2/9/2015

ENVIRONMENTAL MEASUREMENTS
Presented by Nguyen Kim Trung

How to Describe the Environment

Environmental
and Ecological
Issues

Conventional
Pollution

Policies,
Institutions,
and Legislation

2/9/2015

Emissions, Diffusions, Impact Model

Emissions

Diffusions

We control these

Impacts

We worry about these

Emission-Ambient-Impact Measurements
Emission
based

Ambient based

Impact based

Measures acres
deforested

concentrations
opacity

mortality
morbidity
economic losses
ecosystem losses
climatic effects

Data

easy

hard
expensive

hard
expensive
conceptually difficult

Typical
indices

tonnage of
solid
waste

ambient quality
index

damage functions
excess mortality

2/9/2015

AGGREGATING INDICATORS
There are many indicators
They should be weighted
natural weighting,
expert or citizen weighting,
weighting based on economic benefits.

PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS

2/9/2015

Analytic hierarchy process

AGGREGATING INDICATORS

2/9/2015

Others Weighting
Air quality Index
Water quality Index
Land quality Index

Air Quality index

2/9/2015

Air Quality Index

Land Index

2/9/2015

THREE ENVIRONMENTAL
QUALITY INDICES
Cost of Remediation
Environmental Elasticity
Development Diamonds and Environmental
Diamonds

Cost of Remediation
the cost of moving the present environment state to
an acceptable level based on a set of standards
entails three steps
assessment of the existing environmental emissions
and degradation
establishment of a set of environmental standards
estimation of the aggregated costs of achieving these
environmental standards

2/9/2015

EnvironmentalElasticity
changeintheenvironment/changeintheeconomy
basedonpriceandincomeelasticity
Itisdynamic
Itisatrendindicatorasopposedtoastateindicator

2/9/2015

EnvironmentalElasticity

Development Diamonds

2/9/2015

Environmental Diamonds

An example

10

2/9/2015

Expandation

11

2/9/2015

What are ecological footprints?

Ecological footprints measure the extent to
which humans are using the Earths
bioproductive capacity
Units are global hectares
A hectare of land with average bio-productive
capacity (for agriculture, forest, nutrient cycling,
energy production, etc.)
A hectare = 2.5 acres

(1 acre is about a football field between the 5 yard lines)

(1 hectare is 2 complete football fields with endzones)

Ecological Footprint

From Living Planet Report 2008, World Wildlife Fund, 2008.

12

2/9/2015

Ecological footprints measure Earths

carrying capacity for humans
In 2010, the biosphere had about 11.5 billion hectares
of biologically productive surface (about 1/4 of the
total planet)
2 billion ha of ocean (the continental shelves)
9.5 billion ha of land

Current estimates indicate that humans are overshooting the Earths carrying capacity by 25-50%
To sustain the current carrying capacity, we could need
11/2 Earths!
But, population growth and increasing development
means that we are increasing our use of Earths
carrying-capacity (bio-capacity)

From Living Planet Report 2008, World Wildlife Fund, 2008.

13

2/9/2015

With respect to sustainability of the human endeavor,

population growth rate and population size are only
part of the picture: per capita consumption is the other

Developed countries
have very large
ecological footprints

14

2/9/2015

Ecological Footprints (Hectares per person)

Ecological Footprint by Region

From Living Planet Report 2008, World Wildlife Fund, 2008.

15

2/9/2015

16

2/9/2015

United States Ecological Footprint By

Component
Biocapacity varies somewhat over time because of
technology, agricultural practices (such as fertilizer use
and irrigation), ecosystem degradation

17

2/9/2015

Mexicos Footprint by Component

Mexico
Mexico has moved from using only 1/3 of its biocapacity
in 1961 to nearly 1 times its own biocapacity in 2002

18

2/9/2015

Calculate your own ecological footprint

(Can you realistically reduce your footprint to 1 planet?)

So, where do we stand?

There are 11.5 billion hectares of bio-productive
land, and it is declining
There are about 7 billion people, and increasing at
about 1% per year
There are currently 1 2/3 hectares per person, and
most ecologists believe this is insufficient to support
a significant quality of life for the average person on
Earth
If we continue down the path we are on, there will be
less than 1 hectare per person by 2050

19

2/9/2015

Sustainability ?

From Living Planet Report 2008, World Wildlife Fund, 2008.

20

2/9/2015

Energy Efficiency Strategies

Flattening out the curve yesterday
Decouple sales from revenues eliminate disincentive
Set and strengthen building and appliance standards
Invest in utility energy efficiency programs

Bending the curve downward tomorrow

Strengthen incentives Decoupling Plus
Set long term goals to achieve durable, broad-based
reductions
Enhance strategic planning: work backwards from goals
Improve branding, messaging and marketing
Invest in workforce and research and development

WedgeAnalysis

Accomplishingjusthalfofthesewedgescouldleveloffour
emissions.Accomplishingallofthemcouldreturntolevelswell
belowthoseenvisionedintheKyotoprotocol

21

2/9/2015

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ASSESSMENTS

22

2/9/2015

Review: Definition of EIA

Environmental

Impact Assessment is
A formal process for identifying:
likely effects of activities or
projects on the
ENVIRONMENT, and on
human health and welfare.
means and measures to
mitigate & monitor these
impacts

Environment is
broadly interpreted:
physical, biological,
and social.
In EIA, the term
impacts is used
instead of effects
of activities.

What is an
impact?
45

What is an impact?
The impact of an activity
is a deviation (a change)
from the baseline
situation that is caused
by the activity.

! To measure an impact, you

must know what the
baseline situation is.

The baseline
situation is the
existing
environmental
situation or
condition in the
absence of the
activity.
The baseline
situation is a key
concept in EIA.

More

46

23

2/9/2015

The baseline situation

In characterizing the
baseline situation,
many environmental
components MAY be
of interest
The components of
interest are those that
are likely to be affected
by your activityor
upon which your
activity depends for its
success

Water

Quantity, quality, reliability,

accessibility

Soils

Erosion, crop productivity,

fallow periods, salinity,
nutrient concentrations

Fauna

Populations, habitat

Env Health Disease vectors, pathogens

Flora

Composition and density of

natural vegetation,
productivity, key species

Special
Key species
ecosystems

47

The baseline situation is

not simply a snapshot.
Describing the baseline
situation requires describing
both the normal variability in
environmental components &
current trends in these
components.

Water table

The baseline situation

time
This chart of
groundwater levels
shows both variability
and a trend over time.
Both are part of the
groundwater baseline
situation.

48

24

2/9/2015

Types of impacts & their attributes

The EIA process is
concerned with
all types of impacts and
may describe them in a
number of ways
Intensity
Direction
Spatial extent
Duration
Frequency
Reversibility
Probability

Direct & indirect

impacts
Short-term & longterm impacts
Adverse & beneficial
impacts
Cumulative impacts

But all impacts are

NOT treated
equally.

49

Specifically,

! It is ESSENTIAL in EIA
to focus on the most
significant impacts.
Dont waste effort & time
analyzing and discussing
impacts that are less
important.
50

25

2/9/2015

What is an activity?
We are discussing the impacts of activities.
What are activities?
activity is:
An
a desired
accomplishment or
output
E.g.: a road, seedling
production, or river
diversion to irrigate
land

Accomplishing an activity
requires a set of actions
ACTIVITY:

ACTIONS:

market access Survey, grading, culvert

road
construction, compaction,
rehabilitation
etc. . .

A project or program may

consist of many activities
51

The EIA process

Phase II:
Full EIA study
(if needed)

Phase I:
Initial inquiries

Scope
Evaluate baseline situation
Identify & choose alternatives
Identify and characterize potential
impacts of proposed activity and
each alternative
Develop mitigation and monitoring
Communicate and document

Understand
proposed activities
Screen
Conduct preliminary
assessment (if
needed)

Our focus!
52

26

2/9/2015

Phase 1 of the EIA Process

Understand
proposed
activity
Why is the
activity being
proposed?
What is being
proposed?

Screen the
activity

Conduct a
Preliminary
Assessment

Based on the
nature of the
activity what
level of
environmental
review is
indicated?

ACTIVITY IS
OF MODERATE
OR UNKNOWN
RISK

A rapid,
simplified EIA
study using
simple tools
(e.g. the
USAID IEE)

ACTIVITY IS LOW
RISK (Of its nature,

Phase I
SIGNIFICANT
ADVERSE
IMPACTS
POSSIBLE

Phase II
BEGIN
FULL
EIA
STUDY

SIGNIFICANT
ADVERSE
IMPACTS
VERY UNLIKELY

STOP
the EIA
process

very unlikely to have

significant adverse
impacts)

ACTIVITY IS
HIGH RISK (Of its
nature, likely to have
significant adverse
impacts)

53

Phase 1 of the EIA process:

Understand the proposed activity

Understand
the proposed
activities
Why is the
activity being
proposed?
What is being
proposed?

ALL EIA processes begin with

understanding WHAT is being proposed,
and WHY.
The question
WHY IS THE ACTIVITY BEING PROPOSED?
Is answered with the development objective (D.O.).

building a road Not a D.O.!

If we dont
understand
it, we cant
assess it!

increasing access
Is a D.O.
to markets

We must understand the

Development Objective to identify
environmentally sound alternatives

54

27

2/9/2015

Phase 1 of the EIA process:

Understand the proposed activity

Once we understand the development
objective, we must fully understand
WHAT is being proposed.

Understand
the proposed
activities
Why is the
activity being
proposed?

This includes associated actions!

PRIMARY ACTIVITY:
construction of diversion dam &
irrigation canal

What is being
proposed?

Oops. I
forgot
about the
borrow pit.

ASSOCIATED ACTIONS:
Survey
negotiate land tenure
construct borrow pit
establish construction camp
construct temporary
diversion structure
dispose of soil, debris

55

Phase 1 of the EIA process:

Screen the activity

Screen each
activity
Based on the
nature of the
activity, what
level of
environmental
analysis is
indicated?

SCREENING is the process of asking

a very basic set of questions about
the nature of activity.
These questions:
do NOT require analysis.
do NOT require detailed knowledge
about the proposed sites, techniques or
methods
Example screening questions:
Does the activity involve:
Penetration road building?
Large-scale irrigation?
Introduction of non-native
crop or agroforestry species?

56

28

2/9/2015

Phase 1 of the EIA process:

Screen the activity

Screen each
activity
Based on the
nature of the
activity, what
level of
environmental
analysis is
indicated?

screening classifies the activity into

a RISK CATEGORY:
VERY LOW RISK

EIA process ends

VERY HIGH RISK

Do full EIA study

MODERATE OR
UNKNOWN RISK

Do preliminary
assessment

The outcome of the

screening process
determines the next step
in the EIA process
57

Phase 1 of the EIA process:

Screen the activity

! Each donor agency

and national EIA law

has its own set of
screening questions.

Screening is the topic

of an upcoming
module

58

29

2/9/2015

Phase 1 of the EIA process:

The Preliminary Assessment

Conduct a
Preliminary
Assessment
A rapid,
simplified EIA
study using
simple tools
(e.g. the
USAID IEE)

The purpose of a preliminary

assessment is to provide
documentation and analysis that:

Screening
determines whether
the preliminary
assessment is
necessary

59

Allows the preparer to

determine whether or not
significant adverse impacts are
likely

Allows the reviewer to agree or

disagree with the preparers
determinations

Sets out mitigation and

monitoring for adverse impacts

ENCAP EA-ESD Course:

B i C
t f EIA Vi it

Phase 1 of the EIA process:

The Preliminary Assessment

Typical Preliminary
Assessment outline
1. Background (Development
objective, list of activities)

For each activity it covers, a

preliminary assessment has 3
possible findings:

2. Description of the baseline

situation

The project is very unlikely

to have significant adverse
impacts. (EIA process ends)

3. Evaluation of potential
environmental impacts
4. Mitigation & monitoring
5. Recommended Findings

With specified mitigation

and monitoring, the project
is unlikely to have
significant adverse impacts
The project is likely to have
significant adverse impacts
(full EIA study is required)

60

30

2/9/2015

What is mitigation?

Mitigation is. . .
The implementation of
measures designed to
reduce the undesirable
effects of a proposed
action on the
environment

61

To arrive at findings:
Identify, Predict and Judge
Arriving at the FINDINGS in a preliminary
assessment requires 3 steps:
1

62

Identify potential
impacts

Many resources describe the potential

impacts of typical small-scale activities.

Predict potential
impacts

Determine which potential impacts are likely

to become actual, and quantify these
impacts to the extent possible.

Judge the
significance of
potential impacts

Determine whether the predicted impacts are

indeed significant!
THIS WILL OFTEN DEPEND ON HOW
EFFECTIVE THE PROPOSED MITIGATION
MEASURES ARE!

31

2/9/2015

modules. . .
Subsequent
Present tools to assist
in identifying &
predicting impacts
Discuss the factors
involved in judging
significance

63

We only proceed to
Phase II of the EIA process

if
Phase I indicates that
a FULL EIA STUDY
is required

Most small-scale activities do

not require a full EIA study!

64

32

2/9/2015

Phase 2 of the EIA process:

The Full EIA study

The full EIA study has
very similar objectives
and structure to a
preliminary
assessment.
However, the full EIA
study differs in
important ways:
*includes the project as
proposed, the no-action alternative
at least one other real alternative
65

A formal scoping process

precedes the study to ID
issues to be addressed

Analysis of environmental
impacts is much more
detailed

Alternatives* must be
formally defined. The
impacts of each
alternative must be
identified & evaluated,
and the results compared.

Public participation is
usually required.
A professional EIA team
is usually required.

Phase 2 of the EIA process:

The Full EIA study

1. Background (Development
objective, list of activities)
2. Description of the baseline
situation
3. Evaluation of potential
environmental impacts
4. Mitigation & monitoring
5. Recommended Findings
66

Basic steps of the full

EIA study
Scope
Evaluate baseline
situation
Identify & choose
alternatives
Identify and characterize
potential impacts of
proposed activity and
each alternative
Compare alternatives
Develop mitigation and
monitoring

Communicate & Document throughout

With a few additions, the

basic outline of the
preliminary assessment is
the template for the steps
involved in a full EIA study:

33

2/9/2015

Phase 2 of the EIA process:

The Full EIA study

InThesummary,
full EIA study is a far
more significant effort than
the preliminary assessment.
It is reserved for activities for
which screening or the
preliminary assessment
shows that significant
impacts are likely.

67

Who is involved in EIA?

Sponsor of the activity
(usually commissions/conducts the
EIA)

Regulatory agencies/
Review authorities
Broad-based public
Communities (men & women)
Civil society
Private Sector

68

Public consultation is usually

only REQUIRED for full EIA
studies.
However, it is good practice
for preliminary assessments
because:
Predicting impacts is
FACILITATED by broadbased public consultation;
Judging significance is very
difficult without it.
Transparency and
accessibility require
disclosure to stakeholders

34

2/9/2015

Making EIA effective

To be an effective tool
for ESD, EIA must be:
a integral part of the
project development
cycle.
Honest

EIA is undertaken early enough

to affect project design
Mitigation and monitoring
developed in the EIA process is
implemented.
The full EIA study must
consider real alternatives
Impacts must be assessed
honestly.

Transparent &
accessible

The EIA products must be clear

and accessible to key actors.

69

Products and the Environment

At first glance,
the relationship
between products
& our environment
may seem clear,

BUT.

35

2/9/2015

LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT

Lets consider the simple French fry

What are its

connects to the
environment?
What impact does it
have?

36

2/9/2015

How did the fry get to the restaurant?

Suppliers
Truck
Producer
Truck
Processing Plant
Truck
Distribution Center
Truck
Bobs Burger Shop

http://www.rprogress.org/

What impact did its journey have?

Fossil Fuels

Fossil Fuels

Fertilizers

Suppliers

Machinery

Pesticides
Irrigation

Truck

Seeds
Machinery

Producer

Fossil Fuels
Irrigation

Fossil Fuels
Hydropower
Hydroelectric dam
Hydropower

Truck
Processing Plant

Distribution Center

Hydroflourocarbons
Freezer

Machinery
Food waste

Truck
Freezer

Fossil Fuels

Truck
Bobs Burger Shop

Fossil Fuels

Fossil Fuels

Animal Feed
Fossil Fuels
Packaging

http://www.rprogress.org/

37

2/9/2015

What impact did these impacts have?

Fossil Fuels
Runoff

Suppliers

Machinery
Loss of
Biodiversity

Pesticides
Irrigation
Loss of
Biodiversity

Truck

Seeds

Producer

Machinery
Air
Pollution

Fossil Fuels
Hydropower
Hydroelectric dam
Hydropower

Truck
Processing Plant

Freezer

Fossil Fuels
Irrigation
Fossil Fuels
Machinery

Truck

Freezer
Bobs Burger Shop

Fossil Fuels

Fossil Fuels

Distribution Center

Hydroflourocarbons

Air
Pollution

Food waste
Truck

Damage
To Ozone

Air
Pollution

Fossil Fuels

Fertilizers

Animal Feed
Fossil Fuels
Solid
Waste

Packaging

http://www.rprogress.org/

How might all of this affect the

Earths systems?

Forests

Fossil Fuels
Fertilizers

Runoff

Fossil Fuels
Suppliers

Loss of
Biodiversity

Seeds

Machinery
Air
Fossil Fuels
Pollution
Hydropower
Hydroelectric dam
Hydropower

Truck
Producer
Truck
Processing Plant

Loss of
Biodiversity

Damage
To Ozone

Hydroflourocarbons
Freezer

Forests

Fossil Fuels
Irrigation
Fossil Fuels
Machinery

River

Cropland
Air
Pollution
Forests

Food waste
Truck

Freezer

Air
Pollution

Machinery

Pesticides
Irrigation

Forests

Distribution Center
Truck
Bobs Burger Shop

Fossil Fuels

Fossil Fuels

Animal Feed

Grazing Land

Fossil Fuels
Packaging

Built-up Land

Solid
Waste
Built-up Land

http://www.rprogress.org/

38

2/9/2015

Weve considered only the potato

Consider all the other

parts of your meal
the other foods
the utensils
the napkins
the condiments
the drinks

There are multiple

environmental impacts
involved in these as well

39

2/9/2015

40

2/9/2015

41

2/9/2015

42