Excercise 1 - Chriterion for good EIA

The eight criterion

1. The Basis for Decision Criterion

2. The Result Criterion

3. The Alternative Criterion

4. The Environmental Impact Criterion

5. The Mitigation Criterion

6. The Balancing or Compatibility Criterion

7. The Checking Criterion

8. The Monitoring and Audit Criterion

1. The Basis for Decision Criterion

An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) must be completed before any decision ismade. Decision-makers should have comprehensive knowledge of environmentalconsequences and possible alternatives in advance. This ensures that resources are usedefficiently and negative impacts are minimized

2. The Result Criterion

Every project should be guided by a clear and meaningful objective. For instance, a bridge isnot built for its own sake, but to achieve purposes such as improved transportation orconnectivity. Without a defined objective, there is no solid basis for evaluating alternatives or weighing benefits and costs

3. The Alternative Criterion

Alternatives to the proposed action must always be assessed

4. The Environmental Impact Criterion

An EIA must include a comprehensive analysis of potential environmental impacts

5. The Mitigation Criterion

An EIA should recommend measures to prevent, reduce, or compensate for environmental impacts

6. The Balancing or Compatibility Criterion

An EIA must provide decision-makers with the information necessary to weigh benefits and drawbacks

7. The Checking Criterion

Accuracy and accountability are essential. EIA documents must be subject to external review—through public participation (notes of meeting with public and non-technical summary), independent expert panels, or independent legal review

8. The Monitoring and Audit Criterion

An EIA must include proposals for monitoring and auditing procedures