Power, poverty and sustainability - International Association for ...

• IAIA06 Abstracts Volume •
Integration of Environmental Management System
and EIA in the Swedish National Rail Administration
Lundberg, Kristina; Royal Institute of Technology (KTH),
Brinellvägen 28, Stockholm, SE-100 44 Sweden. +46 8 790
6141. krilun@kth.se
Balfors, Berit; Royal Institute of Technology (KTH),
Brinellvägen 28, Stockholm, SE-100 44 Sweden. +46 8 790
6352. balfors@kth.se
Folkeson, Lennart; Royal Institute of Technology (KTH),
Brinellvägen 28, Stockholm, SE-100 44 Sweden. +46 8 790
7376. lennart.folkeson@vti.se
The two management tools Environmental Impact Assessment
(EIA) and Environmental Management System (EMS) are
often used in isolation. This is the case also at the Swedish
National Rail Administration. Environmental information and
decisions expressed in the EIA during the planning of a project
are seldom transferred to the construction phase and further
to the operational phase and the EMS. Any continuous
environmental monitoring is usually not based on the findings
in the EIA. The lack of integration of the management tools
and the poor transfer of information have had a negative
effect on the follow-up of the environmental outcome of rail
projects.
A research study has been initiated with the aim to improve
the environmental monitoring within the Rail Administration
by exploring ways of combining EIA and EMS. Three rail
projects are being examined from the planning stage through
construction to operation. The focal stage is the handing over
of the project to the administration for continual operation.
Based on findings from the case studies, a model will be
developed for the integration of EIA and EMS. The model will
facilitate the integration of EIA decisions with the operational
EMS, which will improve the environmental outcome of rail
projects.
Environmental Administration System as a Tool to
Improve the Environment Impact Assessment
Guido-Sequeira, Harman; ICE, CSRG - Campo Geotérmico
Miravalles, guayabo de Bagaces Guanacaste, Guanacaste,
Costa Rica. (506) 673 0100. Fax 673 0132. hguido@ice.go.cr
The conservation of the environment cannot be sought by
sacrificing the development and well-being of a nation, since
the conservation alone doesn’t contribute to reduce poverty.
For this reason the concept of sustainable development looks
for a balance between development and environmental
conservation, and the EMS can be used to get this balance.
But why should the organization have to implement an
environmental management system? The main idea of the
EMS is to prevent all kind of contamination, try to reduce the
contamination, and if any of these solutions are possible, then
it will focus on to mitigate the contamination. The
organization can reduce the costs if it teaches the people
about the importance of reduce the unnecessary use of
material, electricity, water, paper, etc. It will represent a high
efficiency and less production costs. Also, it has to be taken
into account that the communities have a lot of power. If they
are against the project it will mean problems that can be
prevented and solved by a correct EMS. The EMS can also be
used as a tool to ensure the appropriate implementation of the
environmental programs established in the EIA and improve
the EIA itself.
Environmental Managment and Environmental
Management Tools in Practice: The View of the
Environmental Managers
Nitz, Tracey; University of East Anglia, School of
Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich,
Norfolk NR4 7TJ United Kingdom. 44 1603 593130.
t.nitz@uea.ac.uk www.uea.ac.uk/env
Brown, Lex; Griffith University, Faculty of
Environmental Science, Griffith University, Nathan,
Queensland 4111 Australia. lex.brown@griffith.edu.au
A plethora of environmental management tools have
emerged over the last 40 years, such as EIA, SEA, EMS,
life cycle assessment and corporate environmental
reporting. These tools are the subject of much discussion
and debate in the environmental management literature.
In particular, the benefits of using environmental
management tools and the drivers for using them have
been discussed at length. There is, however, limited
knowledge about the actual use of the various tools in
practice.
This paper presents the results of an empirical study of
environmental management practices of 23 large
organisations in Australia, based on in-depth interviews
with environmental managers. It describes the
environmental management tools used by these
organisations and the activities of environmental
managers within them. The views of environmental
managers about various environmental management
tools are presented. The main factors that influenced the
decisions of environmental managers are discussed. The
key issues for environmental managers were making the
business case for the use of environmental management
tools and the ease with which a tool can be adapted for
their organisation. On the basis of these findings, a
number of recommendations for improving the use and
effectiveness of environmental management tools in
practice are made.
Links Between Environmental Impact
Assessment and Environmental Management
Systems – A Conceptual Framework
Krijnen, Justin; Institute of Environmental Management
and Assessment (IEMA), St Nicholas House, 70
Newport, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN1 3HQ United
Kingdom. 01522540069. j.krijnen@iema.net
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and
Environmental Management Systems (EMS) are
perceived by many to be separate environmental tools.
Essentially this is true. EIA serves as a systematic and
predictive tool for assessing the potentially significant
impacts of developments on the environment. An EMS,
on the other hand, is used to consider the key impacts of
operational businesses on the environment. The main
difference to note is that during the EIA process impacts
on developments are predicted. A proposed development
has yet to be built and therefore an element of
uncertainty is associated with these assessments. With
an EMS, the business or organisation’s processes are
already in operation. Even though there is also an
element of prediction involved, it is a comparatively
easier task to investigate what the environmental
impacts of these processes are. Yet, however separate
these assessment tools may appear to be, it is possible to
integrate elements of each tool to aid in the process of
managing the environmental impacts of developments
and/or businesses. This e-briefing identifies the links
between EIA and EMS and how a combination of both
instruments may help to improve impact prediction and
management.
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