ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

AND
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT IN
ZAMBIA

1st October 2018, EHC, LUSAKA

By

KAMBILI CHILUFYA
Content:
 Definitions in EIA
 History of EIA
 Regulatory and Scope of EIA
 Actors in the EIA process
 EIA Process in Zambia
 Benefits of EIA Process
 Challenges of EIA Process
 Best Practices for Practitioners
 Way forward
 Conclusion
DEFINITIONS
 DEFINITIONS

What is Environment?
 The physical factors of the surroundings of the
human beings including land, water,
atmosphere, animals and plants
 and the social economic factors environment
e.g humans, infrastructure, and all man made
features
What is Environment?

Biophysical

Social
Economic

Environment
 WHAT IS THE EIA PROCESS?
 A systematic examination conducted to determine
the potential environmental impacts of
developmental projects. Where positive impacts, it
seeks to enhance and where negative, impacts,
seeks to mitigate
 EIA is a planning process used to ensure that
environmental matters are taken into account early
in the project at planning stage
 What is EIA.....
• The EIA process identifies, predicts, interprets
and communicates about impacts of a
development project onto the biophysical
environment (human health, air, water, land,
plants and animals)
• Takes into consideration the socioeconomic
environment and human health
• Seeks to maximize the benefits of a project,
and avoid/reduce and manage negative impacts
• It examines alternative ways of carrying out a
project
EIA seeks to……
• Identify key impacts and measures for
mitigating them
• Informed decision-making
• Avoid serious and irreversible damage to the
environment
• Protect human health and safety
• Be a process for public participation

• Integration of Environmental Management into

Development process
Other Definitions…
 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): written report which
presents the results of an Environment Impact Assessment study.

 Environmental Management Plan: Plan of how the Developer will

take care of the environment where the operations are. It
includes, monitoring, reporting, budget, frequency and
environmental indicators

 Environmental Monitoring: the continuous determination of the

actual and potential effects of any activity or phenomenon on the
environment whether short-term or long-term.
 Environmental Risk: the actual or potential hazard/threat on
living and non-living component of the environment
HISTORY OF
EIA
HISTORY OF EIA
• Emerged in the 1970s -USA 1969, Canada 1973
• widening the scope -Australia 1974,West Germany
1975, The European Union 1985 (EC-directive 85/337),
Sweden 1991,World Bank 1992, UNEP 1997.

• Scenario 1
Some consequences of development were
unacceptable e.g. Chernobyl (world’s worst-ever
nuclear disaster exposure of Radiation within
30km). Resources are non-renewable. Pollution
was becoming trans-boundary and with serious
health implications
HISTORY OF EIA Cont….
 Scenario 2
 Climate Change and Growing world population with
associated dirty environment
 Destruction of wild habitats and extinction of species
(moral issues)
 Changes in pattern of Resource consumption
 Considerations that Industries could play a major role in
Environmental Management

High level of Eutrophication (enrichment with nutrients),

Sapro-biophication (pollution with organic matter)
Toxicity ( heavy metals, pesticides) and Acidification of
water bodies ( decrease of pH and acid rain)
 HISTORY OF EIA Cont…
 Scenario 3 on Water
 Water-borne diseases-e.g. Cholera, Dysentery
 Increased siltation levels affecting rivers
 Bioaccumulation leading to bio-concentration
in the food chain
 Increased water treatment costs including
wear and tear on infrastructure
 Sub-lethal effects on some species ( changes in
behavior; impaired reproductive capacity.
REGULATORY
FRAMEWORK
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

 The EIA process is based on the

Environmental Management Act No. 12
of 2011 of the Laws of Zambia
 Environmental Impact Assessment
Regulation of 1997.
 The Acts are read together with other
Acts and Regulations of Competent
Authorities of the subject matter e.g
Water Supply and Sanitation Act of 1997
for the Lusaka Sanitation Project.
ACTORS IN THE EIA
PROCESS
KEY ACTORS IN THE EIA PROCESS

 The project Developer

 Primary stakeholders- Local authorities and line
ministries or departments e.g. ERB in the Energy
Sector
 Secondary stakeholders -affected and interested
parties
 NGOs, Students, Academia, Business and Corporate
Entities
 Decision makers e.i. ZEMA
EIA PROCESS IN
ZAMBIA AND KEY
FEATURES
EIA PROCESS IN ZAMBIA

Some key features

 Project Scope, Description and Location

 Environmental Baseline Data

 Risks and Impacts Identification and Analysis

 Alternatives Identification and Analysis

 Participation, not just Consultation

 Impact Mitigation and Monitoring

 SCOPE OF EIA

 The Scope of EIA include project description,

potential effects on the human health,
ecosystems, water bodies, soils, built
environment, noise and vibration, and heritage
conservation

 Others are human dimensional elements such as

livelihood opportunities, physical displacements,
social connections, population dynamics and
economic growth.
PROJECT SCOPE IN EIA

Kalonde Mining Limited as acquired a Large Scale Manganese Mining License in

Milenge District of Luapula Province, on an area extent of 1.8km squared. It is located
about 12 km North of Milenge District Centre. Access to the mine site will require opening
up the local agro-forestry land on the northern peripheral, crossing the high sediment
load local stream (sedimentation due to agriculture) up to the proposed open mining pit
site. The Developer will construct a concrete bridge across the stream which will also be
used by the locals in the north.

The proposed Mining activities will include removal of overburden material, stockpiling of
overburden material, open pit mining using explosives and hydraulic excavators,
dewatering, haulage using 3 tone tipper trucks to stone crushing site about 2km away.
After crushing, manganese will be washed and then sent for through conveyor for into
the smelting furnace for smelting under intense heat to optimum temperature where
Manganese can be recovered. The The mine will use both coal and electricity to
energize these operations. The operations envisage to produce 320 tons of Manganese
per day and generate waste such as coal ash (2 tones), waste water and slag (120 tons).

The mine will also have office complex, staff canteen, heavy equipment workshop, fuel
(Petrol and Diesel) storage facility, first aid clinic, water supply and sanitation reticulation
system, solid waste collection skip points (x04), car park and fire assembly point.
 Baseline Data
The term “Baseline” refers to conditions existing before project
development against which subsequently change and can be
referenced and measured.
Baseline include:
Biophysical Environment: Geology, Soils, Topography, Climate,
Hydrology and water quality, Noise, Air Quality, aquatic life,
terrestrial animals, plant life, land use types.

Human Environment: Population size, settlement patterns,

infrastructure, recreation, health, socio-economic activities,
health problems, etc
 IDENTIFICATION
OF
ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACTS
 Identification of Environmental Impacts
• Example; Air Pollution

Source: State of Environment, Obuasi, Ghana, 1999

Land Degradation from Quarrying
 E.g. Quarrying During Road Construction

 Source: Field Data, ZEMA, 2013

Water Pollution from effluent discharge
Harming living organisms, human health Impairment to water quality

Source: ZEMA Inspection Report, 2014

Methods of Impact Analysis

 Cost-Benefits Analysis
 Compatibility Analysis
 Analysis
of the Carrying Capacity of the
Receiving Environment
 Reference to past experience
 Matrices
and Color Coding e.g Red for
hazardous and Blue for Neutral
 Consideration for Analysis
 Spatial Extent of the impact, e.g area felt by emissions
from a coal mine
 Magnitude of the impact, Affects a large area and a
number of adversities from one action
 Intensity of the impact, difficulty to withstand its pressure
 Severity of the impact, Lethal impacts and deadly

 Whether Direct or Indirect

Direct Impacts: diarrhea due to contamination of water
with fecal
Indirect Impacts: restriction of gatherings due to cholera, lack of
business opportunity
 Identification and Analysis of
Alternatives
 Make analysis of the available options e.g. sites,
technology, costs, materials and timing of
implementation
 Select the best available options based on the cost-
benefit analysis of the above.
 E.g Site Selection should use criteria such as a site that
is atleast 300m away from a human settlement, Not
water logged, No settlement to be in the direction of
wind
 Technology Alternative: Use Hydro-electric power as
opposed to coal for a brewery plant
 Analysis of Alternatives
E.g Chromium use in Leather Tanning Industries has been
widely condemned because of harm to human health, foul
smell, toxic and acidic effluents. Environmentalists are
slowly advocating for Vegetable Tanning.
SUMMARY OF STEPS IN THE EIA PROCESS

1. Project Screening,
2. Project Scoping,
3. Preparation of ToRs for EIA Study
4. Review of the ToRs
5. EIA Reporting,
6. EIA Review (circulate to stakeholders)
7. EA Decision Making,
8. Post E. monitoring and E. Audit.
 EIA LEVELS OF ASSESSMENT
 Assessment can be at First Schedule
Environmental Project Brief (EPB) or Second
Schedule Full Environmental Impact Assessment
or None at all!!!
 For Projects not listed ZEMA determines the
Level of Assessment.
 A full EIA (EIS) and EPB are all impact
assessments
 differ in the level of detail of the document,
significance/magnitude of possible impacts and
procedure of review.
Examples; Small Scale Projects

 Filling Stations
 Mineral exploration
 Opaque Beer Breweries
 Tourism Lodges
 Shopping centers and complexes less than
10, 000 m2 of floor area
Other Examples; Large Scale Projects

 Urban development 5ha or more.

 Transportation airfields, roads, harbours,
e.g Newly developing Airport
 Dams, Electrical transmission lines - 220 kV
and more than one Km long, Kafue Gorge
Lower Power Station
 Open Cast and under ground large scale
Mining and Mineral Processing e.g KCM and
Mopani
 Shopping centers and complexes - 10, 000
m2 and above, floor area. E.g East Park Mall
STAKEHOLDER
INVOLVEMET
IN THE
PROCESS
Scoping and its Objective

 Identify stakeholders
 Identify the concerns of stakeholders
 Consider the alternatives
 Identify impacts
 Define project Boundaries
 Agree on ToRs for the EIA Study
Mechanisms for Engagement
 EIA AS A PARTICIPATORY AND NOT
JUST CONSULTATIVE PROCESS
 Consultation is about us as agencies and providers of
services seeking the views of the service users

 Participation is about the service users having an

opportunity to promote their views through an identified
mechanism. Participation means people influence and
share control on the project
Stakeholder Engagement
• Why involve the public?
• To take into account public input
• Obtain local knowledge
• Public confidence
• Increase transparency and accountability
• Reduce conflict
• Informing stakeholders
EIA AS A PARTICIPATORY AND NOT
JUST CONSULTATIVE PROCESS
REVIEW AND
DECISION
MAKING
PROCESS
 REVIEW OF EIAs
 Receipt of twelve copies EIS (Large Scale) or 6 Copies
EPB (small scale): ZEMA within 7 days sends to key
stakeholders for their comments
 Authorizing agents makes comments and transmits
them to the Town Councils, ZABS, ERB, NWASCO, etc
within 30 days.
 Public notification in at least two newspaper for 2
weeks
 Public hearing
 Decision after 65 working days (minimum) period can
extend to 122 days with public hearing
 Where it’s a small scale (EPB), ZEMA makes decision
within 40 working days
 RESULT OF EIA REVIEW

ZEMA issues decision letter

which can either be:
- Project is approved
with conditions OR
- Project is rejected with
Reasons!!
- small scale project is
referred to a full EA level
 Approved with conditions

 Waste generation shall be handled in

accordance SI. No. 71 of 1993
 Used oil from lubrication bay S.I. No.
125 of 2001
 Effluent discharge – S.I. No. 72 of 1993
 Chemical storage PTS S.I. No. 20 of
1994
 Other condition specific to the project
e.g. resettlements, water quality
monitoring and health impacts
monitoring
 Schematic Diagram of the EIA process in Zambia
(Early) consultation Information about
project and probable
impacts

Main EA Significant impact - ZEMA

procedure (Extended) consultation Y N EPB stakeholders
PO responsible State auth., wide public

EIS Decision by Agency

Application

Call for comments, adverts and

Consultations

EA
procedure Public Hearing Decision by ZEMA
DM responsible

EIS approved Rejection

PO – Project Owner Permit decision
DM – Decision Maker
EIS – EA document Follow up
Monitoring Appeal to high court
BENEFITS AND
CHALLENGES
OF EIA
PROCESS
 BENEFITS OF EIA PROCESS
 Investment is directly/indirectly linked with
poverty reduction and economic development
and job creation.
 Environmental risks can affect investors in terms
of loss through:
 Environmental liabilities e.g. Copperbelt
Environmental Project;
 Law suits due to none compliance as a result of lack
of understanding of obligatory legal frameworks
 Poor cooperate image = less clients
 Inappropriate siting of facilities
 Occupational health and Safety remediation cost!!!!!!
 BENEFITS OF EIA PROCESS
 Facilitates informed decision making
 Pre-emption or early withdrawal of unsound
proposals
 Provides for a means of having an environmental
liability land the Chief Executive and Environmental
Practitioner in jail.
 Assists in the selection of most environmentally
friendly option
 Guides establishment of terms and conditions of
project implementation and follow-up
 Results in prediction and mitigation of adverse
effects of projects
 Mitigation of negative environmental impacts
CHALLENGES OF EIA PROCESS
 Limited information on some developmental
projects
 Impatience of potential investors
(sometimes)
 Low participation or lack of stewardship
from the Public
 Unethical conduct by Environmental
Practitioners where they underplay impacts
for the sake of approvals
 Weak Enforcement and Monitoring
BEST PRACTICES
AND
CONCLUSION
BEST PRACTICES
What does Investment has got to do
with the EIA?

• It’s an old adage of corporate environmentalism that

“what isn’t measured can’t be managed” but still
measure it scientifically.
• As a Practitioner, be Ethical and Professional
• Manage the opportunity cost
• Ensure a highly iterative process
• Monitor as frequent as necessary
 CONCLUSION
 EIA is a planning and management process
 Aimed at environmental sustainability
 International Cooperation
 Efficient decision making
 Transparency and democracy
 Is an interactive process involving many
stakeholders.
 Provides an avenue for licensing.
Scenario!!!
If an Investor applied for authority to build a
Hydro Power Scheme and Road Network that
would be generating US$1.0 billion per year and
creating 50,000 jobs in Livingstone BUT would
entail the destruction of the Victoria Falls what
would be your decision?
THANK YOU

I now invite Questions

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