Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
1.5.2 Dimensions of the environment
The environment can be structured in several ways, including components, scale/space
and time. A narrow definition of environmental components would focus primarily on the
biophysical environment. For example, the UK Department of the Environment (DoE)
used the term to include all media susceptible to pollution, including air, water and soil;
flora, fauna and human beings; landscape, urban and rural conservation and the built
heritage (DoE 1991). The DoE checklist of environmental components is outlined in
Table 1.3. However, as already noted in Section 1.2, the environment has important
economic and sociocultural dimensions. These include economic structure, labour
markets, demography, housing, services (education, health, police, fire, etc.), lifestyles
and values, and these are added to the checklist in Table 1.3. This wider definition is
more in tune with an Australian definition, “For the purposes of EIA, the meaning of
environment incorporates physical, biological, cultural, economic and social factors”
(ANZECC 1991).
The environment can also be analysed at various scales (Figure 1.6). Many of the
spatial impacts of projects affect the local environment, although the nature of “local”
may vary according to the aspect of environment under consideration and to the stage in a
project's life. However, some impacts are more than local. Traffic noise, for example,
may be a local issue, but changes in traffic flows caused by a project may have a regional
impact, and the associated CO 2 pollution contributes to the global greenhouse problem.
The environment also has a time dimension. Baseline data on the state of the environment
are needed at the time a project is being considered. This in itself may be a daunting
request. In the UK, local development plans and national statistical sources, such as the
Digest of Environmental Protection and
Table 1.3 Environmental components
Physical environment (adapted from DoE 1991)
Air and atmosphere
Water resources and water
bodies
Soil and geology
Flora and fauna
Air quality
Water quality and quantity
Classification, risks (e.g. erosion, contamination)
Birds, mammals, fish, etc.; aquatic and terrestrial vegetation
Human beings
Landscape
Cultural heritage
Physical and mental health and well-being
Characteristics and quality of landscape
Conservation areas; built heritage; historic and archaeological sites
Climate
Energy
Temperature, rainfall, wind, etc.
Light, noise, vibration, etc.
Socio-economic
environment
Economic base—direct
Direct employment; labour market characteristics; local and non-
local trends
Economic base—indirect
Non-basic and services employment; labour supply and demand
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