National Environmental Impact Assessment and Challenges: Scoping Review in Ethiopia Context

Abstract

Introduction: Economic development can have major impacts on the environment by degrading soils, polluting bodies of water, altering landscapes and threatening biodiversity, in some cases driving species into extinction. Under this circumstances, Environmental impact assessment (EIA) has emerged in Ethiopia in the last five decades as one of the primary management tools for protecting the environment as well as social from the environmental threats and impacts.

Objective: The aim of this review was to provide general information on national Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), its methodological approach and challenges.

Methods: Narrative information were found using the EndNote online search tool, Google, Google Scholar, PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Global Health electronic databases, government web sites and reports. The current EIA approaches, Policy frame work, proclamation and Gaps and Challenges of EIA implementation at national spectrum were reviewed under the scope of the review.

Result: A total of 42 studies/ reports/grey documents were identified from government web sites(n=3), National proclamation (n=7), Reports (n=6), International Initiatives (n=3), Google Scholar (n=4), PubMed (n=4), Medline (n=3), Embase (n=3), Google (n=6) and Global Health (n=3). Finally, ten documents were considered for the narrative of this scoping review. The review revealed that development programs and projects in the country are not conducted according to EIA compliance, which have the impact on both environment and social. The review also found that there were challenges for implementation of EIA across the countries due to lack of inherent evaluation mechanisms, quantifying impact and attribution gap, lack of awareness, absence of effective mechanisms for process, lack of incentives, problems of capacity, weak political commitment, and weak public participation.

Conclusion: Ethiopian Constitution provides a strong constitutional foundation for the introduction of EIA but lack of follow-up about effective implementation of the EIA system. The review advises that the right of citizens to live in a healthy and clean environment and the right to be consulted and to express their views on the planning and implementation of plans, programs, strategies, policies and projects that affect them. The review also recommends that every of project owner should aware about the interactions of development, environment and sustainability while we plan any project within the country