Introduction and principles - Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment - page 25

1.6.6 Beyond project assessment
As noted in Section 1.2, the SEA of PPPs represents a logical extension of project
assessment. SEA can cope better with cumulative impacts, alternatives and mitigation
measures than project assessment. SEA systems already exist in California and The
Netherlands, and to a lesser extent in Canada, Germany and New Zealand. Following the
Fifth Community Action Programme on the Environment which stated: “Given the goal
of achieving sustainable development, it seems only logical, if not essential, to apply an
assessment of the environmental implications of all relevant policies, plans and
programmes” (CEC 1992), an EU SEA Directive is now in place, to be implemented
from 2004 (see Therivel 2004, and Chapter 12).
1.7 An outline of subsequent parts and chapters
This topic is in four parts. The first establishes the context of EIA in the growth of
concern about environmental issues and in relevant legislation, with particular reference
to the UK. Following from the first chapter, which provides an introduction to EIA and
an overview of principles, Chapter 2 focuses on the origins of EIA under the US NEPA
of 1969, on interim developments in the UK, and on the subsequent introduction of EC
Directive 85/337 and subsequent amendments (CEC 97/11). The details of the UK
legislative framework for EIA, under T&CP and other legislation, are discussed in
Chapter 3.
Part 2 provides a rigorous step-by-step approach to the EIA process. This is the core of
the text. Chapter 4 covers the early start-up stages, establishing a management
framework, clarifying the type of developments for EIA, and outlining approaches to
scoping, the consideration of alternatives, project description, establishing the baseline
and identifying impacts. Chapter 5 explores the central issues of prediction, the
assessment of significance and the mitigation of adverse impacts. The approach draws
out broad principles affecting prediction exercises, exemplified with reference to
particular cases. Chapter 6 provides coverage of an important issue identified above:
participation in the EIA process. Communication in the EIA process, EIS presentation
and EIA review are also covered in this chapter. Chapter 7 takes the process beyond the
decision on a project and examines the importance of, and approaches to, monitoring and
auditing in the EIA process.
Part 3 exemplifies the process in practice. Chapter 8 provides an overview of UK
practice to date, including quantitative and qualitative analyses of the EISs prepared.
Chapter 9 provides a review of EIA practice in several key sectors, including energy,
transport, waste management and tourism. A feature of the chapter is the provision of a
set of case studies of recent and topical EIA studies from the UK and overseas,
illustrating particular features of and issues in the EIA process. Chapter 10 draws on
comparative experience from a number of developed countries (The Netherlands, Canada
and Australia) and from a number of countries from the developing and emerging
economies (Peru, China, Benin and Poland)—presented to highlight some of the
strengths and weaknesses of other systems in practice; the important role of international
agencies in EIA practice—such as the UN and the World Bank—is also discussed in this
chapter.