XIV
Conclusions
Furthermore, these costs must be included in the cost benefit calculation. Magnitude and significance of environmental impacts need to be standardised in monetary
terms. These methods have to be transferred to social and cultural values to include
all secondary effects of economic development.
CBA could have great power as an heuristic method to an environmental and holistic management approach. It should observe equity principles in the process by
including monetary valuation methods and techniques in assessing the environmental effects. In the context of managing large-scale projects in the most sustainable way, the application of the best available technology (BAT) should be considered.
However, its application must be carefully balanced to take account of regional and
cultural differences. Furthermore, BAT should not be used uncritically but should
rather be justified by specific measurable environmental benefits.
7
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) plays an important role in project
• implementation. It gives the environment its due place in the decision making
process by evaluating adverse impacts on the environment before any construction
activities commence. The UN conference on Environment and Development in 1992
recommended the global application of EIAs: "Environmental impact assessment, as
a national instrument, shall be undertaken for proposed activities that are likely to
have a significant adverse impact on the environment and are subject to a decision of
a competent national authority".
While there are some guidelines and objectives available for EIAs, they should
nevertheless be constantly improved by learning 1) through adaptive application
during construction and 2) through critical evaluation after project completion.
However, EIAs need a clear legislative basis and regulations for transboundary control are required. Large-scale constructions very often cause transboundary effects,
as in the case of water reservoirs or fixed link projects between countries. Besides
bilateral regulations, universal and international guidelines are needed.
Furthermore, EIAs have to be initiated before the beginning of project planning
and have to be integrated into the project development. Industry itself should use
this instrument more actively during planning, construction and operation. This improves the project from both environmental and economic points of view. In addition, assumptions and predictions of EIAs should be critically reviewed during construction for the purpose of taking immediate remedial action.
Beside the legislative basis, EIAs need another supporting leg in the form of an
adequate data base. The data base is also an essential requirement for the design of
environmental impact studies (EISs). Only competent multi-disciplinary teams applying interdisciplinary principles will guarantee a successful EIA. This includes the
capacity for quantitative predictions and the recognition of feedback loops. Another
essential ingredient are the monitoring programs mentioned above. Project and
post-project monitoring will improve the evaluation of EIAs and thereby support an
environmental auditing.
Sequential EIAs and monitoring programs are good management tools and
should therefore always be linked. The integration of these instruments leads to more
realistic formulations of critical questions concerning the effects of project implementation. Research activities are focused on essential aspects and feedback for the
assessment of the assumptions of the EIAs is much easier and clearer. In practise
Conclusions
Furthermore, these costs must be included in the cost benefit calculation. Magnitude and significance of environmental impacts need to be standardised in monetary
terms. These methods have to be transferred to social and cultural values to include
all secondary effects of economic development.
CBA could have great power as an heuristic method to an environmental and holistic management approach. It should observe equity principles in the process by
including monetary valuation methods and techniques in assessing the environmental effects. In the context of managing large-scale projects in the most sustainable way, the application of the best available technology (BAT) should be considered.
However, its application must be carefully balanced to take account of regional and
cultural differences. Furthermore, BAT should not be used uncritically but should
rather be justified by specific measurable environmental benefits.
7
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) plays an important role in project
• implementation. It gives the environment its due place in the decision making
process by evaluating adverse impacts on the environment before any construction
activities commence. The UN conference on Environment and Development in 1992
recommended the global application of EIAs: "Environmental impact assessment, as
a national instrument, shall be undertaken for proposed activities that are likely to
have a significant adverse impact on the environment and are subject to a decision of
a competent national authority".
While there are some guidelines and objectives available for EIAs, they should
nevertheless be constantly improved by learning 1) through adaptive application
during construction and 2) through critical evaluation after project completion.
However, EIAs need a clear legislative basis and regulations for transboundary control are required. Large-scale constructions very often cause transboundary effects,
as in the case of water reservoirs or fixed link projects between countries. Besides
bilateral regulations, universal and international guidelines are needed.
Furthermore, EIAs have to be initiated before the beginning of project planning
and have to be integrated into the project development. Industry itself should use
this instrument more actively during planning, construction and operation. This improves the project from both environmental and economic points of view. In addition, assumptions and predictions of EIAs should be critically reviewed during construction for the purpose of taking immediate remedial action.
Beside the legislative basis, EIAs need another supporting leg in the form of an
adequate data base. The data base is also an essential requirement for the design of
environmental impact studies (EISs). Only competent multi-disciplinary teams applying interdisciplinary principles will guarantee a successful EIA. This includes the
capacity for quantitative predictions and the recognition of feedback loops. Another
essential ingredient are the monitoring programs mentioned above. Project and
post-project monitoring will improve the evaluation of EIAs and thereby support an
environmental auditing.
Sequential EIAs and monitoring programs are good management tools and
should therefore always be linked. The integration of these instruments leads to more
realistic formulations of critical questions concerning the effects of project implementation. Research activities are focused on essential aspects and feedback for the
assessment of the assumptions of the EIAs is much easier and clearer. In practise