How do we do the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)?

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) or Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) is a tool thathelps assess the significant environmental and social impacts of the proposed project or development. It alsoassists the decision-makers in the projects or development’s approval.

The EIA or ESIA has several steps depending on the existing and applicable laws and regulations withincertain administrative areas. But in general, it includes screening, scoping, reports, consultation, decision-making, and post-decision activities. The screening will decide if the project or development needs the EIA orESIA. If so, scoping will map out what needs to be covered in the assessment and reporting. If otherwise, thedeveloper still requires to document the project or development plan, management, and monitoring for thesake of environmentally sound practices in other formats depending on local regulations. The developermight need to prepare an alternative for the proposed project or development and conduct an initialassessment before scoping.

As part of the assessment, a comprehensive study will be carried out and the EIA or ESIA reports will beproduced covering overall information about the project, impact analysis, proposed mitigations, monitoring,and budget for the implementation activities. Specific reports will be produced depending on the significantlevel of the impact or for certain topics that require in-depth analysis from specific experts or professionalsor are sensitive toward social-political situations such as cumulative impact assessment, climate changeimpact assessment, biodiversity offset management plan, reservoir management plan, gender and ethnicitydevelopment plan, etc. The EIA or ESIA reports need to be consulted with relevant local and nationalstakeholders accordingly. The report needs to be presented in the official local language that is easilyunderstood by specific local communities or ethnicity potentially impacted by the project or development.

The report should also be made available for the public to receive more opinions, suggestions, andrecommendations about the proposed project or development. Decision-makers will consider the feedbackfrom relevant stakeholders and the EIA or ESIA reports will be improved accordingly before accepting theproposed project or development. The acceptance needs to be published or made known to relevantstakeholders. Through the course of action or development, the developer should comply with the proposedmitigation measures including the post-closure activities, and monitor them carefully in coordination withrelevant authorities. Any non-compliance practices resulting in any grievances will be resolved according tothe applicable laws and regulations.