The fundamental benefit of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in South Africa is the integration of the concept of sustainability into plans and programmes. This provides the means to incorporate the environmental and social objectives of districts and regions into their policy, planning and investment decision-making processes. At present, there is limited legislative support for SEA in South Africa, and there is little incentive for municipalities to pursue SEAs. All municipalities in South Africa are however, required by the Municipal Systems Act (Act 32 of 2000) to undertake an Integrated Development Planning (IDP) process to which SEA can add value, by providing a practical guide to integrating the concept of sustainability into the planning process. Furthermore, by integrating SEA with the IDP process, the ethos of sustainable development and the country's Integrated Environmental Management (IEM) policy and legislation can be effectively applied to local government development planning. The uMhlathuze Municipality embarked on an SEA linked to their IDP process in 2002. The City of uMhlathuze is unique in that it has a rapidly evolving industrial sector within a poor community base. Basic priorities include job creation and fostering a better quality of life, whilst allowing for further development in an already polluted environment. An attempt was made by the Municipality to integrate an SEA with the IDP process to allow for environmental and sustainability considerations to be reviewed against the prevailing environmental conditions. The CSIR was commissioned to undertake this study. In theory, SEA incorporated into the IDP process would ensure that the urban plan for the Municipality is along a sustainability trajectory. This study critically assesses SEA by reviewing its origins, logical connection to the IEM framework and, its application in South Africa. The study also critically evaluates the uMhlathuze Municipality's IDP reports, to determine whether there is value in SEAs integrated into the IDP process. The challenges faced and lessons learnt for the development of a common approach to the integration of SEA into the IDP process are highlighted. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu- Natal, Durban, 2005.

There is an increased need for PP in making decisions that affects their livelihood and the environment surrounding them. Rwanda continues to strive to initiate programs and projects to ensure improved living conditions for the citizens. It is important and necessary to ensure that the interested and affected community member take an active role in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) decision making process. Without consultation and meaningful participation of interested and affected parties (IAP’s), there is a serious danger of conflict of interests during project implementation. Such conflict of interests so often contributes to project delays through litigations, loss of invested resources and environmental degradation. The need for meaningful public involvement in the EIA process has been recognized by the World Bank, and the European Union Governments, the United Nations, and many governments around the world. There is also a large amount of research literature that supports the concept of the EIA process. This study has 4 key objectives, namely; 1) Determine the requirements for, and barriers to effective PP in the EIA implementation process; 2) review three EIA practical case studies in Rwanda in order to investigate the effectiveness in ensuring PP in practice; 3) explore the views of Interested and Affected Parties (Environmental consultants, NGOs, REMA and community representatives) with regard to the effectiveness of PP in EIA processes in Rwanda; 4) To consider the future for meaningful PP in the EIA process in Rwanda. In order to achieve the objectives of the study, a wide selection of literature on PP in the EIA process has been reviewed; document analysis, questionnaire interviews, and three case studies have been reviewed. The findings of this research reveal that, with specific reference to the cases studied, the current EIA implementation process in Rwanda is ineffective in ensuring meaningful public involvement. Some procedural challenges have been identified in the implementation process and these acts as a barrier to effective participation. They include: • inadequate follow-up of compliance, • absence of the PP guidelines, • late public involvement in the EIA process and • poor communication mechanisms. The following recommendations are made to enhance meaningful PP in the EIA process in Rwanda: • that there be a full exchange of information between developers and IAP’s involvement should be increased to ensure informed decision-making and meaningful input; • that there be early public involvement in the EIA Process to reduce manipulation and possible conflicts; • that PP guidelines should be established and formalized to ensure effective monitoring, enforcement and compliance. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

This paper reviews environmental impact assessment (EIA) policy and practice in Eritrea against a set of evaluation criteria. These include: institutional aspects of the EIA system (policy development, legal basis for EIA, institutional strength and responsibilities for EIA administration, and resources adequacy); the EIA process (screening, scoping, EIA study, documentation, review, decision-making, and monitoring and auditing); and other features of the EIA system (coverage, consideration of alternatives, public consultation and participation, system monitoring, the cost and benefit of EIA system and strategic environmental assessment (SEA)). To assess the extent of EIA practice, the EIA report review criteria developed by the Impact Assessment Unit (IAD) of Oxford Brookes University were used to review case studies of two sectoral EIA reports: the Massawa International Airport Project and the Keren Water Supply Project. Additionally, a literature review was undertaken and interviews with different stakeholders were conducted to collect the required information. The review indicated that, in principle and at a policy level, the current EIA system in Eritrea meets ten of the 17 evaluation criteria, partially meets three and fails to meet four. The major weakness relates to the legal provisions for EIA;. adequacy of resources (human and environmental data/information); centrality of EIA findings in decision making; and the formal provision for SEA for programmes, plans and policies. In practice, however, the overall EIA system in the country is weakly established. Thus, to strengthen the current EIA system in the country increased environmental awareness, continuous training in EIA for government officials, consultants, and research and educational institutions is required. Most importantly, revision and subsequent proclamation of the draft legislation is required to provide a sound legal basis for EIA in Eritrea. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of Natal, 2003.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has become common as the world realise that the environment has to be managed well for sustenance of life on the planet. As the EIA has now become a sine qua non in the management of the environment, the issue is how to ensure that it is best employed to achieve the desired results. There are various approaches that countries have used in their EIA processes, but it appears that the most efficient application emanates from having a legal basis for its use. The two countries which are subjects of this study, Lesotho and South Africa, have been chosen primarily because of their geographic proximity to each other, which factor often exposes them to similar environmental experiences. Their response to such environmental challenges then becomes important. This study concentrates on statutory enactments in terms of the EIA processes by the two countries. Their EIA regimes are compared and contrasted. This is done against the background of what is considered the best international EIA practice. It is revealed that the two countries are not at par in their use of and experience with the EIA process. While Lesotho is encouraged to enrich its new practise from South African experiences with the EIA, South Africa too has some way to go towards the best EIA practice. / Thesis (LL.M.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

Sustainable development requires the integration of ecological and social concerns into economic activities. Recent trends in environmental impact assessment (EIA) suggest the eventual use of the EIA process to link socio-environmental attributes with economic decision-making thus allowing for the transition towards a sustainable future. / This thesis is an examination of the proposed Federal Environmental Impact Assessment Act of Canada and the extent to which its provisions seek to ensure a move towards sustainable development.

After more than a decade of environmental impact assessment ( EIA ) provisions within South Australian Planning Act, 1982 it is appropriate to examine the role of the environmental impact statement ( EIS ) as a major element of EIA and an important decision making tool for major projects over this period. The thesis first provides a review of EIA from its overseas origins to its development at the Commonwealth level in Australia. This provides the context within which to examine the system of EIA for major developments or projects in South Australia, which are dealt with largely through the EIS process. The thesis examines the type of projects which, according to the discretionary criteria in the Planning Act, have attracted EIS requirements between 1982 - 1993 and uses this to determine generic groupings of projects. It is noted that marinas represent the largest group of projects with EIS requirements, although EISs have been called for power generation related projects, electricity transmission line projects, tourist related projects, industrial projects, mining projects, water management projects, transport projects and a number of other projects. The thesis examines the number of EISs that have been completed, whether or not the projects have been approved or rejected and to what extent any patterns have emerged. The thesis then focuses on all the completed EISs in terms of their content, timing of preparation, public involvement and response, associated legislative requirements, type and role of developer, type and role of EIS consultant, the assessment of the EIS, and the decision making process. The thesis notes the high approval rate for projects with completed EISs suggesting most of the environmental problems have been resolved or are capable of being resolved. It is also noted that a number of projects are abandoned before the EIS is ever completed and that the few rejected EIS proposals are associated with high numbers of public submissions. Although each of the rejected proposals has a complex history of project development, environmental assessment and negotiations, it is noted that the decision to reject the proposals was ultimately a political decision. The thesis comments on the limited role of the South Australian Planning Commission ( SAPC ) in EIS project decision making in South Australia and the increasing use of the Governor as a decision maker. Although the SAPC is the statutory planning authority it is constrained by having to have regard to the principles in the Development Plan which is geared toward development control rather than for the extraordinary major projects which become subject to EIS requirements. The thesis then examines proposed changes to EIA in the context of early attempts to initiate EIA reform in South Australia through to the current Development Bill. These proposals are placed in context with changes to EIA procedures that have taken place at the Commonwealth level, the proposed development of a national agreement on EIA, and also the implications for EIA which are likely to flow from recent Commonwealth initiatives on ecologically sustainable development strategies. In addition the implications of recently developed environment protection agencies and associated legislation are examined at both the State and Commonwealth levels. Collectively these reviews and analyses provide the context of current thinking on EIA as it is likely to affect South Australian EIA processes in the future. Finally the thesis discusses the evolving role of the South Australian EIS in the context of its evolutionary process and the proposed legislative changes in South Australia, together with other related initiatives. This discussion touches on a number of issues such as public administration, the actual practice of the EIA process as opposed to the theory of EIA and what is written into the EIA legislation. In conclusion an overview is given of the current role of the EIS with some predictions for the future of EIA in South Australia. / Thesis (M.Plan.)--Department of Architecture, 1993.

Thesis (M. Sc.(Urb. Plan.))--University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf [174-180]).

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 68-70) and index.

Thesis (M. Sc. (Urb. Plan.))--University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references.