Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
investigation, and applied geographers with a
broad knowledge base across the environmental
and the social sciences are well placed to
contribute to its development.
Another area of concern for those wishing to
support the effective use of the EIA in the planning
decision-making process, one that is frequently in
question worldwide, is that of public participation.
For this to be worthwhile in terms of providing
confident support for the legitimacy of the final
outcome, local knowledge, both lay and expert, will
need to have been examined. As part of this
undertaking, affected parties will need to have
explained their own views in a discourse with
others of differing opinions and thus will have had
an equal chance of influencing the conclusions
ultimately reached. Ideally, a resolution will have
been achieved to which all parties can give their
support. However, in spite of the importance of this
area of concern, research on the best way to achieve
such ends seems less than adequate. While it may
not seem the obvious topic for the applied
geographer, this author has managed to
demonstrate how participation can be handled
effectively in the interests of achieving an
environmental conservation policy, with which a
wide range of actors with considerable diversity of
lifestyles and interests could agree and ultimately
accept as fair and reasonable. In this case, the need
was to gain general acceptance for a policy for the
Broadlands of East Anglia (Blunden 1985). Others
have pursued similar work in connection with the
siting of a waste disposal facility in the canton of
Aargau in Switzerland (Webler
et al
. 1995), but both
exercises have identified common characteristics of
what can be described as social learning processes
for those involved. These include face-to-face small
groups meeting and working regularly over several
months; opportunities for all participants to explain
and justify their perceived needs; creating an
atmosphere that encourages participants to discuss,
criticise or challenge statements made by other
group members; providing access to expert
witnesses; and being able to undertake field visits.
But this is not to say that more does not need to be
done. These examples can only be early
contributions to the development of more
definitive models of effective participation
processes.
FURTHER READING
Two major texts, not otherwise referred to in this
chapter, are important for those wishing to read
more deeply about EIA.
Environmental Impact
Assessment —Theory and Practice,
(Routledge,
London, 1988) edited by P.Wathern remains the
original definitive work on EIA and, although
reprinted in 1998, it has not been updated. After his
introductory essay, the editor divides the topic into
sections with contributions from a range of authors
on the mechanics of EIA; the efficiency of EIA; the
practice of EIA around the world; and EIA as both
art and science. A rather more up-to-date and, as
the title suggests, forwarding-looking text
Environmental Impact Assessment: Cutting Edge for the
Twenty-First Century
(Cambridge University Press,
1995), comes from A.Gilpin. This has rather more
the style of a handbook about it, dealing, as it does,
with procedures and methodologies for carrying
out EIA. It also contains sections on practice and
legislation in most continents, apart from Africa, as
well as reviewing EIA practice by international
agencies. But unlike this chapter, it extends its
coverage to deal with strategic environmental
assessment (SEA), i.e. the interrelationship between
the environmental aspect of projects, programmes
and plans, usually within a regional context. In
addition to these topics, three journals provide an
invaluable source of material on contemporary
work in the field.
Environmental Impact Assessment
Review
is preeminent, but the
Journal of
Environmental Management
and
European
Environmental Law Review
have occasional articles
of considerable interest.
REFERENCES
Allen, R. (1996) What is Environmental Impact
Assessment?
Rural Wales
autumn, 8-9.
Beattie, R.B. (1995) Everything you already knew about
EIA (but don't often admit).
Environmental Impact
Assessment Review
15(2), 109-14.
