EIA, environmental impact assessment — English

The administrative or regulatory process by which the environmental impact of a proposed human project or activity is determined. It is essentially a predictive process. In South Africa, as in many other countries, it forms part of the Integrated Environmental Management Procedure (IEMP). Based on the environmental data collected in the environmental evaluation (EE) phase of the IEMP, and all the information about the proposed project or activity supplied by the proposer, a scientific prediction of the impact on the environment is made. This predictive process is environmental impact analysis which is an integral part of environmental impact assessment. Various techniques are employed to make such predictions, some are highly scientific measurements and modelling, while others are based on expert opinions and also on the opinions of the lay people who might have an interest in or be affected by the proposed project or activity. The latter are called the interested and affected parties (IAPs) and according to South Africa’s environmental legislation, their opinions must be taken into account. It should be noted that the terms “environmental impact assessment” and “environmental impact analysis” are often erroneously used as synonyms. Even worse is the erroneous interchangeable use of environmental impact assessment and environmental evaluation. The correct usage of all these terms are clearly defined in the literature that describe South Africa’s IEMP procedure and in the South African National Environmental Management Act, number 107 of 1998. Consequently no-one should use the terminology incorrectly.

Afrikaans Sesotho sa Leboa isiZulu

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