Evaluating the effectiveness of a national environmental and social impact assessment system: lessons from Uganda

Abstract

We consider the adequacy of the legislative and administrative provisions for environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) in Uganda. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) legislation was enacted in Uganda in 1995. Although it was intended that social impacts would also be considered, the nomenclature, organizational culture and practice of EIA has given an over-emphasis to biophysical issues, with social issues being under considered. Lack of explicit instructions about how to assess social impacts and the positioning of ESIA too late in the project cycle limit the ability of social issues to be properly considered. From document analysis, an on-line survey, in-depth interviews, reflexive practice, and a literature review, we found that there was inadequate public participation, poor follow-up, low levels of capacity in all stakeholders, and political interference in the project approval process. To improve the effectiveness of ESIA in Uganda and other developing countries, we make recommendations to address the challenges facing ESIA practice.

Developing an evaluation approach to consider the influence of country context on environmental impact assessment performance, from a southern African perspective

“…The South African findings indicated that the political and socioeconomic context and the capacity of EIA stakeholders are the main country context indicators that were interconnected with EIA system implementation and enforcement. This is in line with other studies that highlight the relationship between such country context indicators and the EIA system implementation and enforcement (Campion & Essel, 2013;Kahangirwe & Vanclay, 2022;Khan et al, 2020;Kolhoff et al, 2016;Lesirma, 2016;McCullough, 2017;Van den Berg, 2015). According to the evaluation approach results, EIA system implementation and enforcement are challenged by the political and socioeconomic pressure and interference with the EIA administration, insufficient human and financial resources, lack of cooperation with key EIA actors such as the EAPs and relevant competent authorities, and limited capacity of the EIA competent authority officials.…”

“…In Africa, EIA was introduced through donor requirements for development projects and was then adopted by many developing African countries as an environmental policy instrument to promote sustainable development in response to international environmental conventions, laws, and the influence of donor agencies (Annandale, 2001;Campion & Essel, 2013;George & Lee, 2000;Kakonge, 1999;Kamijo, 2022;Li, 2008;Marara et al, 2011;McCullough, 2017;Tarr, 2003;UNEP, 2004). Since the introduction of EIA in Africa in the 1980s, EIA system performance has been challenged by various issues, which are similar in many African countries (e.g., Ahmad & Wood, 2002;Alberts, 2020;Ali, 2003;Appiah-Opoku, 2001;Benfadil, 2016;Campion & Essel, 2013;DEAT, 2008;El-Fadl & El-Fadel, 2004;Kahangirwe & Vanclay, 2022;Kakonge, 1996Kakonge, , 1998Kakonge, , 2006aKakonge, , 2006bKakonge & Imevbore, 1993;Marara et al, 2011;Nakwaya-Jacobus et al, 2021;Sandham et al, 2020;Sharma & Hategekimana, 2018;Wood, 1999aWood, , 2003. These challenges include inadequate EIA legislation, lack of implementation and enforcement of EIA, lack of EIA actors' capacity, incompetent EIA authorities, inappropriate EIA procedural steps, inadequate decision-making processes, weak stakeholder participation, lack of EIA awareness by the public, insufficient human and financial resources, corruption and illiteracy, and lack of political will.…”

End evaluation of the MFA-NL-supported NCEA programme 2017-2022

“…In addition, urban and district councils are required to have Environment and Natural Resources Committees, whose functions include ensuring that environmental concerns are integrated in all plans and projects they have approved. The committees are also charged with the role of monitoring all activities within the local jurisdiction of the urban/district council to ensure that such activities do not have any significant impact on the environment 90 .…”

Evaluation of the effectiveness and performance of environmental impact assessment studies in Greece

“…Finally, in 2014, the amending Directive 2014/52/EU was adopted and entered into force in 2017 [40]. EIA could be characterized as an ex ante decision-support tool serving as a preventive measure for practicing environmental policy and management [41]; informing stakeholders about the potential impacts of certain proposed projects [42] and their alternatives [43], while it identifies likely consequences at an early stage, before final planning decisions are made [44,45], so that irreversible damages are avoided [46,47].…”