EIA- Concept and Practice Surya Man Shakya Visiting Faculty Kathmandu University suryamanshakya@yahoo.com 98510 50095

Development of EIA 1976 USA Sixth Plan(1980-’85) National Conservation Strategy (1988) Env. Protection Council – 1993 Environmental Protection Act (1996) Env. Protection Regulation (1997) Revisit and fine tune (2016/17)

EIA for Development : Why and How Comply with national laws. Comply with donor guidelines. Ensure that development is socially and environmentally sustainable. Safeguard our investment.

EIA - Eight guiding principles participation transparency certainty accountability credibility cost-effectiveness flexibility practicality

EIA - Three core values sustainability - the EIA process will result in environmental safeguards integrity - the EIA process will conform to agreed standards utility - the EIA process will provide balanced, credible information for decision-making

What is Environmental Assessment? A Planning and Management Tool used to: Identify beneficial and adverse environmental impacts Examine the significance of impacts Recommend preventive and curative measures Assess whether proposal should go ahead Inform stakeholders about environmental implication Provide adequate information to decision-makers on project implementation and in what form.

What is Social Assessment? A Tool that: Identifies social dimension and associated processes Identifies affected population with assets and social facilities Assesses needs – to maximize project benefits Assesses client demands (willingness to pay) Assesses absorptive capacity Conducts gender analysis; and Assesses adverse impacts on vulnerable groups ….

BASIC CONCEPTS EIA is a “two-sided” coin. On the one side, there are the potential impacts of the project on the environment. On the other, there are the impacts that the environment could have upon the project.

EIA Leadership in Nepal NPC/IUCN The leading Partners (1985-1990s) NPC/EPC/ MOE (1990-2000) MOE/Sectoral Ministries/Proponents/Donor Community/ (2000-till date)

The need for a balanced Approach Social, Financial and Environmental Justice Common sense that EIA is to protect the Project, proponent as well as the Environment Respect to Local Ethos and Ethics A mechanism to manage national interests

Project Intake Source Decreased Flow Diversion Original Flow

Environmental Safeguard Physical Social Economic, Cultural Biological Issues Related to Operation Stage Positive Outcomes Issues Related to Construction Stage +ve + ve --ve

EIA Failure Proponent Govt Stakeholders

EIA is process which involves Screening Scoping EIA preparation/alternatives Impact prediction/Determination of significance Mitigation measures Presentation of results Decision Making Monitoring/evaluation

All environmentally benign projects/activities Screening Criteria Category - I All environmentally benign projects/activities IEE/EIA is not needed) Category - II Activities which impacts and mitigation measures are known - (may need IEE) Category - III Activities in which an IEE may not be able to resolve the likely impacts, need and application of EIA

Typical stakeholders local people proponent and project beneficiaries government NGOs other, e.g. donors, the private sector, academics

EIA Report Format Identification of Environmental Impacts Alternative Analysis Mitigation Measures Environmental Management Plan Review of Policy and Legal Provisions Monitoring of the Proposal Environmental Auditing Reference Materials Annexes

The Environmental Assessment Process Screening Scoping Terms of Reference EIA Report Preparation EIA Report Submission and Approval Project Implementation and Environmental Monitoring Environmental Auditing Well-defined Beginning and End

Submission of the Final EIA Report Submit 15 copies of the final EIA report with recommendation letter to concerned Agency Review the EIA report Send the EIA report to with suggestions, if any to MoE MoE reviews and sends 10 copies of the report to MOPE with its opinion within 21 days

Approval of the EIA Report Upon receipt of the EIA report, MOPE issues public notice in any one daily newspaper Public may copy the report and provide opinions and suggestions within 30 days from the first date of publication MOPE may constitute EIA Report Suggestion Committee for technical review MOPE may grant approval within 60 days or 90 days upon receipt of the Report

Monitoring Baseline Monitoring Impact Monitoring Compliance Monitoring Develop verifiable monitoring indicators for all parameters to be monitored

Environmental Audit determine impacts check that conditions arising from EIA test accuracy of EIA predictions identify areas where the EIA could have been improved look for improvements to future EIAs

Some common shortcomings of EIA reports Objectives of activity described too narrowly description does not cover complete activity alternatives do not account for the environment key problems not described sensitive elements in environment overlooked standards and legislation are not described or alternatives do not comply with them some mitigating measures not considered

Project

THEMATIC LINKAGES Project Committed Proponent (EIA) Social and Environmental Justice THEMATIC LINKAGES Project Financial Commitment and Transparency Disciplined Stakeholders Govt/Political Commitments Legal and institutional Mechanisms Technical Efficiency and Capability

The last thing we want in Nepal is a situation Where EIA is not considered anti-development!

Thank you very much !