The quality of environmental impact assessment in Malawi: a retrospective analysis

Abstract

This paper draws on a survey of the 32 environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports approved in Malawi after six years of mandatory EIA. With the aim of assessing the extent to which the requirements of the EIA process have been complied with and determining which EIA components influenced the apparent compliance, it is shown that the quality of the reports is poor, with most of the EIA requirements being unsatisfactorily adhered to. The components that contributed to the poor quality are analysis of alternatives, consultation and public participation, scoping and environmental audit. Substance problems that affect the adequacy of the EIAs, practice problems dealing with the administration of the EIA process, and contextual problems and deficiencies in the EIA law are specifically identified as the flaws responsible for the poor quality. It is thus recommended, for EIA quality to improve, that the flaws be addressed, and particularly the factors which are inducing them.