The Integrated System of Environmental Assessments: An Instrument for the Application of Precautionary Environmental Law

Sustainable economic and social development can only be perceived in a healthy environment. In line with the national efforts to align the development initiatives with environmental considerations, it is necessary to take into account the potential impacts of development initiatives at all levels to prevent such impacts from happening.

This study has been carried out through the desk review of available information. The basic premise of the study falls within the realm of precautionary environmental law.

 The study suggests that the currently used environmental assessment model that focuses on project level Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) does not suffice to address the environmental impacts of upstream policies, plans and programmes.

Several decades into the use of EIA as a legally bound mechanism to determine and address the potential environmental repercussions of development projects, there is a need for the system to mainstream the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of upstream development decisions. To that effect, the paper proposes a wholesome model that promotes the integrated application of EIA and SEA.