Environment impact assessment and auditing
Content
- Introduction
- Environment pollution and disaster management
Introduction
Every nation aspires to advance, and economic growth through trade and industry is one way to do this. Every nation develops industries that support economic growth, create jobs, and meet consumer requirements. The environmental effects of development projects in the past were not taken into account. Rivers and lakes became contaminated, air pollution increased to dangerous levels, and land became degraded as a result of the piling of industrial waste. The quality of life declined although material comforts and luxuries were made available by industrialization and economic expansion. People are now concerned about the environmental impact of view projects due to the massive environmental harm caused by these operations. Before a development project is put into action, EIA gives decision-makers the ability to evaluate the potential environmental effects of development operations. You will study about Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), a strategy for mitigating the negative environmental effects of development activities, in this lesson. You will also learn about its relevance, methodology, and application.
Future generations' existence and well-being depend on sustainable development and environmental preservation. Environmental Impact Assessment, or EIA, is a tool that aids in assessing how planned developmental projects or programs would affect the environment. Once mitigation strategies have been incorporated into the plan, clearance is granted. Thus, EIA demonstrates that it is a tool that enhances decision-making and assures that the project being built is environmentally sound and within the bounds of the ecosystem's capacity for assimilation and regeneration. The new project must receive environmental permission before moving forward. In order to help with decision-making about the substantial environmental repercussions of projects, initiatives, and programs, environmental impact assessments (EIAs) are a systematic method to identify, anticipate, and evaluate the environmental effects of planned activities.
An environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a process used to assess the environmental implications or affects of a planned development project, both positive and negative, and to make sure that these effects are taken into consideration in project design. Therefore, the EIA is predicated on forecasts. All pertinent facets of the ecological, social, economic, and human environments may be impacted. Therefore, the study calls for a multidisciplinary approach and should be carried out relatively early on during the project's feasibility stage. In other words, the viability of a project from an environmental standpoint should be evaluated. The Impact Assessment Agency of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, issues the "go ahead" or environmental clearance signal. Although the field of environmental auditing is not particularly new, its acceptance as a tool for evaluating environmental performance has recently grown significantly (Welford, 2002). With the introduction of the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) in 1993 and the release of ISO 14001 in 1996, the significance of environmental audits has significantly increased over the previous several years. More businesses are realizing the value of auditing their environmental consequences (Welford, 2002).
Developmental projects are a crucial part of a nation's advancement and economic development. Environmental Impact Assessments, or EIAs, are conducted prior to implementation in order to minimize the negative effects of developmental projects and programs on the environment. While development is necessary, protecting the environment is even more crucial to ensuring sustainable development and preserving the resources for future generations. EIA is a method for foreseeing potential negative environmental repercussions or environmental development initiatives. As it only approves the project proposals after mitigating all potential environmental harm. EIA is a tool that enhances decision-making and guarantees environmental security.
With EIA, a project is implemented with minimal damage to the environment. Important aspects of EIA are
(i) risk assessment,
(ii) environmental management and
(iii) post product monitoring.
(i) risk assessment,
(ii) environmental management and
(iii) post product monitoring.
Integrity, utility and sustainability are the core values of EIA. There are several legal bases of EIA as it not only appraises environmental health but also the social implications of planned developmental projects. In India the projects that require clearance for the government are related to industries, mining power plants, river valley projects, nuclear power projects and coastal regulation zone (CRZ). The environmental components of EIA are associated with air, water, organisms, noise, and land.
The following are completed prior to the preparation of the EIA report: baseline data collection, impact prediction, evaluation of net cost benefit relative to evolution of impacts, estimation of monitoring and mitigation techniques' amounts, and environmental monitoring plans. EIA processes include risk assessment, impact projection, mitigation strategies, baseline data collecting, public hearings, decision-making, monitoring, and EMP implementation. experts in the fields of ecology, resource management, pollution abatement, ecosystem management, land use planning, and rehabilitation project evaluation.
Procedure for Environmental appraisal in India stepwise are
- submission of documents by investor.
- scrutiny by multidisciplinary staff or Ministry of Environment and Forests.
- placement before experts and evaluation by them.
- recommendations from Appraisal Committees are their passed by Ministry of Environment and Forests.
- ministry accepts or rejects proposal.
Clearance or rejection issues are
- (a) single window clearance
- (b) time frame and
- (c) post project monitoring.
The participants in EIA are
- (i) developer who proposes the project,
- (ii) government departments which regulate the projects and
- (iii) the general public
Environment pollution and disaster management
Construction, transportation, and manufacturing are examples of development activities that not only deplete natural resources but also generate vast amounts of trash that pollute the air, water, land, and oceans and cause acid rain and global warming. Untreated or inadequately treated waste is a significant contributor to environmental deterioration, river pollution, human health problems, and decreased crop output. You will learn about the main sources of pollution, how they affect the environment, and the many steps that may be taken to control them in this unit. Natural disasters like floods, droughts, earthquakes, and tsunamis occasionally occur and do a great deal of harm to both people and property. It is crucial to develop strategies and tactics for managing and minimizing the impact of natural disasters. Human-caused disasters like fires, accidents, and diseases can be just as destructive and happen just as suddenly as natural disasters. You will learn about the causes, effects, management, and prevention of both natural and man-made disasters in this unit.
The movement of surface debris and topsoil from one location to another is referred to as soil erosion. Despite the fact that erosion is a natural process frequently brought on by wind and running water, it is significantly sped up by human activities including farming, construction, livestock overgrazing, burning of grass cover, and deforestation. A soil becomes less fertile and has a lower capacity to hold water when its topsoil is lost. The topsoil that is swept away clogs lakes with pollution, makes the water more murky, and also causes the loss of aquatic life. Depending on the temperature and soil type, it typically takes 200–1000 years for one inch of topsoil to form. Soil becomes a non-renewable resource if the topsoil erodes more quickly than it is generated. When compounds are introduced into the marine environment directly or indirectly by humans, it is known as marine pollution. These substances can have a negative impact on the marine ecosystem, posing risks to human health, obstructing marine activities, and reducing the quality of the seawater.
Depending on how it is used, nuclear energy has the potential to be both good and bad. We regularly utilize X-rays to check for fractures in bones, administer radiation therapy to treat cancer, and employ radioactive isotopes to diagnose illnesses. Nuclear power plants produce about 17% of the electrical energy produced worldwide. The carnage that nuclear bombs delivered to the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, on the other hand, cannot be forgotten. Nuclear energy's radioactive wastes have seriously harmed the ecosystem. Atomic nuclei split apart during nuclear fission. The energy produced can be put to a variety of uses. It won't be required to meter electricity produced by nuclear reactors because it will be so inexpensive. Users will pay a price and have unlimited access to electricity. A dependable, clean, and safe source of electricity will come from atoms. Despite the fact that nuclear energy is still used today as a dependable source of electricity, the aforementioned statement sounds incredibly optimistic. Concerns about radioactive waste safety and disposal have grown due to a number of major mishaps.
Droughts, floods, cyclones, earthquakes, landslides, avalanches, and forest fires are all exceedingly dangerous for the Indian subcontinent. There are 36 states and union territories in the nation, and 22 of them are disaster-prone. Because of the abnormalities in the Indian monsoon, floods are the natural disasters that happen most frequently in the nation. In India, the monsoon season lasts for three to four months and accounts for about 75% of the country's yearly rainfall. Because of this, there is a significant discharge from the rivers during this time, resulting in extensive flooding. In the nation, an estimated 40 million hectares of land have been recognized as flood-prone. The Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Meghna basin, which accounts for 60% of our nation's total river flow, is where most major floods occur. India has a 5700 km long coastline that is exposed to tropical cyclones that form in the Arabian and Bay of Bengal seas. One of the six main cyclone-prone areas of the planet is the Indian Ocean. Cyclones typically hit India between April and May as well as between October and December. About 80% of the cyclones produced in the region impact the eastern coastline, making it more vulnerable to them. In several states of India, there are always droughts. Drought-prone areas make about 16% of the total land area of the nation. Due to the fact that drought is brought on by below-average rainfall over an extended period of time, it poses a serious threat to the ecosystem. The majority of the government-identified drought-prone zones are located in the country's arid and semi-arid regions. One of the most catastrophic natural disasters is an earthquake. Because of how abruptly this phenomenon has an impact, it is nearly difficult to prepare for damage and structure collapse. India is susceptible to seismic activity of various intensities in between 50 and 60 percent of the country. The Himalayan and sub-Himalayan regions are home to the majority of the vulnerable areas.
There are six different types of pollution: air, water, noise, soil, thermal, and radiation pollution, among others. Several residential and industrial activities can lead to air pollution. Both gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and NOx as well as suspended particulate matter are kinds of air pollution. Air pollution can be avoided by using cleaner fuels like electricity, CNG, and biogas. Indoor pollution can be reduced through waste segregation, source-based pretreatment, and room sterilization. Utilizing cleaner fuels, filters, electrostatic precipitators, inertial collectors, scrubbers, etc. can reduce industrial pollution prevention and control. The ozone hole, which is caused by the use of chlorofluorocarbons, is where the ozone layer has thinned across the Arctic and Antarctic regions. The greenhouse effect is the term used to describe the rise in global temperature or heating impact caused by greenhouse gases (CO2, methane). Industrialization, urbanization, and modern civilisation all produce noise as a result. Radio and television are examples of indoor sources of noise, and indiscriminate use of loudspeakers, industrial activity, road and rail traffic, and airplanes are examples of outside sources. Water pollution is the addition of unwelcome substances to a body of water. Soil erosion, the leaching of minerals from rocks, and the decomposition of organic materials are all natural sources of water contamination. Many sectors, like power plants, need a lot of water for cooling, and hot water is released into rivers, streams, or oceans. Thermal pollution occurs when waste heat raises the cooling water's temperature by 10–100C. Ground water pollution is a result of improper sewage disposal, the discharge of farmyard manures and agricultural chemicals, and industrial effluents. Eutrophication is the process of a water body becoming more nutrient-rich. Sewage is a broad term for waste water from home, industrial, or garbage disposal sources. Soil contamination is the addition of pollutants that have a negative impact on fertility or soil quality. Plastic bags, industrial sources, agricultural sources, etc. are all contributors of soil pollution. A type of energy that travels over space is radiation. Non-ionizing radiation and ionizing radiations are two categories of radiation.
There is a significant likelihood of natural disasters on the Indian subcontinent. In India, cyclones, earthquakes, floods, and droughts frequently occur. Frequent occurrences of man-made or anthropogenic disasters, such as fires, diseases, etc., increase vulnerability to disasters. The Super Cyclone in Orissa in 1999, the Gujarat earthquake in 2001, and the tsunami that hit Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in December 2004 are the four most recent big catastrophes to affect India. Floods are the temporary inundation of a broad area brought on by an increase in river or reservoir level as a result of torrential rain, strong winds, cyclones, tsunamis, melting snow, or dam failure. Floods take a terrible toll on human, animal, and material existence. Floods may occur more frequently as a result of deforestation, soil erosion, and reservoir and river siltation. A drought is an occurrence that happens when there is less rain than anticipated during a season or time period. The amount of rainfall is insufficient to support agriculture, plants, animals, and people. The impact of drought on agriculture is its most significant one. It has an impact on dairy production, fishing, and unemployment. reduces health, increases poverty, lowers quality of life, destroys biodiversity, depletes groundwater, causes food shortages that result in starving deaths, and stirs up social instability that encourages migration. An earthquake is a rapid release of energy that has been building up in the earth's crust's deformed rocks and causes the ground to tremble or shake. The most significant impact of an earthquake is the collapse of structures, particularly tall buildings or structures with shaky foundations that risk life and property. Fires are instances where anything burns, and they are frequently destructive, causing damage to both people and property. More people die in fires than in cyclones, earthquakes, floods, and all other natural disasters combined, it has been noted. Air, train, and road accidents also cause significant loss of life and damage to property.
Most of these accidents can be avoided by adhering to regulations. The main cause of many illness epidemics is ignorance. if appropriate public education campaigns are carried out. Most of them are preventable. Since they are the first responders, community participation in disaster management is particularly beneficial. The government of India is undertaking a number of measures to engage the public at various levels in order to successfully implement the disaster management plan. Humans use the elements of nature like air, water, soil, forests, and fisheries as resources, and as a byproduct of urbanization and industrialization, these elements are polluted. In essence, pollution is a negative side effect of industry and urbanization. Polluting agents are those who cause the environment to be harmed either directly or indirectly.
Reference
- ADB et al. (2003), “Poverty and climate change: reducing the vulnerability of the poor through adaptation”, VARG multi development agency paper, United Nations Development Project (UNDP) United Nations, New York
- Chronic Poverty Research Centre (2005), “The Chronic Poverty Report 2004–05”, ChronicPoverty Research Centre (CPRC), University of Manchester.
- CRED, 2007. Annual Disaster Statistical Review: Numbers and Trends 2006. Report by the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED), School of Public Health, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium May 2007.
- Cyprik, R. (2008), “Impacts of climate change on livelihoods: What are the implications for social protection?, (unpublished) IDS MA dissertation, University of Sussex, Brighton.
- DFID (2004), “Key Sheets on Climate Change and Poverty”, DFID, London.
- GoI, 2006. Crisis Management: From Despair to Hope. Second Administrative Reforms Commission Third Report, Govt of India, Sep 2006
- International Chamber of Commerce (ICC, 1989) ‘Environmental Auditing’International Chamber of Commerce, Paris.
- John Glasson et al. 1997 Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment, 48.
- Patricia W. Birnie & Alan E. Boyle, 1992. International Law and the Environment, S9 (1992).
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