Unit 1

History and Key Features of Environmental Assessment

In this unit, we introduce the basic features of environmental assessment, including its purposes and key terminology, and discuss its early history. We then outline the steps in an ideal environmental process, and consider some of the ways of ensuring a fair, effective and efficient result. The readings describe both the past and the potential future of environmental assessment, introduce major points of controversy in the discipline, and discuss its potential role in achieving a sustainable society.

Objectives

After completing this unit, you should be able to

1. define “environmental assessment,” state its purpose, and describe how and why it was developed.
2. define some of the key terms used in environmental assessment, including “undertaking,” “proponent,” “alternatives,” “mitigation” and “cumulative effects.”
3. outline the main steps in a complete environmental assessment process, and explain why each is necessary.
4. provide examples of how environmental assessment can contribute to the achievement of sustainability.