Thesis (MS en S)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Environmental impact assessments have become increasingly popular over the past
few years, by necessity and due to the general increase in environmental
awareness. By definition, environmental impact assessment is a process having the
ultimate objective of providing decision makers with an indication of the likely
consequences of their intended actions. First popularized in the United States of
America in the seventies, environmental impact assessments have since evolved
worldwide into an effective decision making tool.
In South Africa, environmental impact assessments became legally enforceable in
1998 under the Environment Conservation Act (Act 73 of 1989) and presently serves
as an effective tool in facilitating decision making for sustainable development. A
large number of impact assessments are at present being produced for all
categories of activities, but questions arise about the effectiveness of these
assessments in fulfilling their intended purpose.
The present study aims to answer these questions and provide insight into the
nature, content and standard of environmental impact assessment in South Africa by
examining the foundations and application of the concept. The main method of
research was the analysis of various assessments, already submitted to regional
authorities, on the basis of content, methods used, depth of analysis, degree of
public input and their overall contribution to the better understanding of the problem
at hand.
During the analysis many inadequacies and merits of these impact assessments
were revealed. The quality of reports ranged from good (about one third) to average
and poor (about one third). Shortcomings identified related inter alia to data
collection; ignorance of socio-economic factors; ignorance of cumulative effects; and
analysis and evaluation problems. The benefits that these impact assessments could bring about, were also analysed.
It was deduced that there were inherent benefits the most practical being that the
good reports assisted the decision making process considerably. Sustainable
development was also promoted.
It was found that the implementation of the concept still needs more stringent
management and monitoring with improved application and incorporation into the
present planning approach / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die afgelope paar jaar het omgewingsimpakstudies (OIS) toenemend populêr
geword as gevolg van noodsaaklikheid en die algemene toename in
omgewingsbewustheid. By definisie is OIS 'n proses met die uiteindelike doel om
besluitnemers in te lig oor die waarskynlike gevolge van hul handelinge. OIS het
wêreldwyd ontwikkel in 'n effektiewe besluitnemingshulpmiddel sedert dit aanvanklik
tydens die sewentiger jare in die Verenigde State van Amerika gepopulariseer is.
Omgewingsimpakstudies is wetlik afdwingbaar in Suid Afrika sedert 1998 onder die
Wet op Omgewingsbewaring (Wet 73 van 1989). Dit dien as 'n effektiewe middel in
die fasilitering van besluitneming oor volhoubare ontwikkeling. 'n Groot aantal
impakstudies word tans opgestel vir alle kategorieë van aktiwiteite, maar die
effektiwiteit van hierdie studies in die vervulling van hul doelstellings word
bevraagteken.
Die doel van hierdie studie is om hierdie vraag te beantwoord en insig te verskaf oor
die aard, inhoud en standaard van impakstudies in Suid Afrika deur grondslae en
toepassing van die konsep te ondersoek. Die hoof metode van navorsing was die
ontleding van verskeie studies reeds ingedien by plaaslike owerhede, op grond van
inhoud, metodes gebruik, diepte van ontleding, graad van publieke deelname en hul
algehele bydrae tot 'n beter begrip van die probleem.
Tydens die ontleding is verskeie beperkings en meriete van impakstudies ontbloot.
Die kwaliteit van verslae het gewissel van goed (omtrent een derde) tot gemiddeld
en swak (omtrent een derde). Tekortkominge geïdentifiseer hou verband met o.a.
data insameling, onkunde van sosio-ekonomiese faktore, onkunde van kumulatiewe
effekte en ontleding-en evalueringsprobleme.
Voordele van impakstudies is ook geanaliseer. Die belangrikste was dat goeie
verslae besluitnemingsprosesse aansienlik kan bystaan. Volhoubare ontwikkeling is
ook bevorder. Daar is gevind dat die implementering van die konsep steeds strenger bestuur en
beheer benodig, met verbeterde integrasie in die beplanningsproses.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/51978 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Parkes, L. |
| Contributors | Claassen, P. E., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic & Management Sciences. Dept. of Sustainable Development Planning & Management. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 112 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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