MY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA

FACULTY OF ARTS

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND TOURISM

TOPIC:

Explanation/in-depth interpretation of impact tables two – five in “humanizing environmental impact assessment practice in Nigeria: a cultural anthropological excursion” by prof. p. u okpoko’s 108^th inaugural lecture on Thursday, May 12, 2016.

AN ASSIGNMENT

WRITTEN IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE COURSE: TRM 306

 (ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT)

BY

NAME: ONWUCHEKWA, SAMSON C.

REG NO: 2013/186600

  

LECTURERS: PROF. P. U OKPOKO

              MR. A. P EYISI & MRS. I. O ANYANWU

JULY 13, 2016

INTRODUCTION

Environmental Impact Assessment E.I.A represents attempt to predict or anticipate the consequences, negative or positive, of development activities on environmental items, including the human environment; the ultimate aim being to enhance the positive consequences, while eliminating or reducing the negative impacts. 

Furthermore, Environmental Impact Assessment is a systematic process that examines the possible environmental consequences of a developmental action in advance before the project begins.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT RATING

This is a five stage sequential process that is followed in other to ascribe the final significance rating of each identified impact. Under this we have the impact description, impact qualification, development of impact assessment matrix, construction of impact assessment matrix, production of impacts framework and impact text.

The impact qualification is divided into two which is the likelihood of occurrence and the potential consequences.

High probability	Avery likely impact	Very frequent impacts
Medium high probability	A likely impact	Frequent impacts
Medium probability	A possible impact	Occasional impacts
Medium low probability	An unlikely impact	Rare impacts
	As far as one-time events or slowly developing effects are concerned (e.g. impacts on lifestyle).	As far as possibly recurring impacts are concerned, such as road accidents.

Table I; Impact rating or terms used to explain the likelihood of occurrence in Table 2

This table has five rows and three columns in which the first line describes that if a project is proposed and the probability of its effect occurring is rated high, then its impact is very likely to occur and at a very frequent pace. In the second line, the probability of its effect occurring is rated on a medium high scale thereby tipping the scale of its impact to a likely level and its occurrence at a frequent pace. The third line describes that the probability of the effect occurring is on a medium scale and there are possible impacts which will occur occasionally. The fourth line is hinging on the fact that the probability is medium low with an unlikely impact which will occur at a rare pace. The last line describes that the effect of a proposed project action is positive and will occur as far as possible recurring impacts are concerned, such as road accidents.

Extreme consequences	Massive effect
Great consequences	Big effect
Considerable consequences	Substantial effect
Little consequences	Slight effect
Hardly consequences	Trivial effect

         

Table II; Impact rating or terms used to explain potential consequences in table 3

This table has five rows and two columns in which the potential consequence of a proposed project action is rated on a degree to know how immense its consequences will be. The first line predicts that the consequences will be extreme and its effect massive, the second line predicts that the consequences will be great and its effect big. In the third line the consequences is considerable and its effect is of a substantial range, the fourth line predicts that the consequences is little with a slight effect while the last line expects that the consequences will hardly occur and its effect trifling.

	Intrinsic magnitude of the hazard
Receptor sensitivity	Low	Medium	High
Low receptor sensitivity	Trivial effect	Slight effect	Substantial effect
Medium receptor sensitivity	Slight effect	Substantial effect	Big effect
High receptor sensitivity	Substantial effect	Big effect	Massive effect

           

Table III; Matrix for classifying potential consequences in table 4

This classification is based on two main factors which are the hazard magnitude and the receptor sensitivity. The hazard magnitude relates to the size, scale intensity and duration of the consequences of a proposed project action while the receptor sensitivity relates to the stability and flexibility of the environment to the changes that will be caused by the project.

          This table has two segments; on the right hand side is the receptor sensitivity with two rows while on the left hand side is the intrinsic magnitude of the hazard with four rows and three columns. If both the receptor sensitivity and the intrinsic magnitude are low, the effect is effect is rated trivial. But low receptor sensitivity with correspondent medium intrinsic magnitude produces a slight effect, while low receptor sensitivity and high intrinsic magnitude produces substantial effect. On the other hand, high receptor sensitivity with a low intrinsic magnitude produces slight effect, if it corresponds with medium and high magnitudes; the resultant effects are rated big and massive respectively.

	Potential     Consequences
Likelihood	Positive	Little	Considerable	Great
High	Positive	Moderate	Major	Major
Medium high	Positive	Moderate	Moderate	Major
Medium	Positive	Minor	Moderate	Moderate
Medium low	Positive	Minor	Minor	Moderate
Low	Positive	Negligible	Minor	Minor

Table IV; Development of impact matrix in table 5

          In this stage the degree of significance of the identified impact is compared to its likelihood of occurrence and its impending consequences. The result would help determine the degree of significance of the effect and if mitigation measures is needed or not.

          This table has two segments; on the right hand side is the likelihood of occurrence with five rows, while on the left hand side is the potential consequences with six rows and four columns. If the likelihood of occurrence is high or medium high or medium or medium low or low then its potential consequences might be major or moderate or minor or positive or negligible.

          Impacts assessed to be major or moderate often require mitigation to get rid of or reduce them to minor, whereas the minor or negligible impacts do not call for any mitigation measures rather they are handled through normal management protocols.

N.B: all works and tables were extracted from Prof. Pat Uche Okpoko

          (Professor of Cultural Tourism and Social Impact Assessment)

          University of Nigeria

          108^th Inaugural lecturer

          On Thursday, May 12, 2016