WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF EIA?
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects. The purpose of the assessment is to ensure that decision makers consider the ensuing environmental impacts when deciding whether to proceed with a project. The International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) defines an environmental impact assessment as “the process of identifying, predicting, evaluating and mitigating the biophysical, social, and other relevant effects of development proposals prior to major decisions being taken and commitments made.” Decree 86 of 1992 made the conduct of EIA mandatory for both public and private sectors for all developmental projects. NEED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING Environmental monitoring describes the processes and activities that need to take place to characterize and monitor the quality of the environment. Environmental monit
