Explanations for the Quality of Biodiversity Inputs to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in Areas with High Biodiversity Value

Abstract

Biodiversity is under significant threat globally and therefore the biodiversity input to environmental impact assessment (EIA) is important. The quality of biodiversity inputs needs to be high if biodiversity is to be protected, especially in areas with high biodiversity value. Here, we follow-up quality reviews of biodiversity inputs to EIA reports, through interviews with the biodiversity specialists who authored the biodiversity inputs, in order to find explanations for the quality results. This is the first quality review research to systematically engage with biodiversity specialists in this way. The biodiversity specialists highlighted professional registration as a key factor supporting strengths around professional conduct and gathering of baseline information. Weaknesses identified relate to review areas dealing with alternatives, public participation, prediction, as well as management actions and monitoring arrangements, which seem to be the result of a lack of understanding and/or agreement on the role of the biodiversity specialists in the EIA process. The research results suggest that ideally biodiversity inputs should not be seen as a one-off contribution but rather as an iterative contribution during different stages of the EIA process.

Evaluating Environmental Impact Assessment report quality in South African national parks

“…For this reason, it was necessary to apply the so-called replication logic that relies on a general point of saturation where the addition of more reports is unlikely to change the general patterns that emerge from the data (Yin 2003). Based on other quality review studies identified in the literature, a sample of between 20 and 30 reports is usually sufficient to reach a valid level of saturation (Hallatt et al 2015;Sandham et al 2013a;Swanepoel et al 2019). Ultimately, 24 EIA reports across 10 national parks were included in this study (see Figure 1).…”

“…A wealth of literature exists on EIA report quality in South Africa for different national and regional contexts as well as for different sectors such as mining, housing, agriculture, energy and tourism (Boshoff 2019;Kidd et al 2018;Sandham et al 2008aSandham et al , 2008bSandham et al 2013b;Sandham & Pretorius 2008;Wylie, Bhattacharjee & Rampedi 2019). Furthermore, the quality of biodiversity specialist inputs to EIA in areas with high biodiversity value has also been researched (Hallatt, Retief & Sandham 2015;Swanepoel et al 2019). However, there has been scant overall reflection on the contribution of EIA to the conservation sector and more specifically protected areas.…”

The quality of the first and second Vaal Triangle Airshed Priority Area (VTAPA) Air Quality Management Plans

“…Research available internationally focuses on the improvement of air quality through different models to compare the ambient air quality before and after management interventions have been put in place (Berhane et al, 2016;Cheng et al, 2019;D'Elia et al, 2009;Ghodousi et al, 2017;Kim & Lee, 2018;Mardones & Cornejo, 2020;Pisoni et al, 2019;Thunis et al, 2017;Wang et al, 2016;Wang & Hao, 2012). This method has been successfully and widely used in the review of the quality of environmental impact assessments and modified for strategic environmental assessment reports, environmental management programmes as well as health impact assessments similar to this study (Anifowose et al, 2016;Bonde & Cherp, 2000;Chang et al, 2013;Cilliers et al, 2015;Fischer, 2010;Fredsgaard et al, 2009;Hallatt et al, 2015;Sandham & Pretorius, 2008;Sandham et al, 2013b;Swanepoel et al, 2019). The LCRP, though seemingly complex, is relatively simple, easy to learn, and easily adaptable with minor changes to suit the application (Lee et al, 1999).…”

“…The LCRP has been successfully and widely used in the review of the quality of environmental impact assessments and has also been widely or adapted or modified for strategic environmental assessment reports, environmental management programmes as well as health impact assessments (Anifowose et al, 2016;Bonde & Cherp, 2000;Chang et al, 2013;Cilliers et al, 2015;Fischer, 2010;Fredsgaard et al, 2009;Hallatt et al, 2015;Sandham & Pretorius, 2008;Sandham et al, 2013b;Swanepoel et al, 2019).…”

Impact of Covid-19 on economic recovery: empirical analysis from China and global economies

“…The (AIC) criterion chooses the length of hysteresis. Equation ( 3 ) must take the co-integration of the principal variables into account if wm includes stable first-order variables (Swanepoel et al 2019 ; Mteki et al 2019 ). If the variables in the GVAR model return the dominant variable with the cross-sectional mean, Eq.…”