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<li class="page_item page-item-148"><span><a class="h" href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=148" title="Welcome">Welcome</a></span>
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<li class="page_item page-item-173"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=173" title="Course Introduction">Course Introduction</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-174"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=174" title="Help us to be sustainable">Help us to be sustainable</a></li>
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<li class="page_item page-item-25 current_page_ancestor current_page_parent"><span><a class="h" href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=25" title="1. Background">1. Background</a></span>
<ul style="overflow: hidden; height: 310px;">
<li class="page_item page-item-145"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=145" title="1-1 Background">1-1 Background</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-93"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=93" title="1-2 Purpose and aims of EIA">1-2 Purpose and aims of EIA</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-149"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=149" title="Activity 1A – Introduction to EIA">Activity 1A – Introduction to EIA</a></li>
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<li class="page_item page-item-97 current_page_item"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=97" title="1-3 Nature and Scope of environmental issues and impacts">1-3 Nature and Scope of environmental issues and impacts</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-100"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=100" title="1-4 Principles of EIA administration and practice">1-4 Principles of EIA administration and practice</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-101"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=101" title="1-5 Key elements of the EIA process">1-5 Key elements of the EIA process</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-150"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=150" title="Activity 1B – Introduction to EIA Practice">Activity 1B – Introduction to EIA Practice</a></li>
</ul>
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<li class="page_item page-item-102"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=102" title="1-6 Costs and benefits of EIA">1-6 Costs and benefits of EIA</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-175"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=175" title="1-7 Summary">1-7 Summary</a></li>
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<li class="page_item page-item-28"><span><a class="h" href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=28" title="2. Law, Policy and Institutional Arrangements">2. Law, Policy and Institutional Arrangements</a></span>
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<li class="page_item page-item-146"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=146" title="2-1 Introduction">2-1 Introduction</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-109"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=109" title="2-2 About EIA Systems">2-2 About EIA Systems</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-110"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=110" title="2-3 EIA Policy and Legislation">2-3 EIA Policy and Legislation</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-151"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=151" title="Activity 2A – EIA Systems, Policy and Legislation">Activity 2A – EIA Systems, Policy and Legislation</a></li>
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<li class="page_item page-item-111"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=111" title="2-4 EIA Requirements of International Organisations">2-4 EIA Requirements of International Organisations</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-112"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=112" title="2-5 Principles for a Functional EIA System">2-5 Principles for a Functional EIA System</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-154"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=154" title="Assignment 1 – Legal Requirements for EIA.">Assignment 1 – Legal Requirements for EIA.</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-152"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=152" title="Activity 2B – Localisation of EIA Legislation">Activity 2B – Localisation of EIA Legislation</a></li>
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<li class="page_item page-item-87"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=87" title="2-6 Summary">2-6 Summary</a></li>
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<li class="page_item page-item-29"><span><a class="h" href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=29" title="3. Public involvement">3. Public involvement</a></span>
<ul style="overflow: hidden; height: 0px;">
<li class="page_item page-item-179"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=179" title="3-1 Introduction">3-1 Introduction</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-129"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=129" title="3-2 What is public involvement?">3-2 What is public involvement?</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-130"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=130" title="3-3 Stakeholders involved">3-3 Stakeholders involved</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-131"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=131" title="3-4 Principles of public involvement">3-4 Principles of public involvement</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-153"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=153" title="Activity 3A – Public Involvement Principles">Activity 3A – Public Involvement Principles</a></li>
</ul>
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<li class="page_item page-item-132"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=132" title="3-5 Scope of involvement">3-5 Scope of involvement</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-133"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=133" title="3-6 Planning a public involvement programme">3-6 Planning a public involvement programme</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-134"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=134" title="3-7 Public involvement techniques">3-7 Public involvement techniques</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-155"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=155" title="Activity 3B – Public Involvement Practice">Activity 3B – Public Involvement Practice</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-135"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=135" title="3-8 Arguments for and against public involvement">3-8 Arguments for and against public involvement</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-180"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=180" title="3-9 Summary">3-9 Summary</a></li>
</ul>
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<li class="page_item page-item-30"><span><a class="h" href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=30" title="4. Screening">4. Screening</a></span>
<ul style="overflow: hidden; height: 0px;">
<li class="page_item page-item-181"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=181" title="4-1 Introduction">4-1 Introduction</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-136"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=136" title="4-2 Screening procedure">4-2 Screening procedure</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-137"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=137" title="4-3 Project lists for screening">4-3 Project lists for screening</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-138"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=138" title="4-4 Preliminary EIA">4-4 Preliminary EIA</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-156"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=156" title="Activity 4A – Screening Basics">Activity 4A – Screening Basics</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-139"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=139" title="4-5 Other types of Screening">4-5 Other types of Screening</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-86"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=86" title="4-6 Criteria for the determination of the need for, and level of, EIA">4-6 Criteria for the determination of the need for, and level of, EIA</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-157"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=157" title="Activity 4A – Screening Exercise">Activity 4A – Screening Exercise</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-182"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=182" title="4-7 Summary">4-7 Summary</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-31"><span><a class="h" href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=31" title="5. Scoping">5. Scoping</a></span>
<ul style="overflow: hidden; height: 0px;">
<li class="page_item page-item-185"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=185" title="5-1 Introduction">5-1 Introduction</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-140"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=140" title="5-2 Purpose of scoping">5-2 Purpose of scoping</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-141"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=141" title="5-3 Approaches to scoping">5-3 Approaches to scoping</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-142"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=142" title="5-4 Scoping methods">5-4 Scoping methods</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-158"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=158" title="Activity 5A – Scoping Basics">Activity 5A – Scoping Basics</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-143"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=143" title="5-5 Alternatives and tiering">5-5 Alternatives and tiering</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-159"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=159" title="Activity 5B – Scoping in Practice">Activity 5B – Scoping in Practice</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-144"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=144" title="5-6 EIA Terms of Reference">5-6 EIA Terms of Reference</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-160"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=160" title="Assignment 2 – Scoping Study">Assignment 2 – Scoping Study</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-184"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=184" title="5-7 Summary">5-7 Summary</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-32"><span><a class="h" href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=32" title="6. Impact analysis">6. Impact analysis</a></span>
<ul style="overflow: hidden; height: 0px;">
<li class="page_item page-item-121"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=121" title="6-1 Implications of the widening environment and sustainability agenda">6-1 Implications of the widening environment and sustainability agenda</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-122"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=122" title="6-2 Impact Identification">6-2 Impact Identification</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-123"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=123" title="6-3 Impact Analysis/Prediction">6-3 Impact Analysis/Prediction</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-191"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=191" title="Activity 6A – Impact Analysis Basics">Activity 6A – Impact Analysis Basics</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-186"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=186" title="6-4 Characteristics of environmental impacts">6-4 Characteristics of environmental impacts</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-192"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=192" title="Activity 6B – Impact Characterisation">Activity 6B – Impact Characterisation</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-124"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=124" title="6-5 Social Impact Assessment">6-5 Social Impact Assessment</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-125"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=125" title="6-6 Evaluation of impact significance">6-6 Evaluation of impact significance</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-126"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=126" title="6-7 Significance Criteria">6-7 Significance Criteria</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-161"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=161" title="Activity 6C – Impact Significance Assessment">Activity 6C – Impact Significance Assessment</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-128"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=128" title="6-8 Summary">6-8 Summary</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-33"><span><a class="h" href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=33" title="7. Mitigation and Impact Management">7. Mitigation and Impact Management</a></span>
<ul style="overflow: hidden; height: 0px;">
<li class="page_item page-item-117"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=117" title="7-1 Link between EIA process and Mitigation">7-1 Link between EIA process and Mitigation</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-118"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=118" title="7-2 Main Elements of Mitigation">7-2 Main Elements of Mitigation</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-162"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=162" title="Activity 7A – Mitigation Basics">Activity 7A – Mitigation Basics</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-188"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=188" title="7-3 Approaches to Mitigation">7-3 Approaches to Mitigation</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-193"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=193" title="Activity 7B – Mitigation of Specific Impacts">Activity 7B – Mitigation of Specific Impacts</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-120"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=120" title="7-4 Environmental Management Plan and Mitigation Measures">7-4 Environmental Management Plan and Mitigation Measures</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-163"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=163" title="Assignment 3 – Impact Assessment and Mitigation">Assignment 3 – Impact Assessment and Mitigation</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-187"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=187" title="7-5 Summary and Conclusions">7-5 Summary and Conclusions</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-34"><span><a class="h" href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=34" title="8. EIA Reporting">8. EIA Reporting</a></span>
<ul style="overflow: hidden; height: 0px;">
<li class="page_item page-item-113"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=113" title="8-1 What is an EIA Report?">8-1 What is an EIA Report?</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-114"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=114" title="8-2 Typical Elements of an EIA Report">8-2 Typical Elements of an EIA Report</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-164"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=164" title="Activity 8A. EIA Reporting Basics">Activity 8A. EIA Reporting Basics</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-115"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=115" title="8-3 Shortcomings encountered in Preparing EIA Reports">8-3 Shortcomings encountered in Preparing EIA Reports</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-116"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=116" title="8-4 Guidelines for effective EIA report preparation and production">8-4 Guidelines for effective EIA report preparation and production</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-165"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=165" title="Activity 8B – The Non-Technical Summary/Executive Summary">Activity 8B – The Non-Technical Summary/Executive Summary</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-166"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=166" title="Activity 8C – EIA Reporting Practice">Activity 8C – EIA Reporting Practice</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-35"><span><a class="h" href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=35" title="9. Review of EIA Quality">9. Review of EIA Quality</a></span>
<ul style="overflow: hidden; height: 0px;">
<li class="page_item page-item-104"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=104" title="9-1 Role and Purpose of the EIA Review Process">9-1 Role and Purpose of the EIA Review Process</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-105"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=105" title="9-2 Need for a Systematic Approach">9-2 Need for a Systematic Approach</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-106"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=106" title="9-3 Procedural Aspects">9-3 Procedural Aspects</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-108"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=108" title="9-4 Main Steps in the EIA Review">9-4 Main Steps in the EIA Review</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-167"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=167" title="Activity 9A – EIA Quality Basics">Activity 9A – EIA Quality Basics</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-107"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=107" title="9-5 Carrying out the review">9-5 Carrying out the review</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-168"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=168" title="Activity 9B – EIA Report Quality Assessment Exercise">Activity 9B – EIA Report Quality Assessment Exercise</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-103"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=103" title="9-6 Procedures for Evaluating EIA Reports">9-6 Procedures for Evaluating EIA Reports</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-169"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=169" title="Assignment 4 – Essay/Project">Assignment 4 – Essay/Project</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-189"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=189" title="9-7 Summary">9-7 Summary</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-38"><span><a class="h" href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=38" title="10. Decision-making">10. Decision-making</a></span>
<ul style="overflow: hidden; height: 0px;">
<li class="page_item page-item-98"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=98" title="10-1 Role of the Decision-makers">10-1 Role of the Decision-makers</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-99"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=99" title="10-2 EIA as part of the Decision-making Process">10-2 EIA as part of the Decision-making Process</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-170"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=170" title="Activity 10A – Decision-making: Procedural Considerations">Activity 10A – Decision-making: Procedural Considerations</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-96"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=96" title="10-3 Responsibility of the Decision-Makers">10-3 Responsibility of the Decision-Makers</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-94"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=94" title="10-4 Summary">10-4 Summary</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-39"><span><a class="h" href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=39" title="11. Implementation and Follow-up">11. Implementation and Follow-up</a></span>
<ul style="overflow: hidden; height: 0px;">
<li class="page_item page-item-89"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=89" title="11-1 Key Objectives of EIA implementation and follow up">11-1 Key Objectives of EIA implementation and follow up</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-90"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=90" title="11-2 Tools for Environmental Management and Performance Review">11-2 Tools for Environmental Management and Performance Review</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-88"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=88" title="11-3 Monitoring">11-3 Monitoring</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-171"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=171" title="Activity 11A – Implementation Management Planning">Activity 11A – Implementation Management Planning</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-91"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=91" title="11-4 Environmental Auditing">11-4 Environmental Auditing</a>
<ul>
<li class="page_item page-item-172"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=172" title="Activity 11B – EMP and Audit Programme">Activity 11B – EMP and Audit Programme</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-190"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=190" title="11-5 Evaluation of EIA Effectiveness and Performance">11-5 Evaluation of EIA Effectiveness and Performance</a></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-92"><a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=92" title="11-6 Summary">11-6 Summary</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="page_item page-item-176"><span><a class="h" href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=176" title="References">References</a></span></li>
<li class="page_item page-item-177"><span><a class="h" href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=177" title="Definitions">Definitions</a></span></li>
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<div class="post" id="post-97">
<h1 class="storytitle">1-3 Nature and Scope of environmental issues and impacts <a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=97" rel="bookmark"></a></h1>
<div class="storycontent">
<p>Numerous reports on the state of the world indicate the
environmental problems facing society. The Global Environmental Outlook
(GEO) prepared by UNEP provides an authoritative statement of the major
issues and their regional variations. In the GEO-2000 report, UNEP
advises that ‘full scale emergencies now exist on a number of
issues’, including water scarcity, land degradation, tropical forest
clearance, species loss and climate warming. Some of these issues, such
as climate warming and biodiversity loss, are global or so pervasive
that they affect all countries. Other environmental problems are
concentrated regionally and thus affect only certain countries or are
more serious for some than others.
</p>
<p>The major environmental challenges facing different parts of the
world are listed in the table below. This sample is a starting point for
discussion by participants to verify and identify regional and local
examples that are of most relevance to their country, taking account of
both current issues and future trends. For example, many small island
states and delta regions of larger countries are vulnerable to natural
hazards and threatened by sea level rise due to climate warming. Other
countries are likely to experience increases in water scarcity and
associated environmental stresses as a result of climate change.
</p>
<table>
<caption><b>Major environmental issues in developing regions </b></caption>
<thead>
<tr><th style="width: 20%; background-color: rgb(184, 193, 212);"><b>Developing Countries</b>
</th>
<th style="width: 80%; background-color: rgb(143, 156, 184);"><b>Major Environmental Issues</b>
</th>
</tr></thead>
<tfoot>
<tr><td colspan="2"><i>Sources: UNEP, 1999; World Bank, 2000. </i>
</td>
</tr></tfoot>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Africa
</td>
<td>The continent has the world’s poorest and most resource dependent
population. It also carries the highest health burden due to severe
environmental problems. These include desertification and soil
degradation, declining food security, and increasing water scarcity and
stress in north, east and southern Africa.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Asia and the Pacific
</td>
<td>The region has high population densities in Southern and South East
Asia. Rapid economic growth, urbanisation and industrialisation have
helped in poverty alleviation but also increased pressure on land and
water resources, widespread environmental degradation and high pollution
levels. Mega- cities are a particular focus of environmental and health
concerns.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Eastern Europe and Central Asia
</td>
<td>Despite progress with economic restructuring and environmental clean
up, there is a legacy of industrial pollution and contaminated land. In
many areas, emissions of particulates, SO2, lead, heavy metals and
toxic chemicals continue to expose the residents to health risks, and,
in the Balkans, war and regional conflict have exacted a heavy
environmental and social toll.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Latin America and the Caribbean
</td>
<td>Approximately three-quarters of the population live in urban areas.
Many cities are poor, overcrowded, polluted and lack basic
infrastructure. The major green issue is the destruction of tropical
forests and consequent loss of biodiversity, which is especially serious
in the Amazon basin.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Middle East
</td>
<td>Most land is either subject to desertification or vulnerable to
deterioration from saline, alkaline and/or nutrient deposition. Water
resources are under severe pressure and groundwater sources are in a
critical condition. Rapid and uncontrolled urbanisation has caused
worsening air and water pollution in urban centres.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Another way of subdividing environmental issues is to group them
under ‘green’ and ‘brown’ agendas. The green agenda focuses on
natural resource management and environmental protection issues, such as
rural land and water use, forestry and fisheries and habitat and
species conservation. The brown agenda is concerned with issues of
industrial pollution, waste management and urban development.
</p>
<p>When undertaking EIA, a comprehensive view should be taken of the
linkages and interactions among the issues under review. Also, the EIA
should identify both the benefits and costs of development. In practice,
EIA often focuses on the adverse environmental impacts of proposed
actions. This is done by reference to certain key characteristics, which
establish the potentially significant effects (see the table below).
</p>
<p>The impacts of a development proposal examined in EIA can be direct,
such as the effect of toxic discharge on air and water quality, or
indirect, such as the effect on human health from exposure to
particulates or contaminants, which have built up in food chains. Other
environmental and social impacts are induced, for example by a new road
opening up an undeveloped area to subsequent settlement or by
involuntary resettlement of people displaced by the construction of a
large reservoir. Certain adverse impacts may appear relatively
insignificant when considered in the context of an individual action or
proposal but have a cumulative effect on the environment when added to
all other actions and proposals; for example, deforestation resulting
from plot by plot clearance for subsistence agriculture. A fuller
discussion of environmental impacts and their analysis can be found in
Section 6 – Impact analysis.
</p>
<table>
<caption><b>Typology of environmental impacts</b></caption>
<thead>
<tr><th style="width: 50%; background-color: rgb(184, 193, 212);"><b>Category of Impacts</b>
</th>
<th style="width: 50%; background-color: rgb(143, 156, 184);"><b>Types of Impacts</b>
</th>
</tr></thead>
<tfoot>
<tr><td colspan="2"><i></i><br>
</td>
</tr></tfoot>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>type
</td>
<td>biophysical, social, health or economic
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>nature
</td>
<td>direct or indirect, cumulative, etc.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>magnitude or severity
</td>
<td>high, moderate, low
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>extent
</td>
<td>local, regional, transboundary or global
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>timing
</td>
<td>immediate/long term
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>duration
</td>
<td>temporary/permanent
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>uncertainty
</td>
<td>low likelihood/high probability
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>reversibility
</td>
<td>reversible/irreversible
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>significance*
</td>
<td>unimportant/important
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><i>*Impact significance is not necessarily related to the impact
magnitude. Sometimes very small impacts, such as the disturbance of the
nest of a pair of endangered birds, may be significant. When determining
the significance of the potential impacts of a proposal, all of the
above factors should be taken into consideration.</i>
</p>
<p><i></i> More detail on impact assessment is contained in Section 6.
</p>
<p>In many early examples of EIA practice, only the biophysical impacts
of proposals were considered (such as effects on air and water quality,
flora and fauna, noise levels, climate and hydrological systems).
Increasingly EIA processes are used to analyse a range of impact types
within a single framework. These include social, health, and economic
aspects.
</p>
<p>However this trend toward integrated assessment for decision-making
is by no means universal or uniform. Even in EIA systems where this
trend is well established, the degree and extent of integration varies
with legal requirements and accepted practice. In some countries, social
impacts are not assessed or are given only limited consideration. In
other countries, EIAs are supplemented by related, but separate studies
of social and health impacts.
</p>
<p>Despite a lack of internationally consistent practice, integrated
impact assessment, linking biophysical and socio-economic effects, is
identified as an important priority in Agenda 21. As a widely adopted
process that already covers other impacts, EIA is recognised as one of
the best available mechanisms for implementing an integrated approach.
In practice, achieving this approach will require greater attention to
be given to the identification of social, health and other impacts in
the EIA process. This aspect is addressed further in Section 6 –
Impact analysis.
</p>
<p></p>
</div>
<div class="storycontent">
</div>
<div class="meta">July 26, 2006 <a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?cat=1" title="View all posts in Uncategorized" rel="category">Uncategorized</a> — @ 11:56 am </div>
<div class="feedback">
<a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=97#comments" title="Comment on 1-3 Nature and Scope of environmental issues and impacts">Comments (5)</a> </div>
</div>
<h2 id="comments">5 Comments
<a href="#postcomment" title="Leave a comment">»</a>
</h2>
<ol id="commentlist">
<li id="comment-28003">
<p>May i please ask for the author of this article as i would like to reference some material. Thank you for the information given.</p>
<p><cite>Comment by <a href="http://eia.unu.edu/course/?page_id=97" rel="external nofollow" class="url">Kelvin</a> — January 9, 2009 @ <a href="#comment-28003">3:45 pm</a></cite> </p>
</li>
<li id="comment-28191">
<p>Dear Kelvin,</p>
<p>The authors are United Nations University, RMIT University, and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).</p>
<p>Please just provide the link to this page in your reference, with a note on the date that you visited the site.</p>
<p>Brendan Barrett<br>
United Nations University</p>
<p><cite>Comment by brendan — January 15, 2009 @ <a href="#comment-28191">9:31 am</a></cite> </p>
</li>
<li id="comment-31773">
<p>Can I ask about your courses, please? I am currently just finishing
my BA at Sunshine Coast Uni, with dual majors of Communication and
Sustainability, and Environmental Planning minor. I am most interested
in Social Impact Assessment as a post grad qualificiation. Many thanks,
Georgie Bull</p>
<p><cite>Comment by Georgie Bull — May 1, 2009 @ <a href="#comment-31773">1:07 pm</a></cite> </p>
</li>
<li id="comment-31864">
<p>This is an open educational resource used to support teaching and
self learning. At present, it is being used in courses offered by Oxford
Brookes University (UK), McGill University (Canada) and Agder
University (Norway). At least, those are the ones I know about and there
could be more. You would need to contact them directly for more
information.</p>
<p><cite>Comment by brendan — May 6, 2009 @ <a href="#comment-31864">1:14 pm</a></cite> </p>
</li>
<li id="comment-40690">
<p>Thanks for the good work. You are blessed</p>
<p><cite>Comment by Inyambe Wogar — April 29, 2010 @ <a href="#comment-40690">10:35 pm</a></cite> </p>
</li>
</ol>
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