护的对策和建议。     

International Legal Instruments and Regional Environmental Protection

Efficient environmental protection requires global, as well as regional ecological strategies. During the last decade numerous attempts at regional and global environmental protection have been made. But industrial environmental protection is still, above all, a national matter. National emission limit values and international technological standards still neglect to a large extent the regional aspects of pollution prevention. Recent normative texts (international standards, European directives) can be seen as the first step to filling this gap. They represent different evolutionary stages on the way from merely technocentric to regionally integrated environmental protection. We investigate the potential of some of these normative texts to operationalise regional environmental strategies. For this purpose we will provide a framework for evaluation centred on the following questions: ? Is the installation/project/organisation perceived as part of its specific environment? ? Can local immission standards be developed on the basis of a functional classification of ecosystems? ? Are methods of integrated ecological evaluation supported? The framework will be applied to examine the European directives on Environmental Impact Assessment and Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control and two ISO (International Standardisation Organisation) standards on Environmental Management Systems (ISO 14001 and 14004) with regard to basic requirements for operationalising integrated regional environmental protection.     

Building climate change resilience through local cooperation: a Peruvian Andes case study

Many of the problems faced by international projects intending to create adaptive social–ecological systems for climate change stem from lack of stakeholder engagement, limited understanding of local political, economic, and environmental complexities, and restricted time. Local organizations focused on conservation and development might have an advantage in creating adaptive social–ecological systems because they understand local processes and are involved with communities for extended periods of time. A local non-governmental organization, Asociación Ecosistemas Andinos (ECOAN), works in twenty-one communities in the Andean highlands outside of Cusco to conserve the endangered Polylepis forests. As part of the conservation project, ECOAN supports community-led development projects such as building greenhouses. Data for this project were gathered through interviews (with community members in three different communities, ECOAN staff, and donors) and participant observation. This paper shows that ECOAN’s extensive use of participation has led to community ownership of the conservation and development projects. The communities’ close connections to the Polylepis project contribute to resilience through creating networks, extending the local environmental ethic to the Polylepis trees, supporting projects that diversify and strengthen community sustenance, and contributing to the growth of economic activities. This case study provides a positive example of the potential for local organizations and people to take charge of their own resiliency efforts where international projects and protocols may otherwise prove ineffective.     

Environmental sustainability practices in South Asian university campuses: an exploratory study on Bangladeshi universities

Environmental sustainability practices in universities can play an important role in helping society form a sustainable future. In this study, the roles that Bangladeshi universities play in terms of sustainability practices on their campuses are scrutinized, as well as the challenges these universities face. The existing research on campus sustainability practices in Asia is reviewed, and a new exploratory study is put forth on environmental sustainability practices in the higher education institutions of a developing country—Bangladesh. The Campus Sustainability Assessment Framework used in Canadian universities was taken as basis for determining potential environmental management indicators. Results show that environmental management practices (i.e., environmental education, research, governance and operations) are present only to a very limited extent in higher education institutions in Bangladesh.     

SWOT Analysis and Challenges of Nile Basin Initiative：An Integrated Water Resource Management Perspective

River Nile is one of the longest transboundery rivers and it is shared and used by Burundi,Democratic Republic of Congo,Egypt,Ethiopia,Eritrea,Kenya,Rwanda,Sudan,Tanzania and Uganda.As of today,the Nile is a crucial resource for the economic development of the Nile Basin countries and a vital source of livelihood for 160 million inhabitants as well as 300 million people living in the 10 riparian countries.The Nile Basin Initiative(NBI) is one of the international cooperative river basin management program and regional partnership where all the Nile Basin countries except Eritrea unite to pursue long-term sustainable development,improved land use practices and management.This review therefore focused on the challenges not faced on NBI in terms of integrated use of the river and conducted analysis of strengths,weaknesses,opportunities and threats(SWOT) based on secondary data.The result of the review revealed that for decades,the Nile Basin people have been facing many complex environmental,social,economic and political challenges that have made it difficult for the proper management and sustainability of Nile water.The initiative provides training to develop skills in government ministries,non-governmental organizations and local communities in each country.It is also working to raise awareness of critical environmental issues by strengthening networks of environmental education practitioners;developing curriculum in the education sector.The challenges of NBI include the involvement and funding of World Bank,lack of sufficient staff,procedural and policies conflicts,lack of coordination and linkage with other regional institutions and lack of recognition as river basin organization.Considering the complex nature of the project,it is recommended that the NBI should come up with a strong multi-disciplinary monitoring and evaluation team to follow up all implemented projects.The NBI should carry out participatory land use planning in communities along the river basin.Moreover,livelihood analysis should be carried out especially in communities along the Nile to come up with poverty eradication projects which are socially acceptable,applicable,economically viable and affordable.     

SWOT Analysis and Challenges of Nile Basin Initiative: An Integrated Water Resource Management Perspective

Abstract

River Nile is one of the longest transboundery rivers and it is shared and used by Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. As of today, the Nile is a crucial resource for the economic development of the Nile Basin countries and a vital source of livelihood for 160 million inhabitants as well as 300 million people living in the 10 riparian countries. The Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) is one of the international cooperative river basin management program and regional partnership where all the Nile Basin countries except Eritrea unite to pursue long-term sustainable development, improved land use practices and management. This review therefore focused on the challenges not faced on NBI in terms of integrated use of the river and conducted analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) based on secondary data. The result of the review revealed that for decades, the Nile Basin people have been facing many complex environmental, social, economic and political challenges that have made it difficult for the proper management and sustainability of Nile water. The initiative provides training to develop skills in government ministries, non-governmental organizations and local communities in each country. It is also working to raise awareness of critical environmental issues by strengthening networks of environmental education practitioners; developing curriculum in the education sector. The challenges of NBI include the involvement and funding of World Bank, lack of sufficient staff, procedural and policies conflicts, lack of coordination and linkage with other regional institutions and lack of recognition as river basin organization. Considering the complex nature of the project, it is recommended that the NBI should come up with a strong multi-disciplinary monitoring and evaluation team to follow up all implemented projects. The NBI should carry out participatory land use planning in communities along the river basin. Moreover, livelihood analysis should be carried out especially in communities along the Nile to come up with poverty eradication projects which are socially acceptable, applicable, economically viable and affordable.     

Using the Framework for Integrated Sustainability Assessment (FISA) to expand the Multiregional Input–Output analysis to account for the three pillars of sustainability

Decision makers interested in promoting sustainable development must simultaneously consider the environmental, economic and social implications of any action. This article proposes the Framework for Integrated Sustainability Assessment (FISA), a methodological framework for conducting a sustainability impact assessment of any investment project. Based on a Multiregional Input–Output (MRIO) framework, FISA links the extended MRIO results with social risk data from the Social Hotspots Database (SHDB) in order to integrate the social with the environmental and economic pillars. Resulting impacts are simultaneously considered and reported by means of FISA charts, making it possible to assess the different impacts within the three sustainability pillars across countries involved in the whole supply chain of investment projects. This methodological framework can be applied not only to compare the sustainability impacts of two alternative projects, but also to derive specific recommendations aimed at minimizing the harmful social, environmental and economic effects along the whole project supply chain.     

水电建设区的生态环境监测与评价——以向家坝水电站为例

水电工程的建设对区域环境会产生不可逆转的重大扰动,生态环境监测与预警作为大型水电工程建设的重要环节,为工程区域环境问题分析与研究提供详实的数据支撑,对区域生态环境的修复至关重要。以向家坝水电站为例,分析水电工程建设对区域环境产生扰动的特点,结合产生扰动的各环境要素,构建工程施工区环境监测体系。收集、整理相关监测数据,采用环境因子综合评价法对监测的相关数据进行分析和评价,结合各种环境因子的现状以及变化过程、总结区域环境总体状况的变化规律及空间分布。结果表明：自2007年工程大规模动工以来,区域的生态脆弱度大幅度升高,2008年达到顶峰,自2009年起环境开始改善,保持优于2007、2008年的状况;最脆弱区域为主体工程和云天化生产区交接地区,低度脆弱区域为河流及工程量少的加工工程区域;工程扰动最大的区域、当地工业区及交通枢纽集中地带是建设区环境最脆弱的区域,工程建设、工业及交通是建设区的主要扰动因素     

A review of traffic-related air pollution exposure assessment studies in the developing world

Exposure assessment studies in the developing world are important. Although recent years have seen an increasing number of traffic-related pollution exposure studies, exposure assessment data on this topic are still limited. Differences among measuring methods and a lack of strict quality control in carrying out exposure assessment make it difficult to generalize and compare findings between studies. In this article, exposure assessment studies carried out in the developing world on several traffic-related air pollutants are reviewed. These pollutants include particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In addition, it discusses advantages and disadvantages of various monitoring methods (ambient fixed-site monitoring, microenvironment monitoring, and personal exposure assessment using portable samplers) for these pollutants in exposure assessment studies. Also included in this paper is a brief introduction of standards for these pollutants in ambient air or in occupational settings established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The review ends with a summary of the limitations and gaps in recent studies and suggestions for future research in the developing world.     

Restoring ecosystems,restoring community: socioeconomic and cultural dimensions of a community-based coral reef restoration project

Environmental restoration projects are commonly touted for their ecological positives, but such projects can also provide significant socioeconomic and cultural benefits to local communities. We assessed the social dimensions of a large-scale coral reef restoration project in Maunalua Bay, O‘ahu, where >1.32 million kg of invasive marine macroalgae was removed from 11 hectares (90,000 m²; 23 acres) of impacted coral reef in an urbanized setting. We interviewed 131 community stakeholders and analyzed both quantitative and qualitative data to assess human uses of the environment, assess perceptions of environmental health, and characterize social dimensions (+/?) associated with the invasive algae removal effort. Results indicate substantial direct economic benefits, including the creation of more than 60+ jobs, benefiting more than 250 individuals and 81 households. The project helped develop a skilled workforce in a local business dedicated to environmental restoration and increased the capacity of community organizations to address other threats to reefs and watersheds. Other major benefits include revitalization of Native Hawaiian cultural practices and traditions and the successful use of harvested invasive algae as compost by local farmers. Our results show the project heightened community awareness and a broader sense of stewardship in the area, creating enabling conditions for collective community action. Our findings show that restoration projects that explicitly incorporate efforts to build community awareness, involvement, and a shared responsibility for a site may ultimately create the long-term capacity for sustainable stewardship programs. We conclude by discussing lessons learned for engaging productively with communities in environmental restoration and stewardship, which remains a central focus in conservation worldwide.     

我国公路网规划环境影响评价

我国正处于公路交通飞速发展的历史阶段，公路建设在促进社会经济发展的同时也带来了显著的生态环境问题。由于目前建设项目环境影响评价的局限性日益突出，环评法以及相继出台的部门规章都要求从战略层次科学评估交通规划造成的潜在环境影响，促使交通战略的决策过程充分考虑环境因素。然而，我国交通战略环境评价起步较晚并较多关注于内容框架的研究，因此从宏观层面上对公路网规划的环境评价方法还有待完善和深入研究。以融合国际经验的湖北省骨架公路网规划战略环境评价为例，从规划分析、现状调查、指标体系、影响预测、制度分析和公众参与等方面，详细分析了我国公路网规划环境影响评价的技术路线确定、评价要点识别以及评价方法选取等内容，并从层次性和介入时机等方面讨论了我国交通战略环境评价存在的不足，为完善交通规划战略环境评价提供参考