120
B. Schuchardt . H. Grann
management was introduced into the project, giving environmental expertise a central
position within the management team. The EPP (see Fig. 11.2) comprises:
1. An Environmental Protection Programme for the Planning Phase dealing with:
- Ecological Sensitivity Studies, Environmental Baseline Studies, Environmental
Impact Assessments
- Communication between technical and environmental experts, relation with the
authorities, information flow to the public
2. An Environmental Protection Programme for the Construction Phase dealing with:
- The Ecological Monitoring Programme, Ecological Compensation Measures
- Environmental Management of Construction Activities
- Communication between technical and environmental experts, relation with the
authorities, information flow to the public
3. An Environmental Protection Programme for the Operation Phase dealing with:
- The Ecological Monitoring Programme
- The Environmental Management of Operation, Environmental Audits, Environmental Management Reviews
- Information and training, relations with the authorities
In the following section we will focus on some special items of the EPP.
11.5
Sensitivity Studies (Route Selection)
Planning of a pipeline route has to take account of the natural, socioeconomic and
political characteristics of the region it crosses. At the same time, such a routeing has to
comply with construction and safety requirements. Where avoidance of a sensitive area
(in this phase defined as protected areas) is not possible, it may be feasible to minimise
the impact by adopting special measures. However, in principle at least, engineers will
want to avoid areas which present particular construction difficulties whilst environmentalists will want to avoid areas of ecological sensitivity and other groups may focus
on other specific items. Demands of this nature can lead to a dilemma in deciding what
should take precedence in the final selection. It is obvious that such a decision must
ultimately be a political one (Grann and Schuchardt, in press). However, it is essential
to involve all stakeholders in the decision-making process, which failed partIy, in view,
in the Europipe project. It becamesobvious during the Europipe project that strategic
and conceptual project planning had to take into account all these different concerns
and interests in the right balance. Aspects of the environment and of environmental
policy were underestimated in the very early planning of the Europipe project due to
the lack of qualified information.
The very early analysis of technical, ecological and socio-economic aspects as integrated sensitivity studies offers a promising approach in this respect. Sensitivities may
be defined as key components and processes which are critical to the integrity of a
system, both of the natural and the socio-economic environment (see De Bie 1996).
The early identification of the key components and processes which may be critical to
the composition and integrity of both the environment and its function for mankind
should be the main aim of such sensitivity studies.
B. Schuchardt . H. Grann
management was introduced into the project, giving environmental expertise a central
position within the management team. The EPP (see Fig. 11.2) comprises:
1. An Environmental Protection Programme for the Planning Phase dealing with:
- Ecological Sensitivity Studies, Environmental Baseline Studies, Environmental
Impact Assessments
- Communication between technical and environmental experts, relation with the
authorities, information flow to the public
2. An Environmental Protection Programme for the Construction Phase dealing with:
- The Ecological Monitoring Programme, Ecological Compensation Measures
- Environmental Management of Construction Activities
- Communication between technical and environmental experts, relation with the
authorities, information flow to the public
3. An Environmental Protection Programme for the Operation Phase dealing with:
- The Ecological Monitoring Programme
- The Environmental Management of Operation, Environmental Audits, Environmental Management Reviews
- Information and training, relations with the authorities
In the following section we will focus on some special items of the EPP.
11.5
Sensitivity Studies (Route Selection)
Planning of a pipeline route has to take account of the natural, socioeconomic and
political characteristics of the region it crosses. At the same time, such a routeing has to
comply with construction and safety requirements. Where avoidance of a sensitive area
(in this phase defined as protected areas) is not possible, it may be feasible to minimise
the impact by adopting special measures. However, in principle at least, engineers will
want to avoid areas which present particular construction difficulties whilst environmentalists will want to avoid areas of ecological sensitivity and other groups may focus
on other specific items. Demands of this nature can lead to a dilemma in deciding what
should take precedence in the final selection. It is obvious that such a decision must
ultimately be a political one (Grann and Schuchardt, in press). However, it is essential
to involve all stakeholders in the decision-making process, which failed partIy, in view,
in the Europipe project. It becamesobvious during the Europipe project that strategic
and conceptual project planning had to take into account all these different concerns
and interests in the right balance. Aspects of the environment and of environmental
policy were underestimated in the very early planning of the Europipe project due to
the lack of qualified information.
The very early analysis of technical, ecological and socio-economic aspects as integrated sensitivity studies offers a promising approach in this respect. Sensitivities may
be defined as key components and processes which are critical to the integrity of a
system, both of the natural and the socio-economic environment (see De Bie 1996).
The early identification of the key components and processes which may be critical to
the composition and integrity of both the environment and its function for mankind
should be the main aim of such sensitivity studies.