Institute for Sustainable Regional Development Emerging Opportunities & Challenges with the EIA Process Presentation by Grant O’Dea and Prof Robert MILES

Institute for Sustainable Regional Development

Emerging Opportunities &

Challenges with the EIA Process

Presentation by Grant O’Dea

and

Prof Robert MILES

17th May 2006

Social & Economic Impacts of mining Forum



Setting the Scene

• Mining and Industrial Development

provide great economic contribution at

local, regional, state and national levels


Setting the Scene

• Aust coal production 717mil tonnes (2003/4),

with exports of thermal coal 106 mil tonnes

and metallurgical coal at 197mil tonnes

(ABARE 2004).

• Export earnings are critical to Australia’s

balance of trade, growth and prosperity.


Setting the Scene

• All large scale operations require an EIA be undertaken and subsequent submission of an EIS

• The opportunity is now to look toward an integrated holistic approach to regional development


Evolution of EIA

• Earlier focus on biophysical environment

• Has since adopted a TBL approach accounting for

»Biophysical aspects

»Economic aspects

»Social aspects


Evolution of the EIA Process

• EIA has many strengths• Strong in identifying biophysical

environmental impacts• Generally strong in identifying

economic impacts• Developing strength in identifying

social issues and in community consultation


Potential Gaps in the EIA Process

• While the EIS has made significant ground some potential gaps remain

» Assessments constrained to project level

»Lack of recognition for cumulative impacts (although this appears to be changing)

»Reliance upon ABS census data as major source



»Lack of follow-up monitoring process

»Not well integrated with regional planning

»Tendency to focus mostly on impacts that industry is responsible for



• Project level assessment does not consider cumulative impacts from multiple projects within a region

• Potential impacts associated with a proposed development may not appear significant , this may be misleading however if other developments are occurring simultaneously within the region



• Reliance upon ABS census data as major data source

»ABS census data only gathered every 5 years

»presents potentially inaccurate impact predictions in where 5 year old data is used as benchmark in impact assessment in high growth areas



• Need for a follow-up process• Follow-up would provide

» Monitoring: the collection of data and comparison with standards, predictions and expectations;

» Evaluation: the appraisal of the conformance of the EIA with standards, predictions or expectations as well as the environmental performance of the activity;



»Management: making decisions and taking appropriate action in response to issues arising from monitoring and evaluation activities; and

»Communication: informing the stakeholders as well as the general public about the results of EIA follow-up.


Areas of Potential Improvement

• Cumulative impacts

• Better data

• Monitoring & follow-up

• Greater integration with planning & government responsibilities


The End

Thank You for Listening

Documents

Institute for Sustainable Regional Development Emerging Opportunities & Challenges with the EIA Process Presentation by Grant O’Dea and Prof Robert MILES