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    The document discusses the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and environmental impact assessments. It provides three key points: 1) The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment was a UN project that assessed how ecosystem changes impact human well-being and found that rapid human-driven changes to ecosystems have resulted in substantial biodiversity loss but also economic gains. 2) Environmental impact assessments evaluate potential environmental, social, and economic impacts of projects to help decision-makers consider sustainability, but final decisions can be influenced by other factors and assessments have limitations. 3) The five typical stages of environmental impact assessments are screening, scoping, mitigation and reporting, decision-making, and implementation and monitoring, but criticisms include the potential for

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    The document discusses the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and environmental impact assessments. It provides three key points: 1) The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment was a UN project that assessed how ecosystem changes impact human well-being and found that rapid human-driven changes to ecosystems have resulted in substantial biodiversity loss but also economic gains. 2) Environmental impact assessments evaluate potential environmental, social, and economic impacts of projects to help decision-makers consider sustainability, but final decisions can be influenced by other factors and assessments have limitations. 3) The five typical stages of environmental impact assessments are screening, scoping, mitigation and reporting, decision-making, and implementation and monitoring, but criticisms include the potential for

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    26 views5 pages

    The Millenium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) - Greenorg Site

    Uploaded by

    amelia klejment
    The document discusses the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and environmental impact assessments. It provides three key points: 1) The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment was a UN project that assessed how ecosystem changes impact human well-being and found that rapid human-driven changes to ecosystems have resulted in substantial biodiversity loss but also economic gains. 2) Environmental impact assessments evaluate potential environmental, social, and economic impacts of projects to help decision-makers consider sustainability, but final decisions can be influenced by other factors and assessments have limitations. 3) The five typical stages of environmental impact assessments are screening, scoping, mitigation and reporting, decision-making, and implementation and monitoring, but criticisms include the potential for

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 5

    19.10.

    2021

    The Millenium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) - greenorg site

    United Nations project designed to assess the consequences of ecosystem changes for human well-being

    The objective was to:

    assess the consequences of ecosystem changes for human well-being

    establish a scientific basis for action to conserve the sustainable use of ecosystems and their contribution
    to human well-being

    The main findings:

    · Over the past 50 years, humans have changed ecosystems more rapidly and extensively than in
    any comparable period of time in human history, largely to meet rapidly growing demands for
    food, fresh water, timber, fiber and fuel.

    · This has resulted in a substantial and largely irreversible loss in the diversity of life on Earth.

    The changes that have been made to ecosystems have contributed to substantial net gains in human
    well-being and economic deelopment, but these gains have been acheived at growing costs in the form
    of the degradation of many ecosystem services, increased risks of nonlinear changes, and the
    exacerbation of poverty for some groups of people.

    These problems, unless addressed, will substantially diminish the benefits that future generations obtain
    from ecosystems.

    The degradation of ecosystem services could grow significantly worse during the fisrt half of this century
    and is a barrier to acheiving the Millenium Development Goals (8 of them, by UN, in 2000s [entering
    the new millenium], the idea of acheivement till the year 2015, from year 2000) LOOK UP ONLINE

    Overall, human actions are depleting Earth's natural capital at a faster rate than it is being the decision
    longer be taken for granted.

    ONZ in 2015 changed Millenium Development Goals to The Global Goals (For Sustainable Development)
    went up from 8 to 17

    2000--->2015--->2030
    every country obligated itself to give 0.7% of their ODA (PKB) to pursue these goals (dac??)

    Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)

    · provide decision-makers with information in order to consider the environmental impact of a


    project

    · assuess the environmental, social and economic impacts of the project

    · There is not necessarily a requirement to implement an EIA's proposals and many socio-
    economin factors may influence the decision made

    · The aim is to ensure sustainable development

    The first formal EIA process started in USA during a period of increased environmental awareness in the
    1960s.

    Each country or region has different guidance on the use of EIAs.

    Example of large projects requiring an EIA mght be a Fracking project in the UK, development of new
    Olympic facilities, building a new dam.

    Environmental Impact Assessment

    Stage 1: Screening

    The screening process helps decide whether an EIA is necessary, what needs to be investigated and what
    needs to be measured.

    Stage 2: Scoping

    Thisis the first stage where public consultation takes place. Baseline studies are undertaken. These
    include both ecological baseline studies and socio-economic baseline studies.

    Ecological baseline:

    · Surveys will identify patterns in vegetation, special sites and unique habitats, important
    (keystone) species, rare (red-listed) species.

    Socio-economic baseline studies:

    · Identify the communities that will be impacted by the development, their viewpoints and the
    economic impacts (both positive and negative) of the development.

    EIAs are publically available documents and studies can be compared to increase the validy of the EIA.

    This can help proritize strategies in the next stage.

    disadvantages:

    inaccurate, may develop corruption

    Evaluation

    This process need time and expertise which may not always be valed by the developers (or decision
    makers) who are paying for the EIA.

    The survey may be biased if carried out by surveyors under the employment of the developer.

    The survey may be done under the pressure of project deadlines and thus miss important information or
    viewpoints.

    Political interference is possible [...]

    Stage 3: Mitigation and Report Writing

    To identify risks and suggest mitigation strategies for the project --> designed to limit the impact of the
    project and protect the environment.

    A cost-benefit analysis.

    In developments where an area is to be flooded, the area should be designed to provide recreation areas

    Evaluation

    Effective mitigation will depend upon effective enforcement

    No matter how good the EIA is, if the project is very large, e.g. The Three Gorges Dam, it is inevitable
    that there will be a lot of ecological destruction.

    Stage 4: Decision Making

    · There is not necessarily a requirement to implement an EIA's proposals, and many socio-
    economic factors may influence the decisions made.
    · Requirement for public involvement

    Evaluation

    The decision makers may choose to ignore the recommendations of the EIA or priritise short term
    economic goals over environmental impacts.

    The decision makers may be open to corruption.

    Following the EIA process, the decision makers should choose the "right" decision based upon the voices
    of local communities.

    Stage 5: Implementation and Monitoring

    Once the development is approved then an important element of the EIA is for continued monitoring of
    the site and the implementation of the mitigation strategies. This gives a chance to amend the strategies
    if they are not working as expected.

    This helps to ensure that developers are keeping to any recommended procedures and that any
    problems are identified before any damage is irreversible.

    Evaluation

    This process can alert authorities to any unforeseen damage to environment but it continues to ad d to
    the tim nd moneyy involved in the project

    although concerns may be raised during construcction, they are not always acted upon to mitigate the
    impact

    This process ensures that

    EIA criticism

    May be limited by the quality of the baseline study --> the lack of a clear definition of system boundaries

    The lack of a standard parctise or training for practicioners

    Environmental impact predicition is speculative = the predictions of an EIA may be inaccurate in the long
    term

    EIAs can lead to changes in the development


    THE GORGE DAM CASE STUDY VIDEO!!! - MAKE A NOTE

    SLOWER FLOW AND POOERER WATER QUALITY

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