4 - Environmental Impact Assessment

Summary

Chapter 4 examines the development and operation of the environmental assessment legal regime, with a focus on the Environmental Impact Assessment Law (EIAL) (2018). Environmental impact assessment (EIA) evolved from a project-based pollution prevention instrument under EPL (for trial implementation) (1979) to a technical and statutory process that implements both the preventative principle and participatory principle for projects and plans under EIAL (2002). The chapter analyses project EIA, the statutory process that aims to incorporate both science-based evidence and public input for sound and well-informed decision making by the approval authorities. It further explores strategic environmental assessment (SEA) including the environmental assessment of government plans and policies. The importance of public participation in both EIA and SEA cannot be overstated and deserves in-depth examination for further improvement. The chapter concludes with comment on closer integration between SEA and project EIA to enhance both efficiency and effectiveness of the environmental assessment regime.