Search

The economic growth-environment nexus explores the relationship between economic growth, as understood in the neoclassical free market or neoliberalism economic theory context, and its implications for the environment. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is considered one of the most successful environmental policy instruments to deal with the consideration of environmental implications of development decisions. Because the economic growth-environment nexus is central to discourses in EIA it is helpful to gain an improved understanding of different perspectives manifesting and influencing EIA practice. This paper aims to identify pluralism in perspectives on the economic growth-environment nexus in EIA practice. This is achieved by applying the Q-method to EIA practice in South Africa and involve the sorting of 36 statements by 16 respondents. The results show pluralism and distinct patterning with four key perspectives emerging namely: the deontological perspective, neoliberal progression, EIA polarisation and new conservationist perspective. We hope this research contributes towards a growing understanding of how different perspectives on the economic growth-environment nexus might influence EIA practice and decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental assessments and sustainable finance frameworks: will the EU Taxonomy change the mindset over the contribution of EIA to sustainable development? Keywords: EIA; ESG; environmental impact assessment; sustainable finance taxonomies EN EIA ESG environmental impact assessment sustainable finance taxonomies 110 112 3 03/10/22 20220301 NES 220301 About Rufus A Howard Rufus has been studying and practicing impact assessment across the UK and internationally since 1997. [Extracted from the article]

South Africa has a decade of experience designing and implementing biodiversity offsets. In the absence of explicit national policy on biodiversity offsets, the country has relied on existing legal provisions in environmental law as the basis for offset requirements, supported by provincial guidelines. South Africa’s periodic national biodiversity surveys provide scientifically rigorous quantification and mapping for individual ecosystems and finer scale surveys identify biodiversity priority areas, primed as ‘offset receiving areas’. Yet despite enabling factors the use of offsets has frequently been inadequate to deliver intended biodiversity outcomes. Challenges include: (a) the absence of national policy to drive and shape offset implementation; (b) insufficient capacity to evaluate, design and implement offsets; (c) inconsistent decision-making; (d) problems establishing sustainable financing mechanisms; and (e) inadequate enforcement and monitoring, linked to poor drafting of licencing conditions and/or insufficient capacity to monitor implementation. South Africa’s experience provides valuable insights into the challenges and potential solutions for making offsets work for biodiversity conservation and offers important lessons for the development and implementation of biodiversity offsetting in other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a policy process that can lead to more sustainable development by preventing or mitigating the negative impacts of development projects. Public participation in the EIA process, especially one based on the ideals of deliberative democracy, is essential to deliver on the goal of sustainable development that is arguably the primary objective of EIA. This article specifically focuses on a study of public participation in the EIA process of the Maldives. Using a qualitative research design involving an analysis of documents and interviews, it investigates four aspects of a deliberative participatory process: fairness, competence, willingness and capacity. The analysis suggests that the process for public participation in the Maldives cannot be characterized as fully fair or competent. It further identifies several socio-economic barriers that affect the capacity and willingness of the actors to participate including political influence, lack of human and financial capacity, gender gap, loss of community spirit and lack of environmental and procedural awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of this paper is to examine the response of managers, in the case where the government incorporates certain environmental criteria into public procurement. Some research hypotheses are statistically tested in order to identify the extent of managers' understanding regarding Green Public Procurement mainly under the severe financial conditions of the current economic crisis, during which time public expenditures should gradually be cut due to the flagship policy of the European Union for severe austerity measures. The data were taken from various pieces of research carried out in Greece and Cyprus, two countries which are suffering from an economic crisis and are operating under economic supervision with severe austerity measures. The study highlights that given the current economic climate, managers consider the Green Public Procurement a very weak tool to encourage the adoption of environmental management practices due to the austerity measures and budgetary cuts. They also claimed that the classical policy tools (e.g. environmental legislation and market-based instruments) might shape an unsustainable environment for their future operations and additional measures would force them out of market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the applicability of the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) process within the framework of US national environmental policy used in New England fishery management. Its aim is to develop a new approach to SIA that goes beyond identifying impacts through guidelines, to include an understanding and portrayal of causality and emergent relationships. The emphasis is on creating a new list of variables identifying social impacts and social change processes. These variables are used in a causal chain model to diagrammatically portray impact dynamics over time and scale. This approach intends to fulfill a need for an accurate and timely methodology used in fishery management to identify potential social impacts of management actions, in order to achieve ecological and socioeconomic sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is seen as an instrument that is essential to realizing sustainability goals that transcend project-level undertakings (e.g. policies, plans and programmes). The purpose of this case-based, collaborative research was to extend practical and theoretical understanding of SEA to the related, but in practice poorly coordinated, processes of project-level environmental assessment (EA), master planning and regional land use planning. Semi-structured key informant interviews and review of policy documents were used as the main sources of qualitative data to explore the key events that have led to an emerging strategic approach to planning and EA in York Region. This research contributes to the application of SEA at the municipal level, and highlights the importance of an SEA-type approach as a contribution to better informed, tiered and integrated planning and decision making that is underpinned by sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Directive 2001/42/EC requires Member States of the European Union to strategically evaluate and address likely significant environmental effects of certain proposed plans and programmes on the environment. The applications of this process in Ireland came into effect with the adoption of SEA regulations in 2004. The experience of integrating SEA into the review of a local area development plan in Ireland is outlined and critically evaluated in this paper. The SEA process is found to have considerable potential in relation to land-use planning, especially insofar as it appears to facilitate and stimulate an enhanced degree of community participation, but the realization of its full benefits is constrained by operational factors, some of which are attributable to a lack of familiarity with this novel process. Failure to provide adequately in the plan review process for the timely consideration of SEA outputs and an apparent reticence on the part of local decision makers to fully engage with SEA appear to be adversely affecting implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers whether strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of local-level spatial plans in England is leading to a high level of protection of the environment. It is based on an analysis of the sustainability appraisals (SA/SEA) of 45 core strategies, interviews with 14 planners, and 14 questionnaire responses. The findings suggest that the plans will have beneficial social and economic effects, but between mildly positive and mildly negative environmental effects. SA/SEAs act as an environmental counterweight to the plans' more social and economic focus, but have only limited effectiveness. They do not identify what type of development would be environmentally sustainable, nor what would be an acceptable trade-off between environmental costs and social/economic benefits; nor do they lead to environmentally sustainable plans. Significant changes in the SA/SEA and plan-making processes would be needed to deal with these problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effects of oil spillage on the socio-economic activities of the people and the environment in some communities in the Niger delta. The objectives are to determine the quantity of oil spilled from pipelines, the area of coverage and to assess the effects of oil spillage on the people, soil and water. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. The primary data relied on the administration of structured questionnaires; 319 questionnaires were randomly distributed to a sample population (household heads), with 302 retrieved. Secondary data were sourced from published materials. Also, soil samples from four locations and water samples from five locations were collected to determine the pH value of the water, the presence and concentration of heavy metals in the soil and the total hydrocarbon content (THC) of water. Soil and water samples were analysed using the atomic absorption spectrophotometer and gravimetric methods for soil and water, respectively. There was a strong relationship between the volume of oil spilled and the area coverage. Laboratory soil analysis from sampled communities showed a higher concentration of heavy metals (chromium, lead, arsenic, etc.) above the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible levels as well as the figure for controlled site. Similarly, three of the communities studied had THC concentrations of 40,000 ppm exceeding both WHO limit of 1 ppm and controlled site. This has grave implications on the soil, water and socio-economic activities of the people. It is, therefore, important that environmental laws should be strictly adhered to. Compensation should be adequately and promptly paid to the communities, and remedial action should be speedily undertaken whenever there are spills. Finally, the oil companies must involve the communities in the maintenance and monitoring of pipelines with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life of members of rural communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we explore the relationships between public parks and a broad interpretation of sustainability, taking as a case study the city of Barcelona, Spain. Recent official discourses in Barcelona insist on sustainability as one of the fundamental assets of public parks. Yet whether these urban artifacts actually contribute to sustainability objectives in environmental and social terms remains to be examined. We compare two public parks in Barcelona—the Parc Joan Miró (1983), and the Parc de Diagonal Mar (2002)—and show how, in the former, the integration of the social, political, and environmental dimensions of sustainability was largely achieved, whereas in the latter, only the environmental dimension appears to have been considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shanghai and Singapore are two economically vibrant Asian cities that have recently adopted creative/cultural economy strategies. In this article I examine new spatial expressions of cultural and economic interests in the two cities: state-vaunted cultural edifices and organically evolved cultural spaces. I discuss the simultaneous precariousness and sustainability of these spaces, focusing on Shanghai's Grand Theatre and Moganshan Lu and on Singapore's Esplanade—Theatres by the Bay and Wessex Estate. Their cultural sustainability is understood as their ability to support the development of indigenous content and local idioms in artistic work. Their social sustainability is examined in terms of the social inclusion and community bonds they engender; environmental sustainability refers to the articulation with the language of existing urban forms and the preservation of or improvements to the landscape. Although both Shanghai and Singapore demonstrate simultaneous precariousness and sustainability, Singapore's city-state status places greater pressure on it to ensure sustainability than does Shanghai, within a much larger China in which Beijing serves as the cultural hearth while Shanghai remains essentially a commercial center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) application to city development strategy (CDS) reveals the strategic nature of both instruments and their potential multiplier effect on enhancing synergies for sustainable development. The adequacy of the two strategic tools for a complementary approach to integration towards sustainable development raises an outstanding opportunity to walk the talk in view of enhancing sustainable development. In Vietnam, SEA and CDS are being considered jointly in the context of urban development projects and public administration reform. The main features of the link between SEA and CDS are described in this paper, after introducing the SEA and CDS concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental assessment (EA) is now institutionalized in over 100 countries but is widely criticized by practitioners and analysts for failing to convince decision-makers. Environmental sustainability is still not placed high on the list of criteria influencing project and programme approvals. This paper suggests that the failure of EA reflects the politically contested domain of EA. A framework for the analysis of public participation in EA based on the study of contentious politics is introduced. Public participation is a crucially important condition for influencing decision makers to pursue sustainability objectives, but the effectiveness of public participation is conditional upon characteristics of the coalitions created by diverse stakeholders. The importance of coalitions between local stakeholders and intellectuals is highlighted and exemplified through four cases in the Philippines, Brazil, South Africa and Taiwan where public participation in EA processes is associated with the blockage of large-scale development projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of natural justice comprises certain legal principles that, taken together, constitute procedural fairness in administrative decision-making. It is closely aligned to the notion of public participation, a key element of most environmental impact assessment (EIA) throughout the world. But is natural justice the same as public participation, and if not, what are the differences between them? We review a number of international EIA procedures and legal cases, and find that the concept of natural justice appears to be a 'grey area' of EIA which is not explicitly addressed in many jurisdictions. More advanced systems of impact assessment generally provide for a high level of public participation, thereby facilitating both transparency and accountability; however, this is not the same as natural justice. We conclude that while institutional arrangements for EIA may have a bearing on the nature and level of public participation that is appropriate, natural justice should never be compromised, and EIA regimes should specifically address the need for natural justice when new information arises which may be significant in the decision-making process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid economic integration of Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta under the policy of "One Country Two Systems" and the consequent social and environmental degradation mean that assessment of sustainability impacts of development projects is essential. However, some fundamental problems are identified for the two systems to carry out SIA before embarking on development projects: minimal integration in terms of institutional set-up, strategies and policies concerning sustainable development; pre-set sustainability indicators rather than tailor-made ones to assess policies, programmes and projects of various nature; and rather different social, economic and environmental norms and development problems. In the short run, given these constraints, SIA in the region though "necessary" is rather "impossible". Nevertheless, recommendations are put forward to facilitate regional cooperation of SIA practices in the longer term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews trends in integrated appraisal with specific emphasis on work within UK Government. It shows how these newer approaches link with current appraisal methods. A two-stage approach is increasingly advocated: first, the potential impacts of the proposal under consideration are 'screened' against a range of economic, social and environmental criteria; second, there is more detailed appraisal where this is considered necessary using appropriate appraisal tools. A brief review is given of existing appraisal tools and their relationships to one another: appraisal should facilitate the use of different tools for different purposes. Finally, we consider the challenges and opportunities of integrated appraisal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nature of professional recognition is considered fluid and indistinct within a particular social context. The accounting profession has continually readjusted and realigned its knowledge set with societal expectations (expanding this body of knowledge from financial accounting to audit, taxation and management information systems). The specialised knowledge and technical skills relating to performance measurement, analysis, reporting and auditing are also relevant to the management of environmental performance and sustainability. As the global community has become more cognisant of environmental issues, there have been increasing demands on accountants for the provision of environmental cost and performance information. The ability to provide this critical financial and non-financial information for corporate decision-making has seen the evolution of 'environmental accounting'. One may now ask: is the environmental professional an accountant? This paper examines the extent to which an understanding of environmental sustainability principles is captured within the expert knowledge set of the accounting profession and explores the role of the accounting professional in environmental sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the authors elaborate on the policy competences that environmental sustainability professionals need for solving environmental problems as part of sustainable development. The 'multi-actor' policy context in which they operate lends itself to the application of the metaphor of a sports game. The paper goes on to outline the difference between 'spectators', 'players' and their relative roles. In practice, environmental sustainability professionals often switch between both roles during their career, implying that their training should have prepared them for such changes. The authors then elaborate on specific role-related competences and their educational delivery. An important competence for players of the game includes the ability to organise interactive policy-making processes. Spectators should be able to analyse, explain and evaluate the content, process and impact of public policy-making. Such competences can be acquired by teaching students to apply certain key methods and the paper considers the appropriate level of education for each identified aspect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Standing at the forefront of Latin America's political and economic liberalisation, Chile is held up as a model for the developing world. First in the region to embrace a boldly neoliberal development strategy, Chile's military dictatorship also peacefully gave way to stable, civilian rule and comparative economic success. However, the lens of environmental politics reveals a disturbing underside to the Chilean miracle. Environmental policy, institutions and participation are shaped and constrained by ominous legacies of history, dictatorship, and an economic orthodoxy inimical to sustainability. Democratic rule has opened political space, yet new environmental institutions and procedures exhibit inherited elitist and exclusionary features. Chile's environmental movement likewise demonstrates promise and innovation, but remains grounded in a civil society weakened and atomised by dictatorship and incomplete transition. Still, as the environmental costs of Chile's resource-extractive, export-led development mount, environmental politics may yet present a vital opportunity for social change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the issue of sustainable development and the newly industrialized countries (NICs). It was argued that economic growth and environmental sustainability can be jointly pursued, but there will have to be fundamental reconfigurations of economic institutions and policy regimes in order to achieve developmental and environmental objectives. The case of Taiwan and South Korea was taken into consideration. It was suggested that the lessons of the NICs are significantly misunderstood and the environmental costs of their development trajectory have been high. Taiwan and South Korea expanded their productive capacity and they have significantly improved their living standards. Although Environmental Protection Agencies operate in each country they are understaffed and enforcement is weak.

Discusses the impact of the European Union EIA Directive on environmental policy development worldwide. Influence of the Directive on decision-making for environmental projects; Emergence of applications of EIA principles through health impact assessment; Role of the EU Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive in the control of emission levels.