River habitat monitoring and assessment in Germany

Whereas assessing the biological and chemical quality of water is a standard environmental procedure in many countries, the use of habitat survey methods that assess the ecomorphological quality of rivers is relatively new. In Europe, the EC Water Framework Directive requires such assessment from all EU Member States. In Germany, the first river habitat assessments were introduced in the late 1990 s. Each federal state develops its own river habitat map using the 'On-site Survey' and/or the 'Overview Survey'. The assessment describes the difference of the actual condition from a previously defined reference condition. In practice, a defined 'potential for restoration', a more realistic condition, makes restoration activities much easier and more successful. In Germany, the first River Habitat Map 2001 was published in 2002. The survey covered 33,000 km of river length, which equates to 10% of all rivers. A wide range from 'Undisturbed' (class 1) to 'Totally Disturbed' (class 7) river units exists; 77% of them are 'Clearly Disturbed' (class 4) or in worse condition. These result reflects extensive anthropogenic impact on the environment in general, but also past intense technical river 'improvements' that focused on the protection of settlements and traffic routes from flooding, better shipping conditions, the use of water power, and drainage of floodplains for agriculture and urban development. For comparability of survey results between EU Member States, a harmonization of national survey methods is in progress. A crucial point here is the definition of the reference condition for each river (near-natural conditions), since it influences the survey results.     

Environmental impact assessment in the association of southeast Asian Nations

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has agreed that environmental protection and sustainable use of natural resources are essential for sound economic development. The Environmental Impact Assessment is viewed as an important management tool and an ASEAN Experts Group on the Environment has been working for several years on a model especially adapted to the region and also on case studies of the implementation of EIA. Progress so far has been frustratingly slow due to misunderstanding, a lack of ecological data, inadequate trained manpower and institutional shortcomings for compliance. The author advocates collaboration on an ASEAN model for performing EIA as a means of accelerating acceptance and implementation. The concept of Adaptive Environmental Assessment and Management is proposed as a prototype.     

Indoor air quality assessment in child care and medical facilities in Korea

In order to characterize the status of indoor air pollution in some important facilities, a list of key criteria pollutants [particulate matter (PM(10)), carbon dioxide (CO(2)), carbon monoxide (CO), formaldehyde (HCHO), and bioaerosol] was measured from a total of 91 randomly selected sites in 18 different cities, Korea (February 2006 to December 2009). The target facilities include 43 child care facilities, 38 medical facilities, 6 elementary schools, and 4 postnatal care centers. The results showed that some air pollutants (e.g., CO and HCHO) did not exceed the recommended guideline [e.g., the Korean indoor air standard (KIAS) values of 10 ppm and 100 ppb, respectively]. However, concentration of PM(10), CO(2), and bioaerosol occasionally exceeded their respective guidelines (e.g., seven, three, and two cases). Discrete seasonalities were observed from indoor pollutants because of varying ventilation practice (e.g., summer time dominance of PM(10), HCHO, and bioaerosol or winter dominance of CO(2) and CO). However, as the concentrations of the indoor pollutants were scarcely above the recommended guideline level, more diversified approaches are desirable to diagnose the status of indoor pollution and to provide a realistic strategy for the improvement of IAQ.     

Environmental impact assessment in Estonia and Norway

Authorities in Eastern European countries are looking for the best available policy tools from the West, and policy instruments tailored for a Western context are being introduced massively in the former state socialist countries of Europe. This study examines some of the contextual factors that hamper the introduction of modern, Western tools of environmental management within previously state socialist countries. These are highlighted through a comparison of how environmental impact assessment (EIA) is put into practice in Estonia and Norway. Estonia and Norway belong to the same European Baltic-Nordic region, but the two countries have a dramatically different history for most of this century.     

Environmental impact assessment: The work of the OECD

This report describes the work of an international group that is supported in part by the Dutch Ministry for Environment and is chaired by Frans Evers, the Ministry's Deputy Director-General for Environmental Protection.     

Environmental quality assessment of Port Blair in Andaman islands

The Andman and Nicobar archipelago comprises of about 556 small and big islands covering an area of 8493 sq. kms in the Bay of Bengal. The very remoteness of these islands from the mainland has preserved their pristine environment and spectacular natural beauty. The Andman and Nicobar Administration is going for major developmental projects to cope with the increasing needs of the people, which ultimately results in significant changes in environmental quality. This paper describes the existing environmental quality around Port Blair city, which will give baseline scenario to assess the environmental impacts due to developments in the future.In order to monitor the air quality of the region, sampling stations were selected based on the locations of various industries and domestic activities. Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM), Sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) were monitored for a period of one month during winter season. In addition, micrometeorological data, viz. wind speed and direction were also recorded and analysed to obtain the representative meteorological scenario of the air basin. The monitored values of ambient air quality was found to be within the NAAQ standards of India.Similarly, noise levels were also measured at various locations viz., residential areas, commercial centres, villages, stone quarry sites and construction sites. Noise levels were found to exceed the standards at stone quarry, construction sites and other locations.Water quality studies were carried out with respect to surface and ground water. The various physico- chemical and bacteriological parameters were analysed. It was observed that the physico-chemical parameters of surface and ground water lie within the standards stipulated for Indian subcontinent except for heavy metals which exceed the limits in ground water samples. Bacteriological analysis of sea water and ground water indicate that they are contaminated with faecal matters. Further, the ground water can be used for drinking purposes only after adequate treatment.     

Environmental assessment of agriculture at a regional scale in the Pampas of Argentina

Governments need good information to design policies. However, inthe Argentine Pampas there are neither sufficient knowledge on environmental issues, nor clear perception of environmental alterations across space and time. The general objective of this work was to provide decision makers with a scientifically sound set of indicators aiming at the assessment of current status andfuture trends in the rural environment of this sensitiveregion. As driving criteria to select indicators, weassumed that they had to be sound, simple to calculate,easy to understand, and easily applicable by decision makers. They are related closely to significantecological structures and functions. Twelve basicindicators were identified: (1) land use, (2) fossil energyuse, (3) fossil energy use efficiency, (4) nitrogen (N)balance, (5) phosphorus (P) balance, (6) nitrogencontamination risk, (7) phosphorus contamination risk, (8) pesticide contamination, (9) soil erosion risk, (10) habitatintervention, (11) changes in soil carbon stock, and (12) balance of greenhouse gases. Indicators were geographicallyreferenced using a geographic information system (GIS). Thestrength of this study is not in the absolute value ofenvironmental indicators, but rather in theconceptualization of indicator and the identification ofchanging patterns, gradients and trends in space and time.According to our results, we can not definitely say thatagriculture in the Pampas, as a whole, tends to besustainable or not. While some indicators tend to improve,others keep stable, and the rest worsen. The relative importance among indicators must also be considered. The indicators that showed a negative net change are key to the identification of critical problems that will require special attention in the close future.     

Multi-criteria assessment of socio-environmental aspects in shrinking cities. Experiences from eastern Germany

Demographic change and economic decline produce modified urban land use pattern and densities. Compared to the beginning of the 90s after the German reunification, nowadays massive housing and commercial vacancies followed by demolition and perforation come to pass in many cities of the former GDR. In consequence, a considerable surplus of urban brownfields has been created. Furthermore, the decline in the urban fabric affects social infrastructure and urban greenery of local neighbourhoods. Here, urban planning enters into ‘uncharted territory’ since it needs to assess the socio-environmental impact of shrinkage.In order to carry out such an evaluation quantitatively, a multi-criteria assessment scheme (MCA) was developed and applied. Firstly, we identified infrastructure and land use changes related to vacancy and demolition. Secondly, demolition scenarios for the coming 20 years were applied in order to give an idea for a long-term monitoring approach at the local district level. A multi-criteria indicator matrix quantifies the socio-environmental impact on both urban greenery and residents. Using it, we set demolition scenarios against urban ‘quality of life’ targets. Empirical evidence comes from Leipzig, in eastern Germany, a representative case study for urban shrinkage processes.The results show that shrinkage implies socio-environmental changes of residential livelihoods, however, does not simply increase or decrease the overall urban quality of life. The integrated assessment of all indicators identifies environmental and social opportunities, as well as the challenges a shrinking city is faced with.     

Environmental impact assessment in the Philippines: 1977–1985

During 1977 a Philippine environmental impact statement (EIS) system was established and the National Environmental Protection Council (NEPC) was formed to develop environmental policy. Several months after its creation, NEPC was given responsibility to certify that proposed projects met EIS system regulations. With few exceptions, this requirement to gain NEPC's approval was not taken seriously by agencies. The poor record of agency compliance with the EIS system is explained by the absence of ‘controls’ to force thorough assessments. Judicial controls are absent. Procedural and evaluative controls are in place, but NEPC has neither the budget nor the political power to enforce them. Although the national EIS system is ineffective, agencies sometimes conduct informal, ad hoc environmental assessments in response to instrumental controls exercised by international funding organizations, professional controls exerted by planners, and public controls brought about by individuals and groups who would be adversely affected by projects.     

Environmental economic impact assessment in China: Problems and prospects

The use of economic valuation methods to assess environmental impacts of projects and policies has grown considerably in recent years. However, environmental valuation appears to have developed independently of regulations and practice of environmental impact assessment (EIA), despite its potential benefits to the EIA process. Environmental valuation may be useful in judging significance of impacts, determining mitigation level, comparing alternatives and generally enabling a more objective analysis of tradeoffs. In China, laws and regulations require the use of environmental valuation in EIA, but current practice lags far behind. This paper assesses the problems and prospects of introducing environmental valuation into the EIA process in China. We conduct four case studies of environmental economic impact assessment (EEIA), three of which are based on environmental impact statements of construction projects (a power plant, a wastewater treatment plant and a road construction project) and one for a regional pollution problem (wastewater irrigation). The paper demonstrates the potential usefulness of environmental valuation but also discusses several challenges to the introduction and wider use of EEIA, many of which are likely to be of relevance far beyond the Chinese context. The paper closes with suggesting some initial core elements of an EEIA guideline.     

Monitoring, assessment and modelling using water quality data in the Saale River Basin, Germany

The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) is the overall driver for this environmental study and currently requires the identification of patterns and sources of pollution (monitoring) to support objective ecological sound decision making and specific measures to enhance river water quality (modelling). The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate in a case study the interrelationship between (1) hydrologic and water quality monitoring data for river basin characterization and (2) modelling applications to assess resources management alternatives. The study deals with monitoring assessment and modelling of river water quality data of the main stem Saale River and its principal tributaries. For a period of 6 years the data, which was sampled by Environmental Agencies of the German states of Thuringia, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, was investigated to assess sources and indicators of pollution. In addition to the assessment a modelling exercise of the routing of different pollutants was carried out in the lower part of the test basin. The modelling is a tool to facilitate the evaluation of alternative measures to reduce contaminant loadings and improve ecological status of a water body as required by WFD. The transport of suspended solids, salts and heavy metals was modelled along a selected Saale reach under strong anthropogenic influence in terms of contaminants and river morphology between the city of Halle and the confluence with the Elbe River. The simulations were carried out with the model WASP5 which is a dynamic flood-routing and water quality model package developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency.