Session Description
EIA follow-up has been recognised as a critical, but neglected area of EIA practice for more than 30 years across most jurisdictions. It encompasses a range of activities, including monitoring, auditing, adaptation and improvement. It is generally recognised that, in the absence of effective EIA follow-up, EIA remains incomplete, with all the effort spent during the assessment phase of the EIA process in vain, confining EIA to a paper exercise to secure approval or authorisation, rather than a meaningful exercise in environmental management contributing environmental benefits.
Despite excellent work by various scholars, challenges remain, while opportunities for improvement call. Follow-up remains a poorly defined concept, with post-decision-making activities lumped together in a black box, while follow-up responsibilities are also poorly defined. Consequently, the value of follow-up activities has been diluted, at best, or eliminated, at worst. To learn from the past, this session will reflect on the evolution of, as well as remaining challenges and promising opportunities to improve EIA follow-up.
Session Summary
Follow-up is a critical but neglected EIA area in most jurisdictions. This renders EIA incomplete, assessment efforts in vain, a paper exercise, not contributing any environmental benefits. Learning from the past, the session will reflect on follow-up evolution, remaining challenges and promising improvement opportunities.
Session Chair
Theunis Meyer
North-West University
South Africa
Session Co-chair
Jan-Abert Wessels
University of South Africa
South Africa