Was the Environmental Assessment Adequate? - Mining and the Environment: From Ore to Metal - page 500

Supporting Review Materials

Often a wide range of information exists that may facilitate an EIA review. Apart from
the EIA documentation, such material may include the following:
● Contact names and telephone numbers of people, agencies, organizations and environ-
mental information/data resource centres able to provide assistance in EIA review;
● Lists of agencies/government departments etc. responsible for review in the national
jurisdiction and their specii c requirements;
● Review procedures and requirements established in the applicable EIA legislation or
guidelines;
● Methods and criteria that are used or could be applied locally to review the quality of
EIA reports;
● International Best Practice Guidelines such as World Bank Operational Directives and
guidelines;
● Mine pre-feasibility or feasibility study documents;
● EIA document for a similar project conducted in the same jurisdiction;
● Examples of reviews of EIA reports carried out locally and their results;
● Copies of research focused on the quality of EIA reports;
● Copies of project-related studies that are of environmental relevance;
● Other resources that may be available such as videos, journal articles and case studies;
● Project-related information available from the internet;
● Outline of a typical public review process and how it is related to decision-making;
● Copies of public submissions or inputs to the review of EIA reports; and
● Examples of the system of summarizing and reporting on public submissions from EIA
review.
Of all review guidelines, the most pertinent are the IFC Performance Standards, which
represent the quintessence of the Equator Principles.

Review Focus

The elements of EIA review and the aspects to be considered differ, depending on arrange-
ments that are in place in a particular country and for a particular project. However, at a
minimum, the review should elaborate whether the EIA has adequately covered the fol-
lowing issues (after IFC 2000).
Environmental Guidelines . Mining projects must meet applicable environmental guide-
lines as set forth by the national legislation.
International Treaties and Agreements on the Environment and Natural Resources .
Various international treaties and agreements on a range of environmental and natural
resource issues are relevant to particular mining projects (e.g. marine environmental pro-
tection and biodiversity). Environmental assessment should consider these treaties and
agreements in the project's environmental analyses.
Public Disclosure and Participation . It is no longer acceptable to develop large-scale projects
without informing affected communities on the various facets of the project and how it may
affect their lives. The project documentation should demonstrate that public involvement from
disclosure up to participation in decision-making is an integral part of the planning process.
Indigenous Peoples . Indigenous Peoples issues are relevant for many mining projects.
An Indigenous Peoples Action Plan should be developed for any mining project impact-
ing on Indigenous Peoples. The World Bank OD 4.10, Indigenous Peoples and OP. 4.20
Indigenous Peoples provide guidance on the preparation for such action plans.

It is no longer acceptable to
develop large-scale projects
without informing affected
communities.