Compliance monitoring is a continuous process used to ensure that conditions stipulated in an environmental authorisation are adhered to. Compliance monitoring is a key component of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and EIA follow-up. The aim of this research was to critically assess EIA follow-up conditions formulated for Environmental Authorisations in Mpumalanga Province. The practicability of conditions set out in the authorisation for EIA follow-up are of particular concern. Forty-two (42) environmental authorisations (EAs) issued under the 2010 NEMA EIA regulations were reviewed and assessed to analyse information relating to follow-up practice. In order to synthesise the data effectively and create a comprehensive analysis, the EAs were divided into project type categories rather than listed activity categories. The assessment results on the strengths and weaknesses related to compliance monitoring and enforcement of the authorisation conditions revealed that the EIA follow-up conditions in Mpumalanga do make provision of EIA follow-up. The EAs fulfils the requirements of regulation 37 of the NEMA EIA regulations 2010 by promoting compliance monitoring of impacts. However, some conditions raises difficulty in monitoring due to their impracticability. Another weakness is that conditions focus mainly on the construction phase and very little attention is paid to operational and decommissioning impacts. The analyses results show that the practicability of the authorised conditions for environmental compliance monitoring had the following challenges: conditions intended to mitigate the adverse environmental impacts are generic and do not apply to specific projects or activities being authorised and there are no clearly defined timeframes for conditions requiring repetitive monitoring. Moreover, the study revealed gaps in monitoring of the authorised conditions that included poor clarity of roles of environmental control officers (ECOs) and auditors and a lack of reference to sections to be complied with pertaining to other relevant legislation. The critical assessment of the EIA follow-up conditions formulated for Environmental Authorisations in Mpumalanga Province indicate that the formulation of conditions have implications in ensuring that compliance is effectively implemented. Clearly defined conditions will ensure proper interpretation and correct implementation for compliance purposes. / M (Environmental Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Compliance monitoring is a continuous process used to ensure that conditions stipulated in an environmental authorisation are adhered to. Compliance monitoring is a key component of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and EIA follow-up. The aim of this research was to critically assess EIA follow-up conditions formulated for Environmental Authorisations in Mpumalanga Province. The practicability of conditions set out in the authorisation for EIA follow-up are of particular concern. Forty-two (42) environmental authorisations (EAs) issued under the 2010 NEMA EIA regulations were reviewed and assessed to analyse information relating to follow-up practice. In order to synthesise the data effectively and create a comprehensive analysis, the EAs were divided into project type categories rather than listed activity categories. The assessment results on the strengths and weaknesses related to compliance monitoring and enforcement of the authorisation conditions revealed that the EIA follow-up conditions in Mpumalanga do make provision of EIA follow-up. The EAs fulfils the requirements of regulation 37 of the NEMA EIA regulations 2010 by promoting compliance monitoring of impacts. However, some conditions raises difficulty in monitoring due to their impracticability. Another weakness is that conditions focus mainly on the construction phase and very little attention is paid to operational and decommissioning impacts. The analyses results show that the practicability of the authorised conditions for environmental compliance monitoring had the following challenges: conditions intended to mitigate the adverse environmental impacts are generic and do not apply to specific projects or activities being authorised and there are no clearly defined timeframes for conditions requiring repetitive monitoring. Moreover, the study revealed gaps in monitoring of the authorised conditions that included poor clarity of roles of environmental control officers (ECOs) and auditors and a lack of reference to sections to be complied with pertaining to other relevant legislation. The critical assessment of the EIA follow-up conditions formulated for Environmental Authorisations in Mpumalanga Province indicate that the formulation of conditions have implications in ensuring that compliance is effectively implemented. Clearly defined conditions will ensure proper interpretation and correct implementation for compliance purposes. / M (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.

3 In recent years, the legislation on environmental impact assessment in the Czech Republic has undergone a great number of significant changes. The existing procedures in the EIA as well as in the subsequent authorization process have been substantially modified. The thesis aims to provide an overview of the EIA system in the Czech Republic, with particular regard to the recent changes made thereto. The thesis focuses on the main features of the EIA and analyses the institutes applied therein, considering the requirements of international and EU law and the conclusions of the judicial authorities or other independent bodies established to review the compliance with these requirements. Attention is paid not only to standard forms of assessment but also to special regimes in which certain project are assessed. The thesis also deals with the specifics that characterize the EIA procedure, such as public participation or impartiality and expertise of the assessment. The thesis identifies the pros and cons of the current legislation, including de lege ferenda proposals to address shortcomings where appropriate. Attention is also paid to the topics related to EIA currently discussed in the national, European and international fields, such as the streamlining trends which aim to enhance the quality and efficiency...

There is no doubt that the assessment of social impacts is as important, in some cases even more important, than the assessment of biophysical and economic impacts of development projects. Nonetheless, social impact assessment (SIA) has remained an "orphan" in the broader environmental impact assessment (EIA) context, both internationally and in South Africa, and is often neglected or treated as a less important aspect of an EIA. It was the aim of this study to measure perceptions of relative neglect of SIA in South Africa against the theory and practice of SIA as reflected in the literature. The basic hypothesis was that, whereas the theory and practice of SIA has reached a sophisticated level in the developed world, the practice of SIA in South Africa is not yet on a sound footing and that it does not receive the professional attention it deserves in a country beset by enormous social challenges. Thus the research problem was whether SIA is practiced at a satisfactory level of proficiency in South Africa. Social aspects of impact assessment in the North West Province of South Africa were investigated, with the aim to identify shortcomings and their possible causes and to make recommendations for improvement. The article format was used, and the main section of the study comprises two articles. The first article, a theoretical perspective based on a literature study, is a critical evaluation of SIA as part of the EIA process in South Africa against the background of international guidelines and best practices. The article includes sections on the historical background of the development of SIA in South Africa, the legal status and requirements of SIA in the country, and a critical evaluation of SIA regulation in South Africa. It was found that the persistent problems of SIA practice, experienced in other parts of the world, are also evident in South Africa. Apart from institutional, financial and professional constraints, there are also serious problems associated with approach and methods. The second article is an evaluation of and recommendations for the improvement of the practice of SIA in the North West Province. An empirical study of 26 EIAs, performed in the province between 1999 and 2002, was done. It was established that in terms of social baseline data, the identification of significant social impacts, specialist studies, public participation, recommended mitigation measures, and the attention paid to social impacts in records of decision (RODS) SIA practice in the North West Province is far from satisfactory. Apathy towards social impacts is associated with a general lack of SIA expertise. The following recommendations are made in the study to improve the level of SIA practice: a system of mandatory registration of SIA practitioners should be introduced; specialized SIA training programmes for SIA practitioners and officials should be developed and accredited; SIA specialists should be used to assess significant social impacts identified in EIAs; a policy framework and code of ethics for SIA practice should be developed; methodological guidelines for SIA should be supplied in or as a supplement to the new EIA guidelines; and the public participation process should be redesigned. / Thesis (M. Environmental Science)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

There is no doubt that the assessment of social impacts is as important, in some cases even more important, than the assessment of biophysical and economic impacts of development projects. Nonetheless, social impact assessment (SIA) has remained an "orphan" in the broader environmental impact assessment (EIA) context, both internationally and in South Africa, and is often neglected or treated as a less important aspect of an EIA. It was the aim of this study to measure perceptions of relative neglect of SIA in South Africa against the theory and practice of SIA as reflected in the literature. The basic hypothesis was that, whereas the theory and practice of SIA has reached a sophisticated level in the developed world, the practice of SIA in South Africa is not yet on a sound footing and that it does not receive the professional attention it deserves in a country beset by enormous social challenges. Thus the research problem was whether SIA is practiced at a satisfactory level of proficiency in South Africa. Social aspects of impact assessment in the North West Province of South Africa were investigated, with the aim to identify shortcomings and their possible causes and to make recommendations for improvement. The article format was used, and the main section of the study comprises two articles. The first article, a theoretical perspective based on a literature study, is a critical evaluation of SIA as part of the EIA process in South Africa against the background of international guidelines and best practices. The article includes sections on the historical background of the development of SIA in South Africa, the legal status and requirements of SIA in the country, and a critical evaluation of SIA regulation in South Africa. It was found that the persistent problems of SIA practice, experienced in other parts of the world, are also evident in South Africa. Apart from institutional, financial and professional constraints, there are also serious problems associated with approach and methods. The second article is an evaluation of and recommendations for the improvement of the practice of SIA in the North West Province. An empirical study of 26 EIAs, performed in the province between 1999 and 2002, was done. It was established that in terms of social baseline data, the identification of significant social impacts, specialist studies, public participation, recommended mitigation measures, and the attention paid to social impacts in records of decision (RODS) SIA practice in the North West Province is far from satisfactory. Apathy towards social impacts is associated with a general lack of SIA expertise. The following recommendations are made in the study to improve the level of SIA practice: a system of mandatory registration of SIA practitioners should be introduced; specialized SIA training programmes for SIA practitioners and officials should be developed and accredited; SIA specialists should be used to assess significant social impacts identified in EIAs; a policy framework and code of ethics for SIA practice should be developed; methodological guidelines for SIA should be supplied in or as a supplement to the new EIA guidelines; and the public participation process should be redesigned. / Thesis (M. Environmental Science)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is recognised worldwide as a tool for identifying the potential adverse effects of a proposed development on the environment. Very little attention has been given to determining the actual environmental effects resulting from a development. The need for EIA follow–up (i.e. monitoring, auditing, evaluation, management and communication) was identified and would form the building blocks within the EIA process. Follow–up provides information about the consequences of an activity and presents opportunities to implement adequate mitigation measures. EIA follow–up is not developed to its full potential even though the need for it is acknowledged and supported in legislation, scientific journals and scientific books. EIA follow–up necessitates feedback in the EIA process to ensure lessons learnt and outcomes from past experiences can be applied in future actions. Follow–up is only a legal requirement if conditions are specified in the environmental authorisation (EA). Of particular concern to follow–up is the accuracy of prediction and secondly, the level of compliance to conditions set out in the authorization and management plans. This study will focus primarily on critically analysing predictions and compliance from the construction phase of a high profile mega shopping mall project, namely the Mooi River Mall (MRM), with an analysis to gauge the actual effect and contribution of the EIA process to decision making and implementation practices. Multiple data sources were used to determine the accuracy of predictions and legal compliance level of the Mooi River Mall. The Mooi River Mall's accuracy of predictions (66%) and legal compliance (83%) suggest that some of the impacts were unavoidable; that mitigation measures were either not implemented or identified or that EIA follow–up served its purpose in the form of implementing effective auditing programmes to monitor legal compliance. / Thesis (M.Sc (Environmental Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is recognised worldwide as a tool for identifying the potential adverse effects of a proposed development on the environment. Very little attention has been given to determining the actual environmental effects resulting from a development. The need for EIA follow–up (i.e. monitoring, auditing, evaluation, management and communication) was identified and would form the building blocks within the EIA process. Follow–up provides information about the consequences of an activity and presents opportunities to implement adequate mitigation measures. EIA follow–up is not developed to its full potential even though the need for it is acknowledged and supported in legislation, scientific journals and scientific books. EIA follow–up necessitates feedback in the EIA process to ensure lessons learnt and outcomes from past experiences can be applied in future actions. Follow–up is only a legal requirement if conditions are specified in the environmental authorisation (EA). Of particular concern to follow–up is the accuracy of prediction and secondly, the level of compliance to conditions set out in the authorization and management plans. This study will focus primarily on critically analysing predictions and compliance from the construction phase of a high profile mega shopping mall project, namely the Mooi River Mall (MRM), with an analysis to gauge the actual effect and contribution of the EIA process to decision making and implementation practices. Multiple data sources were used to determine the accuracy of predictions and legal compliance level of the Mooi River Mall. The Mooi River Mall's accuracy of predictions (66%) and legal compliance (83%) suggest that some of the impacts were unavoidable; that mitigation measures were either not implemented or identified or that EIA follow–up served its purpose in the form of implementing effective auditing programmes to monitor legal compliance. / Thesis (M.Sc (Environmental Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

A Política Nacional de Meio Ambiente (PNMA) é a principal lei ambiental do Brasil, a qual estabelece treze instrumentos para alcançar seus objetivos, sendo um dos mais aplicados o licenciamento ambiental. Associado a ele está outro instrumento, a Avaliação de Impacto Ambiental. As esferas federal, estadual e municipal possuem competência para licenciar variadas tipologias de empreendimentos, conforme o estabelecido pela Lei Complementar nº 140/2011. Embora estejam ocorrendo mudanças nos órgãos licenciadores municipais que começaram a exercer sua competência, é reportado pela literatura que faltam legislações, carecem de órgãos específicos, bem como mão de obra qualificada para exercer tal atividade. Os desafios existentes indicam a necessidade de pesquisar a aptidão dos órgãos municipais de meio ambiente, sua capacidade institucional e a existência de legislação específica, a fim de aprimorar o licenciamento ambiental local. Diante disto, esta pesquisa teve como objetivo principal descrever e caracterizar o licenciamento ambiental descentralizado e a gestão ambiental local, tendo como estudo de caso a cidade de Uberaba/MG. Para isso foi verificada a efetividade do licenciamento ambiental com AIA descentralizado e qual a influência que este instrumento trouxe para a gestão ambiental do município como um todo. Isto foi realizado por meio de levantamento e análise de legislações e documentos orientadores de 22 processos de licenciamento ambiental classes 3 e 4, realização de entrevistas, revisão de literatura e de legislações ambientais e urbanísticas do município, juntamente com a escolha de critérios apropriados para avaliar a forma como tem funcionado o sistema de licenciamento com AIA municipal em Uberaba, além da verificação da sua efetividade. Assim, constatou-se que Uberaba apresenta indícios de efetividade em seu sistema de licenciamento ambiental com AIA, sob o olhar da efetividade procedimental, visto que atendeu a maioria dos critérios aplicados, como, por exemplo, o fato de possuir os elementos do sistema estabelecidos em lei, assim como o objetivo da AIA, e uma secretaria estruturada e com agentes capacitados. Ademais, percebeu-se que a realização do licenciamento ambiental não trouxe novos elementos para a gestão ambiental do município, pois esta já contava com uma robusta estrutura antes mesmo que o convênio para a realização do licenciamento fosse assinado. Isto remete à importância de estudos desta natureza, a fim de avaliar a efetividade de sistemas de licenciamento e a gestão ambiental, para que sejam identificadas as suas carências para a proposição de melhorias. / The National Environmental Policy (PNMA) is Brazil\'s main environmental law which establishes thirteen instruments to achieve its objectives, one of the most applied being environmental licensing. Associated with its there are another instrument, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The federal, state and municipal spheres have the authority to license various typologies of enterprises as established by Complementary Law nº140/2011. Although changes are occurring in the municipal licensing agencies that have begun to exercise their competence, it is reported in the literature that they lack legislation, lack specific bodies, as well as skilled labor to carry out such activity. Existing challenges indicate the need to investigate the suitability of municipal environmental agencies, their institutional capacity and the existence of specific legislation in order to improve local environmental licensing. In view of this, the main objective of this research was to describe and characterize decentralized environmental licensing and local environmental management having as a case study the city of Uberaba/MG. For this, the effectiveness of environmental licensing with decentralized EIA was verified and what influence this instrument brought to the environmental management of the municipality as a whole. This was done by surveying and analyzing legislation and guiding documents of 22 environmental licensing processes classes 3 and 4, conducting interviews, reviewing the literature and environmental and town planning legislation of the municipality, along with choosing appropriate criteria to evaluate the way in which the licensing system with municipal EIA in Uberaba has functioned, in addition to verifying its effectiveness. Thus, it was verified that Uberaba presents indications of effectiveness in its environmental licensing system with EIA, under the view of procedural effectiveness, since it met most of the applied criteria, such as the fact that it has the established system elements in law, as well as the purpose of the EIA, and a structured secretariat with trained agents. In addition, it was realized that the environmental licensing did not bring new elements for the environmental management of the municipality, since it already had a robust structure before the agreement for the accomplishment of the licensing was signed. This refers to the importance of studies of this nature in order to evaluate the effectiveness of licensing systems and environmental management, so that their shortcomings can be identified for the proposition of improvements.

In recent years, ¡§Boost the economy and cut down the unemployment rate¡¨ has become a common understanding of the people in Taiwan, which is the government¡¦s goal for economic development as well. One of the most effective strategies to boost the economy is to encourage investment. However, the rising concern of environmental protection and the consciousness of living peacefully with the mother natural have become a trend nowadays. Furthermore, not only business but also the government and the neighboring residents have increased their standards for environmental protection. Therefore, the industry has tended to be more prudent to any new development project. What deserves to be mentioned is, no matter how wonderful a proposed project is, without the support of local residents, no project can be executed. Therefore, we should regard the citizen participation and environmental impact assessment (EIA). China Petroleum Corporation (CPC) proposed at the end of 2002, aiming to make the transformation from an oil plant to a hi-tech petrochemical zone on Kaohsiung Oil Refinery, with new petrochemical equipment and nono-technology. Ministry of Economic Affairs has agreed with the proposed transformation with the condition that CPC has to obtain approval from the local residents, representatives and government. According to the analysis of power interaction, this study intends to provide related policy suggestions to the government and CPC with the purpose of economic prosperity. For the evolution of modern society, sustainable development and business continuity will play important roles. Besides adopting opinion poll, Delphi Technique is also applied as the research methodology to carry on experts¡¦ interviews and questionnaires investigation.