HERIOT-WATT UNIVERSITY

School of Engineering and Physical Sciences

B59E6: Environmental Impact Assessment

Thursday, 17th April 2008 9:30 – 11:30

Instructions to Candidates: Answer TWO questions in Section A and ONE question from

Section B.

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SECTION A ANSWER TWO QUESTIONS. 1. (a) Explain the benefits of scoping within the EIA process. [10] (b) Explain how scoping can be carried out. [10] 2. (a) Explain how the European EIA directive (85/337/EEC as

amended by 97/11/EC and 2003/35/EC) indicates which projects should undergo EIA. [6]

(b) Explain how individual member states can interpret these

instructions. [14] 3. Using an example project of your choice; (a) Explain the types of baseline data that would be collected. [10] (b) Explain the importance of good baseline data for accurate

impact prediction. [10]

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SECTION B ANSWER ONE QUESTION. 4. EIA was partially designed as a tool to improve access to

information about the environmental impacts of projects and therefore help improve decision making.

(a) Analyse to what extent EIA has failed in this objective. [30] (b) Discuss ways in which the EIA legislation and process

could be improved to achieve the objective of access to information. [30]

5. Much of European environmental legislation is based on the

principle that prevention is better than cure. (a) Evaluate how this principle is achieved through EIA. [30] (b) Discuss how EIA contributes to the wider sustainable

development agenda. [30] 6. “We're in a giant car heading towards a brick wall and

everyone’s arguing over where they're going to sit.” (David Suzuki, Canadian environmentalist, scientist and broadcaster)

Discuss the ability and limitations of EIA to address the most

serious environmental issues facing Homo sapiens (humans). [60]

End of Paper