Environmental impact assessment: theory, practice and implications for Mekong hydropower debate
Hydropower development in the Lower Mekong Basin is occurring at a rapid pace. With partial funding from international financial institutions has come pressure on the riparian governments to ensure that the potential environmental and social impacts of hydropower projects are properly considered. En...
| Autores principales: | , , , |
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| Formato: | Journal Article |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
Baltzer Science Publishers
2016
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| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/72559 |
| _version_ | 1855514010790658048 |
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| author | Campbell, Lauren Suhardiman, Diana Giordano, Mark McCornick, Peter G. |
| author_browse | Campbell, Lauren Giordano, Mark McCornick, Peter G. Suhardiman, Diana |
| author_facet | Campbell, Lauren Suhardiman, Diana Giordano, Mark McCornick, Peter G. |
| author_sort | Campbell, Lauren |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Hydropower development in the Lower Mekong Basin is occurring at a rapid pace. With partial funding from international financial institutions has come pressure on the riparian governments to ensure that the potential environmental and social impacts of hydropower projects are properly considered. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is one of the primary environmental management tools being proposed to fulfill these obligations. This article highlights some of the challenges that are inherent in applying EIA in the Mekong context through critical analysis of both its conceptual and institutional aspects. The main argument of the article is that while EIA application indicates a certain degree of environmental consideration, it is not necessarily sufficient to ensure good environmental practices. Lending institutions such as the World Bank have identified lack of implementation capacity as the biggest constraint to effective EIAs. Focusing on Laos, we show how EIA application should be equipped with necessary institutional arrangements and a transparent public participation process. This will ultimately require a shift within the region to allow environmental and social issues to be given significant weight. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace72559 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publishDateRange | 2016 |
| publishDateSort | 2016 |
| publisher | Baltzer Science Publishers |
| publisherStr | Baltzer Science Publishers |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace725592025-11-12T05:09:23Z Environmental impact assessment: theory, practice and implications for Mekong hydropower debate Campbell, Lauren Suhardiman, Diana Giordano, Mark McCornick, Peter G. environmental impact assessment environmental management water power public relations participation international organizations financial institutions social impact river basins funding donors investment decision making government agencies Hydropower development in the Lower Mekong Basin is occurring at a rapid pace. With partial funding from international financial institutions has come pressure on the riparian governments to ensure that the potential environmental and social impacts of hydropower projects are properly considered. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is one of the primary environmental management tools being proposed to fulfill these obligations. This article highlights some of the challenges that are inherent in applying EIA in the Mekong context through critical analysis of both its conceptual and institutional aspects. The main argument of the article is that while EIA application indicates a certain degree of environmental consideration, it is not necessarily sufficient to ensure good environmental practices. Lending institutions such as the World Bank have identified lack of implementation capacity as the biggest constraint to effective EIAs. Focusing on Laos, we show how EIA application should be equipped with necessary institutional arrangements and a transparent public participation process. This will ultimately require a shift within the region to allow environmental and social issues to be given significant weight. 2016-01-11 2016-03-11T09:09:58Z 2016-03-11T09:09:58Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/72559 en Open Access application/pdf Baltzer Science Publishers Campbell, L.; Suhardiman, Diana; Giordano, M.; McCornick, Peter. 2015. Environmental impact assessment: theory, practice and implications for Mekong hydropower debate. International Journal of Water Governance, 4:93-116. doi: https://doi.org/10.7564/14-IJWG65 |
| spellingShingle | environmental impact assessment environmental management water power public relations participation international organizations financial institutions social impact river basins funding donors investment decision making government agencies Campbell, Lauren Suhardiman, Diana Giordano, Mark McCornick, Peter G. Environmental impact assessment: theory, practice and implications for Mekong hydropower debate |
| title | Environmental impact assessment: theory, practice and implications for Mekong hydropower debate |
| title_full | Environmental impact assessment: theory, practice and implications for Mekong hydropower debate |
| title_fullStr | Environmental impact assessment: theory, practice and implications for Mekong hydropower debate |
| title_full_unstemmed | Environmental impact assessment: theory, practice and implications for Mekong hydropower debate |
| title_short | Environmental impact assessment: theory, practice and implications for Mekong hydropower debate |
| title_sort | environmental impact assessment theory practice and implications for mekong hydropower debate |
| topic | environmental impact assessment environmental management water power public relations participation international organizations financial institutions social impact river basins funding donors investment decision making government agencies |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/72559 |
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