preproject planning + public engagment

pre project planning optional? 

• NOT OPTIONAL

  • Critical requirment for a high quality assessment process

benefits of pre project planning

• imporaved designs - allows propoent to consider options that better design and minmize large impacts from beginning

• builds trust - social licences

  • oppourtinity to bild relationships btwn propoent, gov, and afected communiteis

• conflic resolution 

  • issues ididtnfied and resolved before formal application submitted = release agreesion and hostility in preplanning

• more effeiecent

  • resolve issues early = more meaningful and fast assemtn later - less suprise conflict = save money and time

• feassbility testing 

  • chance to test pubic and polcitcal feasiblity of their project and manage risks early

roles in preproject planning - propoent

Lead pre-project process by engaging with communities, preparing project plans, exploring alternative and negotiating with indigenous groups b4 filing formal application

roles in preproject planning - public

fight for a place at the table - protest and get NGOS to amplify voice

• Actively paritcpate by identifying concerns, providing direct input on project and scope of the EA and sharing knowledge within their community

roles in preproject planning of Indigenous groups

particpate with focus on rights, identifiying key issues and providing input

• also negotiate formal agreements with proponent

roles in preproject planning of government agencies

• oversee and faciliate process

• consult with indg. groups on rights

• provide resoruces for particpation

• guide proponent on regualtions

• ensure public acess to information

alternatives to

exploring differnt ways of meeting the identifiied need and purpose

• includes a no action alternative

• considerations of it are often legal requirments

why is alternatives to usally not considered and what is it better suited for

because at preproject planning , pronent usually already invested lots of resources and interest in their specfic project - hiring desingers, also finding investors etc.

• better for strategic enviornmental assesemeant ( SEA)

Alternatives means

A tatical question of how

• exploring differnt OPTIONS 4 carrying out a specific project, once it has been accepted as the most suitable alternative

• this is common and highly effective requiremetn in most EA systems

explain what the peterson matrix is

once alterantives identifies, we have to compare them using similar critera - highly subjective and arbritary

• method uses 3 componets to generate an overall impact score:

  • project impact on biphysical compents,

  • how enviromental change impacts human values

  • importance of those values by humans components

how is GIS used in assements in preproject planning

brings together environmental, social, and economic data before detailed assessments or fieldwork begin.

• It helps identify sensitive areas, visualize potential conflicts, and screen out unsuitable sites early.

examples of gis based assemtns

• multi criteria evaluation

• overlay analysis

• constraint mapping

• scenario and predicitive modelling

multi ciritera evaluation

uses weighted critera 2 rank potential sites and highlight preferred options

overlay analysis

combines spatial layers such as wetlands, species habitat and landownership to reveal confics or overlaps with propsed development areas

constraint mapping

Idintiifes ‘no-go” zones like protected areas, cultural heritage sites, or hazard-prone lands to eliminate options at the outset

senario and predictive modelling

tests differnt sittng or design scenarios to visualize likely impacts b4 detailed studies - erosion, fragmentation, flood risk

advantages in using GIS based assemnts for early planning

• reduce risks - flagging isseus before investing in full EIA

• saves time and cost by narrowing alterantives to MOST VIABLE OPTIONS

• create transparetn, data driven maps that improve communication with regulators, communties and takeholders

what is a project descripton

what is prepared with pre-project planning - documetn is cruicial for determining need and scope of the  EA

componets included in a project description

• purpose - rational and summary of alternatives considered

• information  - descripton of projects location, design, activies, resource requiremnts etc

• policy or regulatory context - all relvant regulations and required lisences

• engagement strategy - summary of resuts of early enagmetn , key issues raised, and plan for ongoing engagment throuhgout EA

• assesment info - prelimary descripton of baseline environment and potentialy affected compontes to help reugators scope the formal asseessemtn

what are the rungs in the ladder of participation

• bottom = non participation

• middle = degrees of toeknism

• top = degrees of citizen power

non particpation public particpation in EIA

charcterized by manipulation and therapy

• objective isnt to enable participation but to educate or cure particpannts into accepting project

tokensism public particpation in EIA

informing, consultation, soothing

• people heard but theres no gaurtee views will be heard or will influence final descion

• where EA practice historically is

citizen power public particpation in EIA

involves partnership, delgated power and citizen control

• at this level, ppl have genuine power to negotiate and share in decion making authrity. 

  • RARE IN EA

active vs inactive publics

• active- groups activlye try to affect decsions - envior. orgs

• inactive - general public who may not be invovled - often most directly affected 

influece vs stake matrix - high stake, low influence

local residents - critical group 4 meaningful engagment

• lacking politcal connections, money and time to make voices heard

• can be high risk with time - live in the community and can partner with those iwth high influcence.

influece vs stake matrix - high stake, high influence

Indigenous communtiy/leadership

• lots to gain or lose

• signifigant power to voice concern in project

• where lots of negotiaing happens

influece vs stake matrix - low stake, high influence

media and lobby groups

• not directly affected or at all, but can have large power in swaying public opinion 

• Important to make sure these groups dont have more say  than those actually affected by projects

influece vs stake matrix - low stake, low influence

non affected public - bystanders

• still has some power through voting rights

chaercterstics of meaningful engagment

• openess to change by proponent ( alternatives to)

• acess to information - accesable language and information

• transparency - plans and decison making proess must be avaialbe to public

• resources - compensate affected communties to engage effetivley

• opportunity to influece - must have real opproutnty to influcen design and EAs outcome