Aquatic Pollution and Coastal Management

Unit 12 : Environmental impact assessment

12.2.Rationale of EIA / Why Do EIA?
Most of the developmental projects have been formulated and assessed on the technical, economic and political criteria and potential environmental, health, social and cultural impacts were ignored or not considered. As a result, many of the developmental projects end up in disappointments and failures than successes. The lack of understanding and appreciation of the environment and natural resources, however, is clearly to blame for many depleted resources, degraded lands and human misery.
Nature is holistic-complex, interconnected and systematic. Unfortunately, development projects usually single events undertaken in isolation. Natural systems must be understood in order to predict the consequences of technological change. EIA, therefore is to determine potential environmental, social and health impacts of a developmental projects. This thus, makes possible for the planners/decision makers to minimize the adverse impact through suitable measures and allows development without tears or fears. [We do EIA in order to predict adverse consequences of development on environment].
“An instrument to identify and assess the potential environmental impacts of a proposed project, evaluate alternatives and design appropriate mitigation, management and monitoring measures”.