Environmental Impact Assessment (El A) is a process that is widely practised as it assists in decision-making and also helps to overcome the environmental problems that could result from development activities. However, the focus is still on EIA as a process and less on EIA follow-up. EIA follow-up is taken to mean the activities, such as monitoring and auditing, that are carried out after the Record of Decision has been made, although the importance of establishing EIA follow-up early in the project cycle is emphasised in this thesis. In most countries, EIA follow-up is not legislated and whilst it is generally recognized as important it is not widely practised. This thesis is aimed at assessing the status of EIA follow-up in Lesotho. Nine development projects were selected and their reports; Environmental Impact Assessment Reports (EIRs), Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) and auditing reports were analysed to determine if there was provision for EIA follow-up. Four criteria were utilised in the analysis. These were: the impacts that were predicted and mitigation measures proposed, the provision made for EIA follow-up before the implementation of the project, the impacts that were experienced and the mitigation measures that were put in place and the EIA follow-up process that was undertaken, and the people responsible for it. All projects had undergone an EIA process, except for one which did not have an EIR prepared, viz. C& Y garment factory at the Thetsane industrial site. Of the remainder, four projects contained provision for EIA follow-up, although in most case studies follow-up focused on the construction phase and little was stated about the implementation of follow-up. Generally, an environmental officer was appointed to monitor the impacts that were experienced and to ensure compliance with the EMP. However, in the Butha-Buthe industrial estate case study, the EIA follow-up process was detailed and specific, even giving the frequency with which EIA follow-up should be undertaken, by whom and how it should be done. This is most likely because it is the most recent industrial estate to be developed and that lessons were learned from previous industrial development sites discussed as case studies in this thesis, where problems were encountered due to lack of EIA follow-up. Apart from the assessment of these reports, questionnaires were also administered to nine environmental consultants practising in Lesotho. Monitoring and auditing were identified as EIA follow-up by the majority of consultants (7 or 78%). Only one person identified it as including public participation, while the other person (11 %) identified it as monitoring, which incorporates EMPs and Environmental Management Systems (EMSs). It was interesting to note that only one person included public participation as part of EIA follow-up, in contrast to the general understanding of EIA follow-up internationally, that the public have a role to play in follow-up activities. One person (1 or 11 %) pointed out that EIA follow-up should start at the planning or design stage, while the majority (89%) stated that it should start after the completion of the EIA process and the Record of Decision, the latter group failing to recognise the importance of collecting baseline data early in the EIA process. Of all the projects, only the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) was observed to implement EIA follow-up, such as monitoring and auditing, on a regular basis. An assessment was also undertaken of the environmental legislation in Lesotho and the provision that it makes for EIA follow-up. Sections 31 and 32 of Part V of the Act specifically give provision for EIA follow-up. It is stated that in order to prevent environmental degradation, environmental monitoring and environmental auditing should be undertaken. Moreover, the Lesotho EIA guidelines (1997) do give guidance and procedures on how EIA follow-up should be undertaken. However, it was found that currently, the Environment Act, 2001 is not operational and that EIA follow-up like the EIA process is undertaken on a voluntary basis. It was therefore recommended that at present, the self-regulatory approach to EIA follow-up is the most suitable one for Lesotho. Recommendations were made to strengthen this approach until such time as legislation is in place or an environmentally aware public can participate in EIA follow-up. Several problems were identified that were hampering the practice of EIA follow-up in Lesotho. These included: the un-operational Environment Act, an environmentally unaware public, few environmentalists and lack of sensitive and dedicated government ministries. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

Syftet med studien var att studera om attraktiviteten hos en person kan påverka graden av hur moraliskt förkastlig en handling som utförs av personen bedöms vara och huruvida det föreligger någon könsskillnad. Med ett experiment undersöktes 151 studenter på ett medelstort universitet i södra Sverige. Deltagarna tilldelades ett fiktivt moraliskt scenario med ett bifogat foto av antingen en oattraktiv eller en attraktiv person. En kontrollgrupp blev tilldelade samma scenario men utan något foto. Därefter fick deltagarna svara på hur moraliskt förkastlig de upplevde handlingen som beskrevs i scenariot och hur attraktiv de upplevde personen på fotot vara. Ingen signifikant skillnad i moralisk förkastlighet framkom mellan attraktiv och oattraktivt foto, ej heller någon könsskillnad. Resultatet influerades sannolikt av ”criminal face effect”, den av Dumas & Testé (2012) beskrivna effekt. Om en moraliskt tvivelaktig handling utförs och gärningsmannen uppfyller en stereotyp bild hos en eventuell bedömare av hur någon som utför den handlingen ser ut kommer gärningsmannen att dömas hårdare än om stereotypen inte uppfylls. / The aim of the study was to determine whether the attractiveness of a person can influence the degree of how morally reprehensible an act performed by the person assessed and whether there is any gender difference. In an experiment, 151 students at a medium-sized university in southern Sweden participated. The participants were assigned a fictitious moral scenario with an attached photo of either an unattractive or attractive person. A control group were assigned the same scenario but with no photo. Subsequently, participants were asked how morally reprehensible they experienced the act described in the scenario and how attractive they thought the person on the photo to be. No significant difference in moral reprehensibility emerged between attractive and unattractive photo nor a gender difference. The result is likely influenced by the "criminal face effect," the effect described by Dumas & Teste (2012). If a morally dubious act is performed and the offender meets a stereotypical image of a possible estimator of how someone performs the action looks offender will be sentenced more severely than if the stereotype is not met.

The aim of this dissertation is to examine the integration of social issues into the Development Planning Process through environmental assessment procedures. A Case Study of Petrol Filling Stations (PFS) was examined in order to assess the level of integration of the social environment into the development planning process. It is often the case that developments, especially large developments, are conceptualized at a scale that marginalises the needs of local communities. The indirect cost and benefits of these developments on the community is not adequately researched prior to the implementation of these developments. Local concerns from the social environment are often marginalized in the decision making process. The literature in the study indicates that public involvement is often seen as anti-development, reflecting self-interest and being typical of the NIMBY (Not in my backyard) Syndrome. This dissertation comprises two main parts. The first part provides the theory and methodology employed by the researcher to gather data to explore the topic. International and national literature is analysed in relation to the Development Planning Process, Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and its evolution, Public Participation, The NIMBY Syndrome, Social Impact Assessments (SIA) and relevant case studies are explored. The second part of this research analyses in detail the case study in relation to the development planning process and the EIA process. The intention of the analysis of the case studies was to establish at exactly what point the social environment is included in the development planning process and EIA process. The intention was to further establish if the process and its practice is adequate in ensuring the assessment and inclusion of the social environment into the decision making process. The second part of this research also analyses the interviews that were undertaken in order to assess how practitioners consider and include the social environment into the decision making process. The research confirms that in this particular instance the social environment was not adequately included early enough in the decision making process. Often social concerns are considered by developers to be a mechanism to delay development and are viewed as a “stumbling block” to development. However, the recognition of social issues and good public participation have been recognized as an important factor in ensuring quick decision-making and successful implementation of projects. Social screening is critical at the outset, prior to a development application being lodged with the relevant approval authority. Developers have recognized the importance of SIA and thorough public involvement in projects. Social screening can be used as a tool outside of, or prior to, the formal Development Planning and EIA application processes. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2010.

The relationship between protected areas and the surrounding communities is important in enhancing the success of both parties. The aim of this study was to examine the socio-economic impacts of tourism on poor rural communities adjacent to the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park with specific reference to Mpembeni community. Triangulation (a multi method approach) was used to find out attitudes and perceptions of the communities towards tourists, resources within the park as well as the role of communities in the development and promotion of tourism in the park. The study of the Mpembeni Community adjacent to the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park (HUP) shows that this community benefits in various ways. Accessibility to natural resources such as meat, grass, firewood and water was cited as one of the benefits. Participation in the operation and management of the park was yet another benefit that was identified. In addition, the results show that a range of opportunities for positive interactions with park's management/staff include job opportunities, good working relations and joint problem solving. Tourism development as a benefit was revealed through two specified areas namely interaction with the tourists as well as the desire to have more tourists visiting the community and the establishment of other tourist facilities in the community. The respondents also cited opportunities for tourism and related incomes, which involve the sale of handicraft products, job opportunities and cultural activities. Furthermore, education/ training programmes particularly children wildlife camps, capacity building and the training of tour community guides were also cited. In addition, natural resource management including the establishment of the Community Conservation Game Reserve (CCGR) and participation in decision-making were also identified as speci fic benefits. The socio-economic impacts in all the identified specified areas except with participation in the management of the park where local communities are not fully involved were positive. This suggests that there is a need to involve local communities in the operation and management of the park as well as other community-based tourism ventures in order to uplift their standards of living. KEY TERMS: socio-economic. impacts, tourism, poor rural communities / Theses (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2001.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is one of the most used tools for environmental management since its introduction in 1970s in the United States of America. Being a systematic process that examines the environmental consequences of development actions in advance, it is perceived as one of the tools which can help different nations to achieve sustainable development because of its capabilities to provide necessary information for decision-makers in order to balance economical, social and ecological paradigms of sustainable development in development projects. This research aims to assess the practice of the EIA processes in Rwanda and specifically seeks to identify the major challenges faced by environmental officers in this process. Given the nature of this research, policy review and desktop research methods have been used to study the current EIA procedures in Rwanda while a quantitative survey method was used to collect data and assess the practices of EIA process as well as the challenges faced by environmental officers in Rwanda. All environmental officers (8) who were dealing with EIA in Rwanda before the transfer of the EIA department to the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and all consultant companies which have been approved and which have at least done an EIA study in Rwanda (19) were targeted and received questionnaires via emails. All the environmental officers and 12 (63%) of the consultants responded to the questionnaire. The data was captured in the Software Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) template after being coded and has been analysed thematically. The policy review reveals that the current procedures are being developed given that the EIA process started in 2005. Like many developing countries, implementation remains a key challenge. Institutional arrangements remain to be finalised. In terms of the survey findings, even if EIA officers are more experienced than EIA consultants both have some skill gaps including using Geographical Information System (GIS) and remote sensing, understanding project management and customer care skills. Additionally, they receive very little training and capacity-building opportunities, although they desire these. The main challenges identified related to insufficient baseline data, funding, shortage of staff, lack of adequate resources, instilling environmental awareness among developers (developers perceive EIA as a barrier) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) which is not conducted. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

Impact induced dynamic cracks are produced with a Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) apparatus in two rocks (Kuru granite and Flamboro limestone) with impact velocities ranging from 8 to 12 m/s. Impact bit (tungsten carbide) diameters range from 8mm to 15mm. Dye impregnation combined with UV imaging, CAT scans and Optical scans were employed to study the resulting crack patterns. The resulting damage is quantified in terms of radial crack density on impact surface, crater, crushed zone and crack density with depth. In both rocks ‘total’ damage obtained is directly proportional (exponential) with bit diameter and impact velocity. The ‘total’ damage in Kuru granite is found to be greater than Flamboro limestone at all impact velocities; however, the crushed zone in the latter is found to consistently greater than the former. 2D simulations of dynamic fractures with AUTODYN have also been carried out showing good qualitative agreement with experimental results.

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<p>Developing countries often hoard the largest number of species, but also experience very high poverty levels. This dissertation reviews the evidence of the performance common conservation interventions. I find that despite the billions of dollars channeled towards conservation efforts annually, there is still very limited evidence whether or not conservation policies work. The evidence has been limited to exceptional countries like Costa Rica and Thailand and outlines like deforestation, without considering ecosystem function and ecosystem services. Furthermore, I find that the conservation impact evaluation literature has currently not highlighted the channels through which conservation policies effect change and how the effectiveness varies with the baseline characteristics of the area. </p><p>This dissertation aims to address some of the gaps in current conservation literature. Focusing on Indonesia between 2000 and 2006, I evaluate the performance of protected areas in terms of stalling deforestation as well as providing a wide range of ecosystem services and benefits (Chapter 2). In Chapter 3 I examine the role of context in which protected areas operate and show significant heterogeneity in their performance. In Chapter 4 I develop a static spatially explicit model of household fuelwood extraction that allows me to predict the location and magnitude of spillovers when a protected area is introduced. I find that depending on the characteristics of the areas, it may be optimal for households to buy fuelwood than collect it.</p> / Dissertation

Microcredits have become a popular way to include poor people in the financial market. Former research on the impact on business performance has provided divergent findings and its impact on the Salvadoran market is not yet investigated. This thesis takes on this problem by analysing and evaluating how the microenterprises in Usulután, El Salvador are affected by the participation in a microcredit program. By using a quantitative method the business performance of a treatment group is compared to that of a control group. The results show that participation in a microcredit program enlarged the enterprise size in terms of sales, total assets and equity, but did not have any significant impact on business profit, marginal return to capital or fixed asset. Regressions are conducted to describe what individual characteristics of the clients are the most important for the business performance. Clients with higher education and male clients over performed other clients.