Decision Making for Sustainable Use and Development - Coastal Lagoons: Ecosystem Processes and Modeling for Sustainable Use and Development - page 350

Brouwer et al. 18 performed a meta-analysis of the use and nonuse values gen-
erated by more than 30 wetland valuation studies across Europe and North America.
Apart from providing an excellent overview of a qualitative descriptive analysis of
wetland function, the study uses it as the basis for the subsequent quantitative meta-
analysis of evaluations derived from a large number of CV wetland studies. These
studies yielded over 100 value estimates of wetlands, which were considered in the
meta-analysis. The analysis identified such values as flood control, water generation,
and later quality attributes that exerted a stronger influence over the WTP than nonuse
elements such as biodiversity of wetlands, which agree with the findings of other
preference studies valuing nonmarket goods.

8.4.6 E NVIRONMENTAL AND S OCIAL I MPACT A SSESSMENT

AS A D ECISION -M AKING T OOL

8.4.6.1 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

In many countries, the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process is the pre-
dominant methodology used to compile and integrate the array of environmental
and socio-economic data, which provide decision makers information they can use
to analyze and evaluate impacts. 54-56 It is important to integrate the economic, social,
cultural, ecological, and other “larger picture” parameters that more fully represent
the societal impacts through such an EIA process for use by decision makers. Such
efforts have resulted in the development of such programs as the cumulative impact
assessment (CIA), socio-economic assessment, life cycle analysis (LCA) links to
EIA, and the strategic environmental assessment. 57
The U.S. EIA process is framed and guided by the National Environmental Policy
Act, 1969 (NEPA) procedures. This process has been widely utilized over the last 30
years; however, it still lacks a detailed socio-economic valuation component. A helpful
summary presenting the fundamentals of an EIS has been developed by the U.S. EPA 58
and summarizes the principles of its environmental impact assessment program and
supportive legislation in the form of an international training course.
Soon after, Canada established its environmental assessment and review process
(EARP) where the responsibility for conducting EIA lies with the national govern-
ment and ten provincial and two territorial jurisdictions. In a concise status summary
of EIA used in over 30 developed and developing countries, Lemans and Porter 59
present the various methods used, problems encountered, and types of impacts
experienced.
The proceedings of the European Commission (EC)-sponsored workshops on
environmental impact assessment present valuable reviews on the status and exam-
ples of EU country EIA process and evaluation. Specifically, conclusions and rec-
ommendations of the discussion groups from EIA workshops outline the perceived
deficiencies in methodologies of the member states' EIA. 20 Interestingly, one of the
priority recommendations was to strengthen the role of the EIA in decision making.
The EC provides a review of U.K. guidance on EIA, “Guidance for developers on
the preparation of environmental statements.” 20 Additional references provide sig-
nificant guidance on EIA and its integration into planning. 60-63