Multistage Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of Road Projects. Guidelines for a comprehensive process

The main focus of this study is to address environmental impact assessment (EIA) of road project issues encountered in the ESCAP member countries, analyse them and propose ways and means by which the problems could be overcome to achieve an effective EIA implementation in the region. It introduces the ESIA methodology and presents a framework for its implementation. It includes an interesting description of the data and information requirements in the ESIA process. It states the type of information and the methods for its collection.

Having examined the major environmental impact of EIA implementation weaknesses and problems that have been observed in various member countries of ESCAP, it is apparent that many of these implementation problems in the ESCAP region are rather different from those in industrialised nations. Procedures that work in industrialised nations have been shown to be ineffective in many ESCAP member countries. New concepts and procedures need to be introduced in order to address the weaknesses and problems identified.

The analysis of the study is divided into two parts: Part one presents the concept of the multistage ESIA framework and Part two presents guidelines for the implementation of the multistage ESIA process. In Part one, the need to give equal emphasis to the natural and human environments is emphasised. The introduction of the ESIA concept ensures that this is achieved in a systematic fashion. The logical flow of the proposed ESIA process is presented in the context of the multistage framework. Within this framework, measures to overcome the various weaknesses and problems identified for the ESCAP region are proposed and elaborated.

Part two of the report develops detailed guidelines which provide additional details of the multistage ESIA concept. For each stage of the ESIA process, the guidelines have been developed emphasising the following aspects: main tasks and activities to be undertaken; executing and approving authorities involved; roles and responsibilities of authorities; agencies and other parties involved; accountability and enforcement procedures; reporting and co-ordination arrangements; procedures for public involvement; data and information requirements; and expected output.

The data and information requirements are presented in five categories: existing environmental conditions; standards and norms; conditions during construction; constructed conditions; and post-constructed conditions. At the same time, the methods of collecting information and data are specified: database searches; drawings and maps; physical site inspection; interviews with residents and local authority officials; consultations and discussions with experts and experienced officials; visits to interact with key government departments and ministries; and questionnaires and surveys.