SustainableDevelopment
Development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the right of the coming generations to meet their needs.
Brundtland Report of 1987

How do we know that development in any country is sustainable?
How do we know that a particular project is sustainable?
What criteria are needed to assess the effect of a development activity on the environment?
When, during the project cycle, can we answer such questions?
Rationale for these questions
Scientific evidence indicates that:
Industrial activities and excessive resource consumption are having an adverse effect on the environment.
A poor state of the environment generally leads to adverse social and human health effects
Environmental impacts are not always directly foreseen
There is a need to to determine the potential environmental, social and health effects of a proposed development.
Tool Mechanism Process

Environmental Impact Assessment
Definition of EIA
Activity designed to identify and predict the impact on the biophysical environment and on man’s health and well-being of legislative proposals, policies, programmes and projects, and to propose measures to eliminate, avoid or mitigate foreseen adverse impacts
History of EIA
Resource scarcity and economic vulnerability recognized in the 1970s ( Club of Rome (1970) and UN Stockholm Conference (1972)
The American National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 is the first national statute to mandate an assessment of the environmental impact of proposals for legislation and other major governmental action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment
The Brundtland Report of 1987 and the emerging of the concept of Sustainable Development
The World Commission on Environment has taken advanced steps towards establishing an International Commission for Environmental Assessment

The World Bank introduced Operational Directive on environmental assessment and considered an EIA as part of project preparation (1990)
Rio Earth Summit, 1992, its Agenda 21 and all the Conventions emanating from it, have all highlighted the need for effective EIA process
(Principle 17 of Rio Declaration and Chapter 8 of Agenda 21):
" Environmental Impact Assistant shall be undertaken for proposed activities that are likely to have a significant adverse impact on the environment and are subject to a decision of a competent national authority"
The Purpose of EIA
Provide information for decision –making on the environmental consequences of proposed actions;
Predict the impacts of a proposed development on the social and physical environment of the area and
Identify appropriate enhancement and mitigation measures (propose alternative methods of carrying out the project, which might help to avoid or mitigate any negative impacts)


The salient features of EIA
EIA is a systematic mechanism supportive of planning and not an executive tool
EIA is a multidisciplinary mechanism
EIA is not confined to developmental projects only, but embraces programmes and policies as well.
EIA is one of the fundamental components within the larger umbrella entrusted with protecting the Natural Capital and utilize it in a sustainable manner
EIA is a continuous process commencing prior to the project and proceeds with it.
EIA is not limited in mitigation of negative impacts but endeavours to enhance the positive impacts
EIA could be such a strong tool that, if the EI statement revealed that a project could have severe environmental impacts, it could recommend the cancellation of the project.
Benefits of EIA Conductance
State and Investor
Contribute to high level of efficiency in utilizing natural resources
Contribute to decreasing the project cost in the long run
Decrease probability of disaster occurring
Decrease/ avoid judiciary liability and processes
Avoid correction costs and measures later
One of the feedback mechanisms to enhance the process of future developmental projects
Benefits to the Public
Enroot the concept of S D
Public is aware of environmental impacts
Avenue for people to air their views and express their interests
Achieve transparency
A tool of good governance
People have faith in their government
NO-EIA !!!
Deterioration of environmental status leads to NRs Depletion
Companies forced to pay penalty and costly cleansing measures
State reputation is tarnished
Donors withdrawal
Implementation delay or cancellation of projects and programmes
Loss of public faith
People counter movement


Examples of EIA Participants in the Sudan
The Government:
The Ministry of Environment and Physical development. The Higher Council for Environment and Natural Resources
The Proponent:
GNPOC, PETRODAR, Ministry of Irrigation, Private/Public Sector Companies
The Consultant:
The IES, UKCC, Newtech Engineering Co.
The Government:
Any Ministry and its affiliates
Interested/Affected groups/Stakeholders
Local communities ( Al Rubatab tribes and villagers)
NGOS ( SECS, …), general public
Commercial sectors
Academicians

Baseline Data
The current status of the physical, natural and social environment of the proposed project area needs to be known as a prerequisite to any impact evaluation.
Baseline data could be provided from available literature and collected in a field survey.



Types of impacts
Direct Impacts
Which follow as a direct cause- effect consequence of a project activity








Indirect Impact
At least one step removed from a project activity in terms of cause-effect linkages.
Space-linked impacts (Impact zone)
Localized, regional, global dimensions
Time linked impact
Time dimension. When is the impact going to occur?
The project cycle
Construction phase
Operation phase
Termination phase (Decommissioning)
Cumulative Impacts
Impacts resulting from the incremental impact of the proposed action added to the impacts of activities from other projects.

Past, present, and foreseeable future actions
A
Interaction of Impacts
Residual Impacts
Can not be avoided
Can not be mitigated to an accepted level
So, remains after mitigation measures have been applied.
Probability of impacts
Likely to occur
Unlikely to occur

Magnitude of impacts
Ranking Percentages weights
EIA TECHNIQUES
Many techniques are available.
Different projects - Different objectives of projects - Different experts conducting EIA
Most techniques concentrate on three aspects:
Identification of Environmental Impacts
Interpretation of Impacts
Measurements of Impacts
Ad hoc methods (Direct methods)
Checklists
Questionnaire
Matrices
Networks
GIS

Matrix
Networks
EIA in Sudan
Equatorial Nile Investigation 1940s
Establishment of Institute of Environmental Studies 1978
The HCENR 1991
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism 94
The Oil Era
The Environment Protection Act 2001
The Protection of Environment in oil industry (Regulations 2002, amended 2005)
Limitation of EIA in Sudan
No regulations
No designated EIA Body
Weak follow up and monitoring
Lateness in execution
Time limitations
Not all projects undergo EIA
Application confined to natural resources dependent projects
Local communities ignored
Making EIA An Efficient Tool
Strong Administrative and Legislative framework
Regulations and guidelines
National EIA Authority
National EIA Administration
Training centre
Upgrading EIA to Strategic Impact Assessment