environmental monitoring — English

All the checks, measurements, observations, inspections and any other data collection techniques used to assess the environmental impacts of every aspect of a development or activity permitted under the environmental legislation of a country (see “environmental auditing”). Data is required for the environmental authority to assess the environmental performance of a development or activity, and ascertain whether the owner or developer or holding company is complying with the stipulations and conditions of the environmental management plan. The necessary data is collected by a wide array of methods and techniques, and this entire process is called environmental monitoring. Based on this data, the environmental authority can do the environmental auditing which the environmental legislation provides for. As an example of the role environmental monitoring plays in environmental management, the management of limestone caves can be mentioned. In limestone caves which are open to the public and form popular tourist attractions (such as those in the Cradle of Humankind world heritage site) the carbon dioxide (CO2) levels of the air inside the caves are routinely monitored. Tourists exhale CO2 and limestone is soluble in water saturated with CO2 (which actually is weak carbonic acid). This could cause accelerated weathering in the caves and some delicate cave features might even be destroyed. Degradation of these caves might have a serious impact on their tourism potential (see “destination” and “environmental potential”) and the status of the area as a world heritage site.

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