Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
• the consideration of alternatives and involvement of the public varies widely between
Member States.
So even after two rounds of “harmonization”, EIA practice still varies widely across
Europe.
Environmental impact assessment procedures in North America, Australia and New
Zealand are still amongst the strongest in the world, with good provisions for public
participation, consideration of alternatives and consideration of cumulative impacts. All
have separate procedures for federal and state/provincial projects.
The following sections discuss the EIA systems of different countries worldwide as
examples of the concepts discussed above.
10.3 Benin
Benin, in West Africa, was once covered by dense tropical rain forest behind a coastal
strip. This has largely been cleared and replaced by palm trees. Grasslands predominate
in the drier north. Benin's main exports are cotton, crude oil, palm products and cocoa.
Even compared to other nearby countries, Benin has a relatively low GDP per capita.
However, Benin has had a fully functioning EIA system since 1995, and has been
identified as one of three francophone African countries that is most advanced in EIA
terms (d'Almeida 2001). Its EIA system is characterized by transparency, public
participation, integration of environmental concerns with national planning and robust
administrative and institutional tools (Baglo 2003).
Like many other African countries, Benin's early EIAs were carried out at the behest
of funding institutions such as the World Bank and African Development Bank. Benin's
constitution of December 1990 placed particular emphasis on environmental protection,
and in 1993 the Environmental Action Plan was adopted. In 1995 the Benin
Environmental Agency was created and made responsible for, inter alia, implementing
national environmental policy, conducting and evaluating impact studies, preparing State
of the Environment reports and monitoring compliance with environmental regulations.
Although the Agency reports to the Ministry of the Environment, Habitat and Town
Planning, it has corporate status and financial independence. The Agency subsequently
developed a framework regulation on EIA, as well as a range of EIA guides (e.g. on
projects that require EIA, EIA for gas pipelines and irrigation projects). Benin also has a
national association of EIA professionals, established in 1998 with 16 registered
members (Baglo 2003).
Benin's EIA process is led by the Benin Environmental Agency. Although this has
only two officers responsible for EIA, it can also draw on a forum of experts from public
and private institutions to prepare or review specific EIAs. This approach allows the
Agency to operate with minimal staff, ensures ongoing cooperation with other institutions
and puts into practice the principle of broad participation in decisionmaking (Baglo
2003).
The EIA process consists of:
• screening—this work is decentralized, with responsibility allocated to the ministries
responsible for the proposed project's sector;
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