The environment is the hot issue of today’s world. Due to the negative consequences of the various human activities on the planet earth. People become more conscious of the environment. The effect of the worst aspects of the industrialization era on the biotic and abiotic ecosystem of the planet earth. Therefore, there is the need to address these issues and resolve them for the survival of the lives. EIA is one of the tools that is conducted widely related to environmental consideration.

This essay would provide a comprehensive overview of the environmental impact assessment and its aspects such as requirement, its stages etc.

Main discussion of Environment Impact

Environmental impact assessment is the strategic tool, which is comprised of the series of process of evaluation of the effects of different aspects of the project. It is conducted to assess the impact of the various business activities in the surrounding environment. In this assessment, a different area of the situation should be under consideration. These areas include the interrelated socio economic aspects of the project, the effect of the project activities on the cultural and human health impacts, as well as on the ambient environment. Different agencies at the national level provide the framework of EIA as the tool to assess the impact of the project on the ambient environment at each stage of the project. It would help to mitigate the effects of the project by developing the environmental protection plan (CBD, 2019). The first legislation of the environment was made in the US in the early 70’s. The parliamentary authorities in the United States made the environmental legation section 102 in the US, and this act has come in power on 1^ST January 1970 as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Different regions would redesign the framework of the EIA according to their requirement. It is an essential part of the environmental protection act in different countries (Morrison-Saunders & Arts, 2012).

EIA is the essential tool for the mega project and those sensitive environmental project, at is needed for the beginning of each project. The proponent conducts the screening of the project before the commencement of each project. The consultancy follows the guideline of the project. Different parameters are used as screening tool and help to determine the effect of the project. If the effect is at high intensity, then the proponent must conduct the detail process of the EIA environmental impact assessment. The requirement is taken as the legislative order by the corresponding authorities of the environment. Therefore, it is compulsory for any project developer to conduct the EIA.

EIA I designed for saving the environment from any bad impact. It is an evaluation process address the evaluation criteria of the environmental impact. The purpose behind the environmental impact assessment to ensure sustainable development by saving the adverse impact. However, the aim of EIA has divided into the three main objectives of the EIA that would be applied on all kind of the EIA. The main objectives of the EIA are to provide an assessment of the environmental impact of the environment. The environmental impact assessment is used to identify the foreseen the and evaluate the effect of the various project activities on the ecological, economic, and social aspects of the surrounding environment of the company (Shah, 2019).

The second objective of this assessment is to provide the quantities and qualitative data on the environmental after effect of the specific aspects of the project activities. The third objective of the environmental impact assessment is to implement sustainable development by using the alternatives and provide the mitigation measures to minimize the adverse impact on the three significant components to the environment. EIA is taken as the specific tool to implement the sustainable on the base of the minimum environmental degradation.

The different project would be consider as to conduct the EIA. Various agencies divide these projects into the different categories. Some developing countries shared the plans on the bases of the the capital investment of the projects. Moreover, developed countries divided the EIA projects into the two categories such as, Annex l projects and annex ii projects.

Annex I project consists of the crude oil refineries, nuclear power station and reactors, and large-scale quarries and cast mines. Annex ii contains those projects, which are less impact on the environment as compared to the annex I, but they have significant impact on the environment. These projects include industrial estate development projects, an electric line project that is installed above the ground (Perdicouli, et al., 2012).

EIA process consists of ten steps of environmental impact assessment. The main level of the EIA is described. Further, the first step is known as the identification step, and it consists of the study of the all the aspects include in the project and develop the baseline of the range of the project regarding the project. It would determine the different environmental impacts (Arts & Morrison-Saunders, 2012).

The second step is known as screening, and it determine the areas of the biophysical and environmental, economic and social aspects. It involves the participation of the public, and the regulation of the different countries varies. If the screening indicates the essential steps to EIA.

The screening is based on the three leading criteria such as investment scale, different types of development and the location of the development. It depends upon the size of the project, and the screening project includes the initial environmental basement. If the impact would be adverse, then the detail environmental impact assessment would be conducted further. Scoping is the third step of the EIA process, and it determine the key environmental issues of the projects, and it is one of the significant action of EIA. Scoping remains the range of EIA report. It includes the effect of the different aspects on the air, water, soil and air and quality impact. Impact prediction is the fourth step of the EIA process, it provide the different ranges of the aspects of the project on the environment. The analysis is conducted to forecast the consequences of the various elements. The prediction determines the result in the given period. The mitigation plan is made accoding to the speculation of the assessment of the above steps. It would help to take the mitigation measures according to the program. Reporting to decision- making body is the sixth step of the EIA , the above assessment would be convet in the report, which contains the different aspects. The public hearing would be further conducted to analyze the further aspects of the public and its concern regarding the project. The corresponding authorities at the national level critically review the report, and the decision making step involves the panel of the officials that provide the feedback on the project in the form of acceptance and refusal. The Environmental management plan would be designed to mitigate the effect of the project on the environment, and then proper monitoring would be conducted (Abbasi, et al., 2012).

Conclusion of Environment Impact

From the above essay, it has been concluded that the Environmental Impact Assessment is one of the critical tools that use to determine the effect of the business activity on the environment. The main purpose of the EIA report ensures the safety of the situation by implementing the mitigation measure. The whole report is conducted in the series of steps, and at last, the EMP environmental management plan, and it would be implemented.

References of Environment Impact

Abbasi, et al., 2012. Regional EIA and risk assessment in a fast developing country Regional EIA and risk assessment in a fast developing country. s.l.:s.n.

Arts, J. & Morrison-Saunders, A., 2012. Assessing impact: handbook of EIA and SEA follow-up. s.l.:Routledge.

CBD, 2019. What is Impact Assessment?. [Online]
Available at: https://www.cbd.int/impact/whatis.shtml
[Accessed March 2020].

Morrison-Saunders, A. & Arts, J., 2012. In Assessing Impact. In: Introduction to EIA follow-up. s.l.:Routledge, pp. 22-42..

Perdicouli, Anastassios, Durning, B. & Palframan, L., 2012. Furthering environmental impact assessment: towards a seamless connection between EIA and EMS. s.l.:Edward Elgar Publishing.

Shah, R., 2019. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): Definition, Process and Importance. [Online]
Available at: http://www.biologydiscussion.com/environment/environmental-impact-assessment-eia-definition-process-and-importance/16777
[Accessed March 2020].