Biodiversity considerations form an essential component of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), especially in areas with both a high biodiversity value and development pressure such as the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) in South Africa. Limited research has been conducted within the South African context on the quality of biodiversity inputs to EIA. The aim of this research was to evaluate the quality of biodiversity input to EIA in the CFR. To address this aim, a customised review package was generated to evaluate the quality of 26 Biodiversity Impact Assessment (BIA) reports in the CFR. The results were then compared with international trends of biodiversity input to EIA in order to show how prevalent such trends are within an area with high biodiversity value. This comparison showed that the quality of biodiversity input to EIA in the CFR generally concur with inadequacies identified in international EIA literature. Typically, significant weaknesses identified during the review were the lack of public participation and an insufficient evaluation of alternatives. Specialists also failed to develop adequate monitoring programmes. Furthermore, a very pertinent limitation was that, in general, assessments are conducted during inappropriate seasons and over insufficient time periods. However, some variations to the international trends are also present within the Region. For example, a particular strength was that a precautionary approach was adopted by most of the specialists to avoid negative impacts on biodiversity. In addition, specialists did not merely focus on lower levels (species and habitats) of biodiversity, but incorporated ecological processes in assessment techniques. The inadequacies identified in this dissertation pose particular challenges for biodiversity management and conservation practices. The development and implementation of mechanisms such as Best Practice Guidelines and improved biodiversity related legislation is proposed to improve biodiversity input to EIA. / M Environmental Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Biodiversity considerations form an essential component of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), especially in areas with both a high biodiversity value and development pressure such as the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) in South Africa. Limited research has been conducted within the South African context on the quality of biodiversity inputs to EIA. The aim of this research was to evaluate the quality of biodiversity input to EIA in the CFR. To address this aim, a customised review package was generated to evaluate the quality of 26 Biodiversity Impact Assessment (BIA) reports in the CFR. The results were then compared with international trends of biodiversity input to EIA in order to show how prevalent such trends are within an area with high biodiversity value. This comparison showed that the quality of biodiversity input to EIA in the CFR generally concur with inadequacies identified in international EIA literature. Typically, significant weaknesses identified during the review were the lack of public participation and an insufficient evaluation of alternatives. Specialists also failed to develop adequate monitoring programmes. Furthermore, a very pertinent limitation was that, in general, assessments are conducted during inappropriate seasons and over insufficient time periods. However, some variations to the international trends are also present within the Region. For example, a particular strength was that a precautionary approach was adopted by most of the specialists to avoid negative impacts on biodiversity. In addition, specialists did not merely focus on lower levels (species and habitats) of biodiversity, but incorporated ecological processes in assessment techniques. The inadequacies identified in this dissertation pose particular challenges for biodiversity management and conservation practices. The development and implementation of mechanisms such as Best Practice Guidelines and improved biodiversity related legislation is proposed to improve biodiversity input to EIA. / M Environmental Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

EIA's contribution to increased environmental awareness is a posited means by which EIA's contribution to a substantive level of environmental protection can be measured. However, little research has been done to evaluate and properly contextualise this increased environmental awareness in members of the public who participate in EIA and its associated processes of public participation. Utilising a Foucauldian understanding of power and governmentality, this research has shown how this process of becoming environmentally aware takes place within a broader application of governmental power and it is within this context which the success (or otherwise) of steering towards a greater environmental awareness must be evaluated. The biopolitical intentions EIA has for managing environmental life in general draws strict boundaries of expertise and authority in governing the environment, and as products of this formation of governmental power the public become subjects of expert direction. In opposition to this, the public produced a rural environment and local community as defined and governed by forms of experiential knowledge, which although pertaining to a truth-oriented mentality of rule, exerted a similar biopolitical control over the environment and immutable form of authority and expertise within it. It is contended that for EIA to penetrate bounded environments and disrupt their totalising environmentalities, the tool must extend the meaning of uncertainty to explicitly recognise the conflict that exists between actors and their respective environments. In this way, EIA can contribute to a form of self-reflexive and -critical environmental citizenship deemed necessary for a thorough investigation into the political dimensions of the environment and its associated substantive measures of enhancement and protection. Employing a realist governmentality approach to the case-study of the 2016 public inquiry in shale energy proposals in Lancashire, this research generated discourse analyses of key policy documents and public contributions to the inquiry in addition to a 'lived experience' of the inquiry as a participatory space through participant observation. The key findings were that at the policy level, the participating member of the public is produced as both a trustee and an expert, heightening the potential for conflict. Further to this, the experiences of the public inquiry added to this potential by seeking to impose on the participant an individualised, silent identity which was directly contradicted by the public during 'non-technical' sessions who sought to participate actively and collectively. Within their contributions the public produced further internal conflicts, with aspects of this discourse relying on existing institutionalised forms of knowledge and expertise to respond to environmental problems, while in others asserting that localised and personal experiences were necessary. EIA as a technique of government can have a leading role in defining the environment in both a physical, surrounding sense and as a mentality. To do so and challenge essentialised and concrete ideas regarding the environment avoiding the acts of exclusion that underpin them becoming normalised the thesis builds on the analysis to make a proposition for a more effective agonistic EIA process.

Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst / Esta dissertaÃÃo se propÃe analisar a Efetividade dos Estudos de Impacto Ambiental - EIA na Carcinicultura dentro da perspectiva do estudo de caso de um EIA elaborado para a expansÃo de um projeto carcinÃcola localizado as margens do rio Jaguaribe no MunicÃpio de Aracati. De acordo com Bolea (1984) apud La Rovere (2001, p.11), a AIA pode ser definida como: âestudos realizados para identificar, prever e interpretar assim como prevenir, as conseqÃÃncias ou efeitos ambientais que determinadas aÃÃes, planos, programas ou projetos podem causar à saÃde, ao bem estar humano e ao entornoâ. Ainda segundo o autor, esses estudos englobam alternativas a projetos passÃveis de licenciamento e ainda induzem o engajamento e a participaÃÃo da sociedade, representando nÃo um instrumento de decisÃo em si, mas um instrumento de conhecimento a serviÃo da populaÃÃo em geral. Dessa maneira, esta dissertaÃÃo discute, de modo qualitativo, a efetividade desse estudo como expediente sÃrio de ajuda na tomada de decisÃo e na gestÃo e monitoramento ambiental, assim como verificar se o mesmo, nos dias atuais, nÃo està sendo utilizado apenas como um mero entrave burocrÃtico para o licenciamento de empreendimentos. Para que os objetivos fossem atingidos, foram estabelecidos, em metodologia prÃpria, alguns critÃrios de anÃlise, que sÃo: anÃlise das alternativas locacionais, Ãrea de influÃncia direta e indireta, coerÃncia e relevÃncia do diagnÃstico ambiental, avaliaÃÃo dos impactos ambientais, efetividade das medidas mitigadoras, monitoramento ambiental e participaÃÃo das comunidades envolvidas. AlÃm dessas caracterÃsticas, tambÃm foi analisado o RelatÃrio de Impacto Ambiental â RIMA como parte integrante do Estudo de Impacto Ambiental, aspectos que foram discutidos e analisados, tÃpico por tÃpico, sempre os comparando com a legislaÃÃo competente, em especial, a ResoluÃÃo CONAMA 001/86 e outras ResoluÃÃes especÃficas, tais como: CONAMA312/02, CONAMA 237/92, CONAMA 09/87. AlÃm disso, esses conceitos tambÃm foram discutidos à luz de autores que jà abordam esse tema na perspectiva de sua efetividade. Para isso, as ferramentas teÃricas que nortearam esta pesquisa foram constituÃdas por SÃnchez (2006), Agra Filho (1993), IBAMA (1995), que esclareceram os conceitos iniciais sobre AvaliaÃÃo de Impacto Ambiental, e IBAMA (2005), no DiagnÃstico da Carcinicultura Cearense, que apresenta os dados referentes à carcinicultura no MunicÃpio de Aracati e os aspectos teÃricos inerentes a esse tema. Os resultados esperados nÃo se mostraram muito diferentes do que inicialmente se havia pensando, e, dos aspectos analisados, poucos foram os que apresentaram informaÃÃes sÃrias e comprometidas com a real funÃÃo deste estudo. Dessa maneira, pode-se afirmar, depois da anÃlise de todos os tÃpicos inicialmente propostos, que o EIA referente ao projeto de carcinicultura examinado nÃo se mostrou ativamente efetivo por nÃo se apresentar como instrumento consistente de consulta pÃblica, ajuda na tomada de decisÃo, na gestÃo e no monitoramento ambiental. / This dissertation proposes to examine the effectiveness of the Environmental Impact Assessment - EIA in the creation of captive shrimp from the perspective of the case study of an EIA prepared for the expansion of a shrimp project located on the Jaguaribe river in the city of Aracati. According to Bolea (1984) apud La Rovere (2001, p.11), the AIA can be defined as "studies to identify, predict and interpret, and prevent the consequences or environmental effects that certain actions, plans, programs or projects may cause to our health, to the human welfare and the environment." According to the author, these studies include alternatives to projects subject to licensing and further induce the engagement and participation of the society, representing not a tool of decision in itself but an instrument of knowledge at the service of the general population. Thus, this essay discusses, so qualitatively, the effectiveness of this study as a serious aid tool in decision making and management and environmental monitoring, and verify if it, nowadays, is not being used only as a mere bureaucratic obstacle for the licensing of projects. In order to achieve the objectives, were established in the methodology, some criteria for analysis, which are: analysis of alternative locations, area of direct and indirect influence, coherence and relevance of environmental diagnosis, assessment of environmental impacts, effectiveness of mitigating measures, environmental monitoring and participation of the communities involved. Besides these features, the Environmental Impact Report - RIMA was also considered as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment, which were discussed and analyzed, topic by topic, always comparing them with the due legislation, in particular, the CONAMA Resolution 001 / 86 and other specific resolutions, such as: CONAMA312/02, CONAMA 237/92, CONAMA 09/87. Moreover, these concepts were also discussed in the light of authors who have addressed this issue in the view of its effectiveness. For this, the theoretical tools that have guided this research were made by SÃnchez (2006), Agra Son (1993), IBAMA (1995), which explained the initial concepts on Environmental Impact Assessment, and IBAMA (2005) in the Diagnosis of the Cearense shrimp, which presents data for the creation of captive shrimp in the city of Aracati and the theoretical aspects related to this topic. The expected results were not much different from what was originally thought and from the analyzed aspects, very little presented serious and committed information with the real function of this study. Thus, one can say, after reviewing all topics initially proposed, that the EIA regarding the shrimp project examined was not actively effective for not presenting itself as a consistent tool for public consultation, help in decision making, in management and in environmental monitoring.

The aim of the theses is to assess on the background of the actual stage of the international, European (EU) and national level of the EIA procedure legislation the effectiveness of this procedure in the Czech Republic, both regarding the requirements laid down for this procedure on the EU level as well as from the view of the particular national actors involved (i.e. developers, competent authorities, expert's reports makers and public concerned). The thesis has been divided into five substantial chapters. The first one describes the outcomes of the EIA procedure as such. The subsequent second and third chapter summarise the actual stage of the environmental impact assessment procedure on the supranational (international and EU) and national level. The fourth chapter deals with the effectiveness of EIA procedure in its current stage in the Czech Republic: it describes and compares the particular shortcomings of this procedure from both the point of view of the requirements laid down for the EIA procedure on the EU level as well as the point of view of the national actors concerned. On this background, the fifth chapter assesses the overall effectiveness of the EIA procedure in the Czech Republic and submits recommendations for possible improvements.

The topic of this thesis is Environmental Impact Assessment and Public Participation. The structure of the thesis consists of six chapters that are further divided into several sections and subsections. The first chapter introduces the concept of EIA in reference to the principles upon which the concept is based on. The following chapter addresses a number of international and EU legal documents related to the concept of EIA and its legal regulation. The third and fourth chapter should be considered as a fundamental part of the thesis, which focuses on the legal regulation of the concept of EIA in the Czech Republic and the Act No. 39/2015 Coll., amending the act on environmental impact assessment. The last chapter summarises and evaluates the findings of the previous chapters.

An independent industry of Environmental Control Officers (ECOs) is active on various construction sites across South Africa. It forms part of a global network of verifiers, such as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and EIA follow-up verifiers. This network authenticates statements about and the implementation of sustainability commitments made during the planning phase of major construction projects. International studies show that the construction industry is experiencing many challenges to deliver sustainability commitments, including inadequate collaboration between role players, illdefined roles and responsibilities, and insufficient use of environmental governance approaches. On-site verifiers like ECOs may aid in restraining these challenges by bridging ineffective governance approaches, such as classic EIA with new governance approaches, for instance self-responsibility (e.g. Environmental Management Systems (EMSs)) and involvement of third parties. Moreover, an “independent from all” verification function may be vital in developing countries such as South Africa, where trust between the government, market and public is particularly fragile due to historical injustices. Interestingly, limited learning has been drawn and shared from this function’s real-world experience. There are also differing views on the role, independence and value of ECOs, due to roles, frequent interaction with persons responsible for delivering sustainability commitments, and collaboration with third parties being ill-defined. The overarching purpose of this study is to advance understanding of independent ECOs in major South African construction projects. Three lines of inquiry are followed. The first is to define what the role is, or ideally should be, of an ECO in the South African compliance monitoring and enforcement effort. The second is to identify what factors might influence the independence of verifiers. The third is to appraise how and to what extent independent EIA follow-up verifiers add value in major construction projects in the developing country context of South Africa. This study’s research assumptions are based on the real world of ECOs and uses a mixed method research approach to draw knowledge from the industry. The strategies of inquiry include a survey, interviews, and multiple case study evaluations. The methods for data collection include literature review, a self-administered survey questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, video material, observations of practice at case studies, and the collection of project documentation. The methods used for data analysis are the categorisation and measuring of opinions and statements of survey participants, the analysis of video material and project documentation, and the nominal categorisation and ordinal scaling of case study results. Three journal articles capture the essence of the research results and form part of the thesis report, as prescribed by the North-West University’s rules for doctoral theses in article format. All three articles were peer-reviewed and published in journals aimed at international audiences. Article 1 of the thesis highlights that an industry of ECOs fulfils numerous roles at various construction sites across South Africa. The results identify the importance of ECOs functioning independently of all role-players, but warn that obsessing about independence may compromise the ability of ECOs to fulfil their roles. The results also show that industry is in need of competence and the regulation thereof, as well as support from all role players. By drawing from the research results, the thesis defines an ECO. Article 2 of the thesis reiterates that independence is central to internationally acclaimed verification fields and important to ensure the credibility of EIA. The study identifies 18 factors that might influence the independence of EIA follow-up verifiers and divides the factors into five categories: financial, commercial, professional, personal, and other. By identifying and sharing these factors, this thesis aids in anticipating and avoiding potential conflict of interest between environmental role players. Article 3 strengthens the continuum between environmental governance approaches by conceptualising a framework for appraising the value of independent EIA follow-up verifiers. The framework provides for inter-linking principles and objectives of sustainability to the performance areas of EIA, EIA follow-up and the EMS. The appraisal results indicate that independent verifiers add most value when they are involved in screening, checking compliance, influencing decisions, community engagement, and integrating environmental governance approaches. The study confirms the benefits of adaptable, proactive, experienced, and independent EIA follow-up verifiers, such as ECOs, on major South African construction projects. / PhD (Geography and Environmental Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

An independent industry of Environmental Control Officers (ECOs) is active on various construction sites across South Africa. It forms part of a global network of verifiers, such as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and EIA follow-up verifiers. This network authenticates statements about and the implementation of sustainability commitments made during the planning phase of major construction projects. International studies show that the construction industry is experiencing many challenges to deliver sustainability commitments, including inadequate collaboration between role players, illdefined roles and responsibilities, and insufficient use of environmental governance approaches. On-site verifiers like ECOs may aid in restraining these challenges by bridging ineffective governance approaches, such as classic EIA with new governance approaches, for instance self-responsibility (e.g. Environmental Management Systems (EMSs)) and involvement of third parties. Moreover, an “independent from all” verification function may be vital in developing countries such as South Africa, where trust between the government, market and public is particularly fragile due to historical injustices. Interestingly, limited learning has been drawn and shared from this function’s real-world experience. There are also differing views on the role, independence and value of ECOs, due to roles, frequent interaction with persons responsible for delivering sustainability commitments, and collaboration with third parties being ill-defined. The overarching purpose of this study is to advance understanding of independent ECOs in major South African construction projects. Three lines of inquiry are followed. The first is to define what the role is, or ideally should be, of an ECO in the South African compliance monitoring and enforcement effort. The second is to identify what factors might influence the independence of verifiers. The third is to appraise how and to what extent independent EIA follow-up verifiers add value in major construction projects in the developing country context of South Africa. This study’s research assumptions are based on the real world of ECOs and uses a mixed method research approach to draw knowledge from the industry. The strategies of inquiry include a survey, interviews, and multiple case study evaluations. The methods for data collection include literature review, a self-administered survey questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, video material, observations of practice at case studies, and the collection of project documentation. The methods used for data analysis are the categorisation and measuring of opinions and statements of survey participants, the analysis of video material and project documentation, and the nominal categorisation and ordinal scaling of case study results. Three journal articles capture the essence of the research results and form part of the thesis report, as prescribed by the North-West University’s rules for doctoral theses in article format. All three articles were peer-reviewed and published in journals aimed at international audiences. Article 1 of the thesis highlights that an industry of ECOs fulfils numerous roles at various construction sites across South Africa. The results identify the importance of ECOs functioning independently of all role-players, but warn that obsessing about independence may compromise the ability of ECOs to fulfil their roles. The results also show that industry is in need of competence and the regulation thereof, as well as support from all role players. By drawing from the research results, the thesis defines an ECO. Article 2 of the thesis reiterates that independence is central to internationally acclaimed verification fields and important to ensure the credibility of EIA. The study identifies 18 factors that might influence the independence of EIA follow-up verifiers and divides the factors into five categories: financial, commercial, professional, personal, and other. By identifying and sharing these factors, this thesis aids in anticipating and avoiding potential conflict of interest between environmental role players. Article 3 strengthens the continuum between environmental governance approaches by conceptualising a framework for appraising the value of independent EIA follow-up verifiers. The framework provides for inter-linking principles and objectives of sustainability to the performance areas of EIA, EIA follow-up and the EMS. The appraisal results indicate that independent verifiers add most value when they are involved in screening, checking compliance, influencing decisions, community engagement, and integrating environmental governance approaches. The study confirms the benefits of adaptable, proactive, experienced, and independent EIA follow-up verifiers, such as ECOs, on major South African construction projects. / PhD (Geography and Environmental Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Andelen människor som flyttar till städer ökar, vilket gör att det blir allt mer konkurrens om markytan. För att skapa fler bostäder tas mark i anspråk som tidigare haft andra syften eller bestått av naturliga grönytor. När växtlighet prioriteras bort minskar ekosystemtjänster som har förmåga att rena stadsluften. Denna studie baseras på Stockholm, där den regionala översiktsplaneringen åsyftar att staden ska förtätas för att skapa mer centrala bostäder. Att stadsluften är förorenad är ett generellt problem som utsätter invånare för hälsorisker.  Detta är en fallstudie som granskar hur luftföroreningar uppmärksammas när nya bostadsprojekt är planerade att etableras. Fem fall har valts ut nära en hårt trafikerad Europaväg, för att undersöka hur luftkvaliteter beaktats i planprocesserna. Dokument har granskats och berörda aktörer har intervjuats. Riskerna med luftföroreningar omnämns ytterst lite i vissa fall, medan de anses som betydande miljöpåverkan i andra. Detta har lett till att miljökonsekvensbeskrivningar (MKB) krävts vid vissa bostadsprojekt men inte i andra, trots att liknande eller högre nivåer av luftföroreningar eller fordonsmängd uppmätts eller beräknats vid projekten som uppmärksammat aspekten minst. Resultaten i fallstudien belyser den varierande förekomsten av omnämnandet om luftföroreningar och därmed risker för människors hälsa i de olika bostadsprojekten. / The numbers of people that are living in cities are expanding. That means an arising competition of the ground surface. To create enough homes areas that earlier was filled with natural green spaces are sometimes becoming mobilized. Green space’s that seems to clean the air becomes rarer. This study is based on the city of Stockholm, that is planned to expand more towards the central parts of the city. The city air is as in many other cities polluted and citizens are exposed to health risks.  This is a case study that examines how air pollution is being noticed in new residential projects. Five projects located close to a heavy traffic road have been chosen. Documents have been surveyed and relevant stakeholders have been interviewed in reason to find out how air quality is being observed. The different concerns regarding air quality has lead to decisions that environmental impact assessment (EIA) has being required in some cases, but not in others. Thus the levels of air quality or traffic density have approximately been the same or sometimes even higher in the cases that mentioned air quality least. This case study highlights the varied mention about air pollution and thereby the risks for human health in the studied projects.

Together with an internationally praised Constitution, South Africa can pride itself in having one of the best sets of environmental laws in the world, and since EIAs have become mandatory for projects that negatively affect the environment, our track record with respect to environmental protection has substantially improved from the Apartheid days. But as the integrated and proactive approach to environmental management has seemingly been established, a new provision was introduced: Section 24G of NEMA (“Rectification of unlawful commencement of activity”), allowing for retrospective authorisation of unlawful activities (i.e. activities identified in terms of S24 of NEMA). Six years after the introduction of the S24G rectification provision in NEMA, its ability to bring about increased levels of compliance is being questioned. The findings of this research show that in Gauteng S24G has had an ambivalent effect on compliance: while on one hand it has artificially increased compliance by rendering illegal activities legal, on the other, it has seriously undermined the overall compliance and enforcement effort by opening the door to abuse and effectively providing an escape route for potential criminals. It is argued that the schizophrenic character of S24G is at the heart of this dilemma. This research presents theoretical and practical perspectives on non-compliance and analyses data collected on S24G applications in Gauteng in order to determine the effect of S24G on compliance. It also identifies key factors influencing effectiveness of S24G, and derives from the above key performance areas to improve effectiveness of S24G. / Thesis (M. Environmental Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012