The Environmental Impact Assessment in the UK - Report Example

Critically appraise the framework and practice of Environmental Impact Assessment in UK Student’s Name: Course Code: Lecture’s Name: Date of Submission: Introduction Across the globe in modern times, there are numerous concerns for the environment and its wellbeing when it comes to project management and implementation. This is in light of recent events from the 20th century, where due to lack of environmental impact assessment (EIA), there have been environmental disasters affecting millions of people and leading to unsustainable projects. However, to correct these situations and mitigate them in the future, there is need to analyse and evaluate the frameworks and practices of environmental impact assessment in different countries to measure how effective they are in environmental conservation and looking after the interests of the people with regard to their wellbeing and that of the environment. As a result, for this, report, the country in question is the United Kingdom, whose framework and practices shall be appraised based on strategy and projects carried out within the country. These shall be evaluated under three key categories namely, decision-making, sustainability and ethics to come up with a clear image of the country’s EIA as a whole. Decision-making The basic framework in assessment of any environmental impact assessment revolves around three key components that bear detailed subheadings. As such, these include information gathering, impact assessment and mitigation measures, and finally reporting and reviewing of findings and how best to overcome the challenges in the report. Environmental assessment in the UK revolves around similar circumstances, under which the practice and theory are carried out as found in both cases of project and strategic planning. Throughout the UK, an assessment is carried out as both a procedure and a technique meaning that all aspects of developmental proposals need to be considered prior to approval for the project to commence (Kreuser & Hammersley, 1999). With this, all matters pertaining to the assessment are enshrined in national legislation to ensure that there is a legal backing for every assessment, approval and disapproval for each project. The above in its entire implies that the decision-making process needs to be advised before approval, where the environment caters to animals, plants and even individuals. Failure to look into the needs of these dependents points to failure in decision-making, thus making the UK a failed party in ensuring environmental safety and conservation, especially on the part of its citizens since they stand at risk. As a consequence, Sadler and Fuller (1997) state that the UK serves its citizens in environmental assessments based on legislative factors to overcome uncertainties and to ensure effective planning that caters for future risks and eventualities. In addition, decision-making in project and strategic planning is further governed by legislation, where the European Union and its Commission of the European Communities governs the use of environmental statements and their implications to local communities and the environment as a whole. The above remains an effective means of ensuring responsible decision making involving projects since there is already a code in place to ensure that projects meet a set criterion prior to approval. Similarly, the backing of the EU ensures that there is a uniform criterion for environmental impact assessment, which further implies that member states in the EU are likely to face similar challenges. The above forms a weak point for the UK since in its establishment of environment Assessment Planning Regulations for England and Wales and Scotland, serves to correct the situation with a vast majority of UK environmental statements being produced under the above regulation (Glasson et al, 2004). All the above takes form through screening of available options and then deliberating the effects of the project on the people around it, as well as potential outcomes of specific projects. A look at construction indicates that the use of the legal framework in the UK brings together parties vested in the projects and even those affected by it, both directly and indirectly, to factor in their opinions and supplement the abilities of planning officers in offering technical reviews (Wood, 2003). The above makes the EIA of the UK highly effective in overcoming challenges faced by the country in its decision-making process surrounding environmental impacts that are unpredicted. Sustainability The UK’s environmental Impact Assessment is heavily challenged in strategic planning, where in its overseas territories, there is limited capability to ensure that developments take place within the allotted guidelines. As such, in some cases, there are no guidelines to ensure that the environment is conserved as can be seen in the case of Ascension Islands in which there exists no a developmental control framework (Glasson et al, 2004). The above makes strategic level environmental assessment difficult to conduct since there is no way of telling when there is a breach in environmental sustainability since there is no focus on long-term effects to the environment. In Ascension Island, sustainability is dependent on the perception of the governor since there is no clear framework for the environmental assessment, where the following activities are squarely at the discretion of the governor with no concern or inclusion of the local population (The Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development & the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, 2013). This means that the framework or lack of it thereof endangers the environment collectively by putting all persons and entities in the island at risk of environmental disasters. However, at the strategic level, the development of the overseas territories can be said to be undergoing a revolution with regard to environmental impact assessment, which is getting stronger. The Overseas Territories: Security, Success and Sustainability (2012) states that there is need to ensure re-evaluation of the environment and the projects taking place in it for purposes of conservation and future harmonious co-existence. The above serves as a strong point for the environment since it allows critical focus and organization in the UK for environmental conservation and sustainability. In addition, the issues of sustainability in the UK environmental impact assessment come up in that the UK EIA works effectively to ensure consistent development in line with environmental and national needs. As such, it follows up its EIA with mitigation factors proposed to work effectively towards the wellbeing of a project and the environment within which it is hosted (Marshal, 2001). This means that the country’s EIA in practice stands out as efficient since the decisions made concerning projects, especially construction projects and strategic planning of urban centres, where the immediate neighbourhood is considered. UNEP (2007) states that the UK remains effective in its project management, especially considering its legislation on Environmental Impact Assessment (England and Wales) Regulations 2000, which offers room for expansion in the future with little negative impact, but rather increased efficiency. The above is particularly so in the country's wind generated electricity aimed at lowering carbon emissions and ensures sustainable energy sources (UNEP, 2007). In addition, the above serves at a strategic level too with most of the issues raised pointing towards evaluation of post-implementation impacts and expansionist thinking. Ethics Ross et al (2006) state that in order to critically appraise any form of environmental impact assessment, there is a need to look at the ethics of the professionals involved in the assessment. The above is due to the close relationship enjoyed between quality and ethics in EIA, and for the UK, this is no different since there is a close relationship and this serves to expound on the effectiveness of the country in its policy and practice of the assessment. The UK’s guidelines for project and strategic management in environmental assessment are written by experienced and ethical experts, who ensure that all aspects of the environment are factored. The above is as opposed to enforcing the content of the guidelines, but rather the qualities found within it. According to Ross et al (2006), national policies on EIA for the UK and Wales are dependent on ethical and quality concerns, within which, the guidelines offered to govern EIA are of a literalistic nature. Based on this, the UK framework is bound to fail in its attempt to ensure that the best interests of the environment are met since project planning is enshrined in the law, but cannot be legally corrected (Bell & McGillivary, 2000). The above at the strategic level and project level simply mean that the practice of environment impact assessment may be redundant due to lack of legal intervention, despite legal frameworks to govern the progression of different human activities. In addition, there is a distinct failure in carrying out EIA in the UK since there is no guideline to ensure that EIA is conducted on all projects, private or public, meaning that little can be done to correct the situation, unless decision making bodies, mentioned in the first heading fails. Implications are that at the strategic level, which is backed by legislation and policy, stands out as the weakest point for the implementation of EIA in the UK due to redundant rules and regulations to govern environmental conservation and ethically guide decision makers. In addition, a look at the UK reveals that at the strategic level, EIA in the UK remains effective due to its consideration of vast amounts of factors including geographical components that could be affected by projects (Therivel, 1995). The implications of this are that though this is representative of only Lancashire County, there are numerous other areas that have implemented EIA for their strategic projects to ensure that the environment and particularly the people are not affected negatively. This serves as a positive ethical pointer for the UK in ensuring quality for its people’s lives and the environment as a whole. Similarly, the assessors are required to remain objective and offer information as required throughout the UK with regard to building quality and the overall impact that the environment stands to face since there have been cases of cartel like behaviour inflating sustainability figures (Fox, 2012). The relevance of such truthfulness in gauging the effectiveness of UK’s EIA is that, it dictates the overall impact since with every inflated figure comes a risk of failure for its legislation and its efforts at conserving the environment and ensuring quality. Similarly, statements by Fox (2012) give the UK a strong clean bill of health with regard to its ability in conducting effective EIA since its ethical consideration and quality determination into studies remains strong, especially in data collection and decision-making at the initial level of a project strategies. The government, according to Benson (2003) is at the forefront of environmental assessment studies and feasibility studies to ensure that national projects and strategies are in line with sustainable environment policies, as is the case with its quarrying policies. As such, the government of the UK ensures that all projects meet at least the minimum requirements for sustainability in urban planning, quarrying and public works. Based on the principle of ethics, EIA in the UK stands out as credible by following set guidelines according to quality and ethics rather than quantity, where members of the public expect an overall result speedily to meet their needs, but without a focus on the environmental impact (Fox, 2012). However, based on the legal structures in place, the UK can be seen to be complying with them to ensure that both pre and post-implementation concerns are looked into and alternative routes explored for the sake of accountability to the both the public and the environment. The above, therefore, means that the framework in place is successful in filtering out the ethical biases to ensure effective analysis and evaluation for sustainable decision making and development aimed at conserving the environment for the long haul. Conclusion Altogether, the frameworks in the UK can be termed as effective in both aspects of environmental impact assessment, which are at strategic and project levels. This is in that, the country has a legally backed decision-making framework to guide decision makers and ensure that impact assessment is carried out in cases that require the evaluation before planning and implementation of any project. In addition, the assessment factors in most, if not all the requirements of an assessment which include the people, sustainability and geography, as well as vegetation of a place prior to implementation of projects. Similarly, there are failure is the system in that UK’s overseas territories lack in this framework, making them vulnerable to abuse and unplanned projects leading to unsustainable development. References Bell, S & McGillivary, D 2000, Environmental Law, 5th Edn., London, Blackstone Press. Benson, F 2003, What is the alternative? Impact assessment tools and sustainable planning, Impact assessment and project appraisal, 21(4), pp. 261-266. Fox, W 2012, Ethics and the built environment, London, Routledge. Glasson, J., Therivel, R & Chadw ick, A 1994, An introduction to environ mental impact assessment, London, UCL Press. Kreuser, P & Hammersley, R 1999, Assessing The Assessments: British Planning Authorities And The Review Of Environmental Statements, Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management, 01(03), pp. 369-388. Marshall, R 2001, Application of mitigation and its resolution within EIA: an industrial perspective, Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 19(3), pp. 195–204. Overseas territories: security, success and sustainability 2012, London, Stationery Office. Therivel, R. 1995. Environmental Appraisal of Development Plans: Current status, Planning Practice and Research, 10(2), p.223-234. Ross, W., Angus, M & Marshall, R 2006, Common Sense in environmental impact assessment: it is not as common as it should be, Impact assessment and project appraisal, 24(1), pp. 3-22. Sadler, B & Fuller, K 1997, Quality assurance in environmental assessment. EA Magazine. The Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development & the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds 2013, An assessment of environmental protection frameworks in the UK Overseas Territories, [Online]. [Accessed 28 October 2014]. Available from: http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/EnvironmentalGovernanceReviewFeb2013_tcm9-342020.pdf UNEP 2007, UNEP handbook for drafting laws on energy efficiency and renewable energy resources, Nairobi, Kenya, United Nations Environment Programme. Wood, C 2003, Environmental Impact Assessment — a comparative review, 2nd edn., Harlow, Pearson Education Ltd. Read More

The above forms a weak point for the UK since in its establishment of environment Assessment Planning Regulations for England and Wales and Scotland, serves to correct the situation with a vast majority of UK environmental statements being produced under the above regulation (Glasson et al, 2004). All the above takes form through screening of available options and then deliberating the effects of the project on the people around it, as well as potential outcomes of specific projects. A look at construction indicates that the use of the legal framework in the UK brings together parties vested in the projects and even those affected by it, both directly and indirectly, to factor in their opinions and supplement the abilities of planning officers in offering technical reviews (Wood, 2003).

The above makes the EIA of the UK highly effective in overcoming challenges faced by the country in its decision-making process surrounding environmental impacts that are unpredicted. Sustainability The UK’s environmental Impact Assessment is heavily challenged in strategic planning, where in its overseas territories, there is limited capability to ensure that developments take place within the allotted guidelines. As such, in some cases, there are no guidelines to ensure that the environment is conserved as can be seen in the case of Ascension Islands in which there exists no a developmental control framework (Glasson et al, 2004).

The above makes strategic level environmental assessment difficult to conduct since there is no way of telling when there is a breach in environmental sustainability since there is no focus on long-term effects to the environment. In Ascension Island, sustainability is dependent on the perception of the governor since there is no clear framework for the environmental assessment, where the following activities are squarely at the discretion of the governor with no concern or inclusion of the local population (The Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development & the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, 2013).

This means that the framework or lack of it thereof endangers the environment collectively by putting all persons and entities in the island at risk of environmental disasters. However, at the strategic level, the development of the overseas territories can be said to be undergoing a revolution with regard to environmental impact assessment, which is getting stronger. The Overseas Territories: Security, Success and Sustainability (2012) states that there is need to ensure re-evaluation of the environment and the projects taking place in it for purposes of conservation and future harmonious co-existence.

The above serves as a strong point for the environment since it allows critical focus and organization in the UK for environmental conservation and sustainability. In addition, the issues of sustainability in the UK environmental impact assessment come up in that the UK EIA works effectively to ensure consistent development in line with environmental and national needs. As such, it follows up its EIA with mitigation factors proposed to work effectively towards the wellbeing of a project and the environment within which it is hosted (Marshal, 2001).

This means that the country’s EIA in practice stands out as efficient since the decisions made concerning projects, especially construction projects and strategic planning of urban centres, where the immediate neighbourhood is considered. UNEP (2007) states that the UK remains effective in its project management, especially considering its legislation on Environmental Impact Assessment (England and Wales) Regulations 2000, which offers room for expansion in the future with little negative impact, but rather increased efficiency.

The above is particularly so in the country's wind generated electricity aimed at lowering carbon emissions and ensures sustainable energy sources (UNEP, 2007). In addition, the above serves at a strategic level too with most of the issues raised pointing towards evaluation of post-implementation impacts and expansionist thinking.

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