Improving pesticide regulation in the third world: The role of an independent hazard auditor

Central to the environmental and health hazards created by the expanding use of pesticides in developing countries is the weakness of national regulatory agencies. This article reviews current international efforts aimed at supporting these institutions and describes the contribution that an external “hazard auditor” might make in assessing the pesticide industry's adherence to accepted standards of health and environmental protection. An independent evaluation of this kind may prove attractive to all parties in the long-standing confrontation over the control of pesticide technology: the industry, public interest groups, developing and developed countries, and international agencies. The article outlines one approach to operationalizing the concept and examines initial responses to the proposal. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the International Commission on Occupational Health/International Development Research Centre Symposium on the Impact of Pesticide Use on Health in Developing Countries, 17–21 September 1990, Ottawa, Canada.     

The role of public involvement in environmental impact assessment in Vietnam: towards a more culturally sensitive approach

This paper explores the extent to which Western approaches to public involvement in environmental impact assessment (EIA) have been transferred to Vietnam, constraints on their use, and their appropriateness for the Vietnamese context. The research is based on an analysis of the public involvement content found in 26 EIA reports from development banks and interviews with 26 key informants. The study found that public involvement in Vietnam is generally technocratic, expert-driven and non-transparent, similar to the early days of EIA in the West and emerging economies. Public involvement usually occurs through authorised state channels such as commune leaders, mass organisations and professional organisations. The lack of a participatory culture for EIA, the nascent nature of grassroots democracy in the country, and Vietnamese cultural norms regarding respect for authority provide a challenging context for involving the public in EIA. The paper concludes by offering a number of suggestions for culturally appropriate public involvement at a time when Vietnam has just introduced mandatory public consultation for EIAs.