An environmental impact assessment is a necessary procedure to identify and predict the consequences that a certain project may have on the environment. Thanks to it, decisions and measures are made to minimize the negative effects of a work on nature.
Environmental impact assessment is the name of a tool framed in environmental policy that provides the possibility of regulating activities to minimize their negative consequences on the natural environment and taking measures to prevent , mitigate and restore damages in relation to the environment .
This procedure, which is mandatory, allows the environmental authorities of each territory to make informed decisions about a certain plan or project based on its ecological impact . There is usually, in this context, a Certificate of Environmental Aptitude (CAA) , also called Environmental Impact Statement (DIA), since an environmental licensing process is necessary to determine whether the environmental license requested by the promoters is granted or denied. of the initiative analyzed.
To understand what it consists of and what the importance of environmental impact assessment is, it is essential to obtain advice in relation to the phases of this instrument, the legal and regulatory framework, the application methodologies and the evolution that it has had on a global scale with the passing of time.
Concepts linked to environmental impact assessment
When making an assessment focused on the environment, different tactics are implemented and used according to government plans, programs or policies. In this scenario, the environmental impact assessment (EIA) and the strategic environmental assessment (SEA) stand out.
There is also a document of technical content that responds to the name of Environmental Impact Study (EIA) , an acronym that is usually cited as EsIA to mark a difference with the environmental impact assessment . It describes the project that is sought to be executed and the potential social and environmental impact it would have in its various instances, among other data. Likewise, an environmental risk management plan details what the tasks would be in order to prevent, mitigate and compensate for their effects.
It is important to be clear that environmental management requires participatory and interdisciplinary interventions that are reflected in measures and actions aimed at enhancing the positive impacts of an initiative and directing efforts in favor of sustainable development . The notion of adaptive environmental management comes into play when environmental monitoring and reviews are carried out to continually improve decision-making and minimize the uncertainties associated with predictive methods of evaluating the impact caused on an environmental system.
Nor should we overlook the value of the environmental management plan , a document that lists and establishes what kind of practices it is advisable to carry out to give natural resources a sustainable use and be able to improve the quality of life in the environment where a project is carried out. certain activity.
Every sanitation and drinking water plan must comply with the procedure known as environmental impact assessment, for example.
Advantages
The environmental impact assessment serves, first of all, to facilitate the decision-making process in relation to actions or initiatives that have an impact on nature . With this instrument, it is necessary to determine what possible effects a plan will have on the natural environment and how it can be done to avoid, minimize or compensate for the negative consequences of the work in question.
It is even essential to respect environmental regulations and adapt projects to criteria of responsibility , sustainability and respect for ecosystems .
The environmental impact assessment is useful to know the carbon footprint that a certain project may leave and know how to counteract it.
Examples of environmental impact assessment
Environmental impact assessments and studies are usually carried out when conceiving renewable energy projects, infrastructure works and plans for the extractive industry .
Within the Argentine province of Mendoza , for example, "Don Luis" was born, a project aimed at exploring the search for, specifically, lithium salts . Within the framework of the call to participate in a public hearing in order to open instances of dialogue and debate as well as to ensure the transparency of the proposed procedure, details about the Environmental Impact Assessment Procedure (EIA) emerged. According to official information, this document has sectoral opinions from, among other organizations, the Municipality of San Rafael and the Biodiversity and Ecopark Directorate .
In 2021 , meanwhile, the Latin American Network of Environmental Impact Assessment Systems (REDLASEIA) was established. This is an initiative that had the support and participation of managers from Peru , Costa Rica , Chile , Peru , Colombia and Argentina . With this network, we have sought to bring together positions and draw lines of joint work to synergistically address and confront challenges linked to sustainable development in a context of climate change . In addition, the aim has been to strengthen the role of environmental certification bodies, encourage training in practices that benefit the planet and evolve in terms of environmental legislation , environmental certification , etc.
In Uruguayan territory, to point out another reference on the importance of environmental impact assessment , those who make up REDES – Friends of the Earth Uruguay have raised their voices to oppose the project classified as Neptune . From their perspective, this initiative cannot be accepted given that, as they have expressed, there are inaccurate data, errors and lack of solidity in the report that was presented to the Ministry of the Environment regarding the environmental feasibility of location . For them, if the intention is to obtain a Prior Environmental Authorization, those responsible for the proposal must agree to carry out an exhaustive and complete environmental impact study of that project.