Evaluating the performance and procedural effectiveness of Namibia's Environmental Impact Assessment system

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

“…Their evaluation framework consisted of descriptive evaluation criteria for an ideal EIA system, which represents the legislation and competent authority as well as the procedural steps of EIA implementation against which the evaluation process is undertaken. The evaluation criteria of Ahmad and Wood (2002) have been used extensively in developing countries and have proven themselves to be relevant and reliable in their evaluation of EIA system performance (Badr, 2009; El‐Fadl & El‐Fadel, 2004; Khosravi et al, 2019a; Marara et al, 2011; Nadeem & Hameed, 2008; Nakwaya‐Jacobus et al, 2021). However, there is a need to broaden the scope of Ahmad and Wood's evaluation criteria to better understand the relationship between EIA system components and their context.…”

“…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.…”

“…Internationally, the focus of EIA evaluation research has been to assess EIA system performance based on EIA system components (EIA regulatory, administrative, and procedural frameworks), EIA implementation, and EIA report without rigorously considering the country context (Ahmad & Wood, 2002; Alberts, 2020; Alberts et al, 2022; Barker & Wood, 1999; Chanchitpricha & Bond, 2013; Glasson et al, 2005; Khosravi et al, 2019a; Lee et al, 1999; Nadeem & Hameed, 2008; Nakwaya‐Jacobus et al, 2021; Nyihirani et al, 2014; Sadler, 1996; Wood, 1995d, 1999b, 2003). Primarily, these types of EIA performance assessments are based on evaluative approaches and frameworks, consisting of evaluation criteria that aim to check compliance and identify the gaps and constraints in the EIA system components and implementation, which seek to advance EIA system performance (Annandale, 2001; Kolhoff et al, 2009; Loomis & Dziedzic, 2018; Wood, 2003).…”

“…Primarily, these types of EIA performance assessments are based on evaluative approaches and frameworks, consisting of evaluation criteria that aim to check compliance and identify the gaps and constraints in the EIA system components and implementation, which seek to advance EIA system performance (Annandale, 2001; Kolhoff et al, 2009; Loomis & Dziedzic, 2018; Wood, 2003). However, it is recognized that the socioeconomic, political, and institutional conditions in developing African countries play an important role in the performance of EIA, which are not similar to the developed country contexts where EIA was developed (Appiah‐Opoku, 2001; Bitondo et al, 2014; Campion & Essel, 2013; Kakonge, 1998, 2006a; Marara et al, 2011; Nakwaya‐Jacobus et al, 2021). In support of considering the country context in the evaluation of EIA system performance, it is mentioned that the process of EIA system performance evaluation should consider the socioeconomic, political, and cultural contexts of its country (Morgan, 2012).…”

Qualidade de um estudo de impacto ambiental, por meio da aplicação do método de análise de Lee & Colley

“…O problema da qualidade dos EIAs, relaciona-se com o apontamento na literatura de críticas quanto à sua qualidade, mencionando-se muitas deficiências. Estudos retrospectivos relatam o problema e são recorrentes na literatura nacional e internacional, persistindo grande preocupação (Hickie & Wade, 1998;Pinho et al, 2007;Tang et al, 2009;Almeida et al, 2012;Almeida et al, 2014;Cetesb, 2014;Anifowose et al, 2016;;Bond et al, 2018;Aung et al, 2018;Caro-Gonzalez et al, 2021;Nakwaya-Jacobus et al, 2021;Nita et al, 2022).…”