Environmental Impact Assessment Reports Research Articles

Insights of environmental impact assessment reports for industrial parks: wastewater quantity prediction aspect.

While the contribution of industrial parks to the socio-economic aspect has been widely acknowledged over the past two decades in Vietnam, the problem of environmental pollution due to the wastes generated from industrial parks, especially wastewater, has still been an emerging issue, which places a great pressure on the Government. The wastewater generation from industrial parks was ordinarily required to report in all environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports as a base for the construction of on-site wastewater treatment plants within the industrial park. In Vietnam, this data was, however, often higher than the actual generated number due to inaccurate technical guidelines on predicting wastewater generation and many different methods to be applied. This study aimed to evaluate different approaches used to calculate the effluent in the industrial parks. The results showed that all of the four approaches (i.e., previous operation-based, water-based, wastewater-based, or experience-based methods) rendered significant gaps between predicted and actual values. None can be acceptable for use at present. A revision of technical guideline should be conducted to provide more detailed instruction for the better prediction. This shall minimize the investment capital and increase the efficiency of industrial parks in pollution control.

Decision factors and benchmarks of EIA report quality for Japan’s cooperation projects

The quality of environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports is fundamental to making good decisions, but the low quality of EIA reports is a constraint in developing countries. Previous studies pointed out many factors influencing report quality based on professional perspectives. However, the decision factors of report quality are not well known. The purposes of this study are to identify the decision factors and benchmarks of the overall quality of EIA reports for Japan’s cooperation projects and to verify the effects of the decision factors on report quality. The study reviewed the quality of 160 reports from 2001 to 2016 and examined potential factors influencing the overall quality of reports using statistical tests, cluster analysis, decision tree analysis, and covariance structure analysis. The study identified the alternatives and public involvement as the decision factors among potential factors, and their linkage affected the quality of reports. The study concluded that the just satisfactory grade of alternatives and public involvement at scoping and draft reporting stages were the benchmarks for satisfactory EIA reports. Further verification through comparative studies and case studies is needed to confirm how two processes have an effect on the quality of reports.

Scientific shortcomings in environmental impact statements internationally

Abstract Governments around the world rely on environmental impact assessment (EIA) to understand the environmental risks of proposed developments. To examine the basis for these appraisals, we examine the output of EIA processes in jurisdictions within seven countries, focusing on scope (spatial and temporal), mitigation actions and whether impacts were identified as ‘significant’. We find that the number of impacts characterized as significant is generally low. While this finding may indicate that EIA is successful at promoting environmentally sustainable development, it may also indicate that the methods used to assess impact are biased against findings of significance. To explore the methods used, we investigate the EIA process leading to significance determination. We find that EIA reports could be more transparent with regard to the spatial scale they use to assess impacts to wildlife. We also find that few reports on mining projects consider temporal scales that are precautionary with regard to the effects of mines on water resources. Across our sample of reports, we find that few EIAs meaningfully consider the different ways that cumulative impacts can interact. Across countries, we find that proposed mitigation measures are often characterized as effective without transparent justification, and sometimes are described in ways that render the mitigation measure proposal ambiguous. Across the reports in our sample, professional judgement is overwhelmingly the determinant of impact significance, with little transparency around the reasoning process involved or input by stakeholders. We argue that the credibility and accuracy of the EIA process could be improved by adopting more rigorous assessment methodologies and empowering regulators to enforce their use. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

Are Polish EIA Experts Still “Competent”? Remarks on the Evolution of the Provisions Regarding Practitioners Involved in the Preparation of Environmental Impact Assessment Reports

Are Polish EIA Experts Still “Competent”? Remarks on the Evolution of the Provisions Regarding Practitioners Involved in the Preparation of Environmental Impact Assessment Reports

Identification of weaknesses in the implementation of environmental impact assessment regulations in industrial sector: A case study of some industries in Rwanda, Africa

The global environmental security and a cleaner productive ecosystem following the increasing industrialization and urbanization largely depend on the level of compliance with the relevant environmental impact stipulations. Consequently, this study highlights the weaknesses in the execution of environmental impact assessment (EIA) among the major industrial sectors of Rwanda. The study involves three industries with EIA Certificates issued by Rwanda Development Board and Rwanda Environmental Management Authority, the main consulting organizations. The institutional strength and weaknesses, awareness of industrial workers, and resources allocation in implementation of the EIA were studied by assessing compliance with the EIA through review of EIA report, site observation, interview, and administration of questionnaires. The study reveals unsatisfactory compliance with EIA among the industries. These weaknesses are due to lack of institutionalization of environmental units and environmental officers in the industries, poor status of industrial environmental policy, poor institutional coordination, and low capacity to implement EIA. Again, the capability of an annual environmental audit by the industries and how sufficient is the follow-ups by responsible authorities, as well as the low awareness of the existence of environmental management plan, and inadequate resources allocation are potential confronting challenges. It shows that EIA process is not fully functional in Rwanda and based on observations, it proposes possible recommendations like; the establishment of environmental units by the industries, as well as employment of environmental officers to oversee implementation of plans. The capacity building in the employees to implement EIA, conduct annual environmental audits, and initiate follow-ups, as well as regular monitoring in industries. Further, the government should strengthen institutional coordination in the implementing of EIA and ensure real resources allocation in the implementation.

Socioeconomic Impact of Development Projects on the Livelihood of Farmers: A Case Study of the Bui Dam Hydroelectric Project

The development of major social projects such as hydroelectric dams, roads and mining often result in the loss of properties and sometimes relocation of the affected people or communities. This paper examined the impact of the Bui Dam Hydroelectric project on the livelihood of the people affected, especially farmers in the Bono Region of Ghana. The paper also reviewed the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) report of the project in line with the Environmental Protection Agency requirement, examined the compensation and the living conditions of the farmers in the affected communities. Interviews and focus group discussions of farmers in four communities were conducted which was later followed by the administration of questionnaires to seventy-five (75) farmers. The data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages and Excel software for the development of charts. The review of the ESIA report of the Bui dam showed that an extensive ESIA was conducted with only few lapses outlined in the text. The interviews and the questionnaires revealed that the farmers who were relocated have problems with land acquisition, soil fertility and irrigation facilities when they were moved to their new location. There were also concerns about inadequate payment of compensations and unfulfilled promises. However, about 97.3% of the respondents were comfortable at their new location because of the proximity to health services, access to good roads, nice buildings and provision of some basic social amenities such as light and water, as well as possible business and employment opportunities. The paper makes suggestions for improving compensations and resettlement schemes in Ghana.

Construction and Operation of Small Hydro Power Plants in the Ukrainian Carpathians: New Challenges for Environment

Purpose. Analysis of environmental problems and risks associated with the construction and operation of small hydroelectric power facilities (SHEPP) in the Ukrainian Carpathians. Methods. Field studies, statistical, hydrological, hydroecological, analysis and synthesis. Results. Potential environmental risks arising from the construction and operation of SHEPP in the Ukrainian Carpathians are considered. The influence of Yavіrska hydroelectric power station on water discharges in the Stryi river was investigated. The daily water discharges for the two hydraulic sections located above and below the station for low-water (2003) and high-water (2008) years are analyzed. Possible risks in the construction and operation of the hydroelectric power plant for the movement of flood waters, river sediments, the development of riverbed deformations, and others, are indicated. The difference in water discharges between the two hydrological stations is presented, and it is confirmed that in the spring of 2008 and 2003 and the autumn and winter of 2003 and 2008 minimal differences in water consumption were observed as a result of the water retention in the reservoir above the dam of Yavіrska hydro power station for the maximal electrical power generation. The impact of the Yavіrska SHEPP on the biota of the Stryi river during 2014–2015 was analyzed. The obtained results indicate that the main negative factors affecting the communities of river hydrobionts are the creation of reservoir of limnethic conditions in the continuum of the river ecosystem; the accumulation of sediments and dead organic matter on its bottom and banks and the demolition of these sediments on the lower sections of the channel bed; also a decrease of water in the riverbed downstream of the dam after the closure of the floodgates in June. The analysis of the environmental impact assessment reports made it possible to analyze the major environmental threats, which are possible during the building and operation of a small hydroelectric power plant on the Stryi river in the Dovhe village (Drohobych district, Lviv region). Conclusions. To prevent the impact of the projected SHEPP in the Carpathian region it is necessary to prescribe the mechanism of carrying out the environmental impact assessment, to specify the natural-geographical, hydrological and hydro-ecological restrictions on the construction and operation of the hydroelectric power station. It is also necessary to identify sections of mountain (“wild”) rivers with high values of natural landscapes and prohibit the construction of small hydropower facilities.

Some critical comments on the quality of environmental impact assessment reports for small hydropower plants in Ukraine

Nowadays, small hydropower in Ukraine has a small share in the national energy balance. However, in Ukraine small hydropower has been still developing, but its development is largely spontaneous, not accompanied by scientific and technical researches of small rivers, as well as an appropriate analysis of the impact of small hydropower plants on the environment. As a result, there is an increasing resistance to the building of new hydropower plants in the country by environmentalists, activists and the public.The issue of small hydropower in our country has become a new topical challenge in connection with the adoption in 2017 of the Act of Ukraine “On Environmental Impact Assessment”. According to this Act, all hydropower plants on rivers, regardless of their capacity, including small hydropower plants, are classified as planned activities and objects that can have a significant environmental impact and are subject to environmental impact assessment.Since 2017, in accordance with the Act, a large number of environmental impact assessment reports have been submitted to the Unified Register concerning planned activities related to the construction of new small hydropower plants, which were prepared by various entities, including universities.The main objective of the research was to analyze the reports presented in the Unified Register and the formulation of practical comments on the quality of their preparation, the accuracy and completeness of information on the environmental impacts of the planned small hydropower plants. The purpose of the article is to familiarize professionals in the various fields of knowledge relevant to the issue, in particular, hydraulic engineers, hydropower engineers, environmentalists, as well as potential investors in small hydropower, public activists and the general public with these remarks.Totally, 16 of reports were analyzed in detail. The main shortcomings of the performed environmental impact assessments of the new small hydropower plants planned to build were noted, including the lack of proper analysis of alternatives and scientifically sound forecasts, the incompetence of experts in the issues related to the environmental impacts of hydraulic structures. Practical recommendations were formulated that can help improve the quality of the environmental impact assessment of small hydropower plants, with the aim of avoiding environmentally hazardous decisions, taking into account the various environmental and social risks associated with small hydropower facilities.

EIA-driven biodiversity mainstreaming in development cooperation: Confronting expectations and practice in the DR Congo

Mainstreaming biodiversity in development cooperation activities is called for by scientists and policy-makers alike, as the current biodiversity crisis can only be mitigated if the linkages between biodiversity and human wellbeing are acknowledged. Reconciling biodiversity conservation and human development is a particularly topical challenge in highly biodiverse developing countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the population is highly dependent on natural resources for their livelihood. This study combines expert interviews with an evaluation of environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports, in order to determine the current motivations, obstacles and effectiveness of biodiversity mainstreaming in the DRC and to assess the framing, the representation and use of biodiversity in recently conducted EIAs in the DRC. Our findings indicate that biodiversity mainstreaming in the DRC is considered challenging due to enduring contextual (e.g. governance) factors; and that there is a strong support base for EIA among the interviewed experts. Turning to actual EIAs that were recently performed in the DRC, the diversity of framings motivating the uptake of biodiversity is remarkable. Instrumental reasons do not thwart intrinsic motivations –which is indicative of a support base for the non-instrumental value of biodiversity. The use of biodiversity baseline data in mitigation measures is low, and the taxonomic resolution of the biodiversity data in EIAs is uneven. Despite these challenges, the potential of EIA in the DRC is considered high, and linkages between project-driven EIA practice and biodiversity data collection and dissemination should be strengthened.

Methodological pluralism in environmental impact prediction and significance evaluation: A case for standardization?

At the core of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process is the identification, prediction and evaluation of impacts, activities that are profoundly marked by case-specific differences and methodological pluralism. Despite difficulties, policy-makers are occasionally attracted to the idea of standardizing EIA methods. The objective of this study was to understand the merits of standardizing methods for impact prediction and significance evaluations, using Brazil as the empirical context. Based on a content analysis of 49 EIA reports, a survey with 126 practitioners, and a critical evaluation of two standardization initiatives, the study shows that, while generally perceived as beneficial, the standardization of EIA methods is likely to remain a rather challenging task in the foreseeable future. The high degrees of discretion taking place in the selection and implementation of impact prediction and significance evaluations are to a large extent a consequence of the difficulty of finding terminology, metrics, criteria, thresholds, boundaries, and values across different settings. Current standardization initiatives in Brazil are targeting some of the easiest methodological issues related to terminology and process. While relevant to administrative efficiency and process predictability, such issues represent a small piece of the complex puzzle of EIA effectiveness. Findings signal the need for clearer policy priorities, capacity building, and more applied research about the actual, long-term effects of standardization initiatives.

AIR QUALITY MONITORING IN INDUSTRIAL ESTATE (Case Study: Jababeka Industrial Estate, Cikarang)

Ambient Air Quality Monitoring (AAQM) must be conducted by Industrial Estate Management, according to legislation and regulation in EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) Report. AAQ test parameter are Sulfur Dioxide (SO<sub>2</sub>), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO<sub>2</sub>), Ozon (O<sub>3</sub>), Hidrocarbon (HC), PM<sub>10</sub>, PM<sub>2,5</sub>, Total Suspended Solid (TSP), and Lead (Pb). Industrial Estate Management has an extensive role in AAQM, analysing and organizing better environmental policies. The data of Jababeka Industrial Estate (JIE) AAQM was seized from EIA Report each semester from year 2015 to 2018 and analyzed using openair model. A review of AAQM and Management in other industrial estate was done as a lesson-learned and insight to improve the AAQM System in JIE. Openair model can analyze the AAQ data with meteorological data around the sampling point area, and visualize it through the pollution rose function. The limited data of AAQM and weather, will limitate the result and analysis. The future research must aims to make a real-time/continuous AAQM and meteorological data to get more accurate and comprehensive data modeling and analysis.

The ‘No-Alternative Scenario’ in the Alternative Analysis of NEPA

Environmental impact assessment report is the primary document required to assess sustainable issues of any business/commercial activity, but it is most often overlooked for serious anomalies in its presentation to the public. It is most often incomplete and there is a need to review the standards of impact assessment procedures that help preserve environmental integrity among developing nations. The absence of sanctions for improper assessment of environmental, social and economic impacts of commercial activities, including extraction of natural resources by domestic and multinational corporations undermines sustainable development across the globe. The procedures in place to study various impacts of a business activity that enable access to genuine, verifiable and actionable information by the public require review and oversight by a third-party institution. The standardization of procedures and universal harmonization of enforcement and compliance regulations by nations has to become a topic for debate at various academic levels to gain importance. Essentially, EIA reports in large infrastructure projects serve as a blueprint for low carbon economies. Developing nations ignore vital provisions relating to the listing and analysis of alternatives in their attempt to meet developmental goals. Environmental protection is to maintain the ecological integrity of habitats and ecosystems. EIA reports, ultimately, aim at conserving and replenishing the reserves of natural resources. Judicial law has played an important role in highlighting the importance of alternatives in EIA. It is therefore important as how developing nations use the provision for the alternative analysis within their environmental laws. This paper will discuss EIA under the auspices of International law relating it to Sustainable Development. It shall emphasize the significance of providing alternatives in large infrastructure projects that have enviro-social impacts including transboundary effects and how the use of “no-action” alternative helps preserve and conserve a nation’s resources, reducing negative impacts Keywords: NEPA, CEQ, Impact Assessment, Alternatives Assessment, Alternatives Analysis, no-action alternative, hydropower, mega dams.

Characteristics and Adaptability Assessment of Commonly Used Ecological Flow Methods in Water Storage and Hydropower Projects, the Case of Chinese River Basins

The construction and operation of water storage and hydropower projects affects the structure of water ecosystems of downstream rivers, and the establishment of ecological flow in rivers below the water storage and hydropower projects has significant impacts on maintaining the stability of river ecosystems. A database was established based on 2000–2017 environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports on water storage and hydropower projects in China and ecological flow (e-flow) methods, and the three widely used e-flow methods for water storage and hydropower projects in China were identified on the database. Furthermore, an ecological flow satisfaction degree model was used to evaluate the methods using long series of historical hydrological data from the hydrological stations in the Yellow River basin, the Yangtze River basin, and the Liao River basin. The results showed that hydrological methods are the type most often used for water storage and hydropower projects in China, including the Tennant method, the minimum monthly average flow with 90% guarantee rate method (Mm9M method), and the measured historical minimum daily average flow rate method (MDM method). However, the ecological flow methods selected are not significantly different among different basins, indicating that the selection of ecological flow methods is rather arbitrary, and adaptability analysis is not available. The results of the ecological flow satisfaction model showed that the Tennant method is not suitable for large river basins. The results of this study can provide technical support for establishment and management decisions surrounding ecological flow.

On some challenges of environmental impact assessment of small hydropower plants in Ukraine

One of the pressing problems of today is the greening of nature management, which is recognized as one of the fundamental components of the newest concept of “sustainable” development. The Law of Ukraine “On Environmental Impact Assessment”, adopted in 2017, has opened up new opportunities for environmental review and regulation of potentially hazardous activities related to the use of natural resources, with involvement of the general public in decision-making processes.According to this Law, hydropower plants on rivers, regardless of their capacity, are also included in the types of planned activities and objects that can have a significant environmental impact and are subject to environmental impact assessment. Thus, at the legislative level, it is recognized that so-called “small hydropower plants” are capable of adversely affecting the environment and should be considered environmentally and socially dangerous until the opposite is established by the results of the environmental expertise.It is because of the small capacity of hydropower plants in numerous publications of various domestic authors that the idea that small hydropower plants can not adversely affect the environment and are environmentally safe has been formed and continues to be upheld. Due to this, small hydropower has received the status of “green” energy and state supporting in the form of various attenuations, in particular at the expense of “green” tariff. Our analysis of notifications of planned activities that are subject to the environmental impact assessment coming into the Unified Registry for Environmental Impact Assessment and of the environmental impact assessment reports materials shows that private investors are openly abusing these preferences. Notifications of planned activities, environmental impact assessment reports are prepared in a frankly poor and non-professional manner, mostly by persons who are little connected for research or have an opinion on the absolute environmental safety of small hydropower plants. As a result, information provided to the public often turns out to be incomplete, one-sided, distorted, and in some cases, untrue.The article highlights the most pressing problems encountered during the practical implementation of the Law of Ukraine “On Environmental Impact Assessment” regarding the construction and operation of small hydropower plants, which could be in interest of scientific and engineering communities, officials and the public.

A Critical Evaluation of Environmental Impact Assessments:A Case Study of Goa Mines, India

Environmental impact assessments (EIAs) form the basis of estimation of environmental and socio-economic impacts of developmental projects. In this study we examine 65 EIA reports of mines in Goa. It is mandatory that the reports should provide, among others, lists of plant species from 314.2 and 78.5 sq. km area for lease areas of mines above 0.5 and below 0.5 sq. km respectively. On the basis of available data covering different spatial scales for the Western Ghats, we determined the species–area relationships, and expected number of species in area of these sizes. We find the plant lists in the EIA reports to be highly incomplete and defective in many ways, including with respect to information on water resources, and ore transport by trucks and barges. We conclude by recommending a set of measures focusing on transparency and public involvement to correct the situation.

Role of Quality Management System in Improving the Quality of EIA

The quality of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) very much depends on the efficiency of the management system of the EIA consultant organizations. As per statutory requirements, EIA Consultant Organisations must have an accreditation for carrying out the EIA study in India from the National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET) which is a nodal organization under the Quality Council of India (QCI) as per Gazette Notification dated March 3, 2016. The Quality Management System (QMS) is an integral part of the accreditation process, hence the study provides an analysis of the effectiveness of QMS for Accredited EIA Consultant Organisations (ACOs) in reality. The relationship between QMS and EIA reports is analysed from NABET database for various accredited consultant organizations across the country. The study revealed that the quality management system has a significant impact on the EIA reports. The major factors affecting EIA quality are lack of implementation of a quality system, inadequate knowledge of the system and lack of data interpretation. A regular review of QMS by NABET helps maintain the quality at every step of EIA. It suggests that there is a scope for developing a strategic framework to reach excellence in EIA reports through developing a strategic management system for the betterment of society and environment.

Of Smoke and Mirrors: (Mis)Communicating EIA Results of Solar Energy Projects in South Africa

Environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and renewable energy developments are key instruments to achieving sustainable development goals. Additionally, environmental impact assessment reports (EIARs) are vital in communicating the findings of proposed developments to all stakeholders. Yet, the quality of EIARs does not always comply with criteria in a satisfactory manner, thereby compromising sustainability. The quality of 25 solar energy EIARs in South Africa was reviewed with an adapted Lee–Colley Review Package. Based on this review, 68% of EIARs were found to be satisfactorily conducted, whereas 80% of the overall scores were regarded as borderline quality grades. Interestingly, complex assessment tasks — determining impact significance, alternatives, mitigation measures and the communication of findings — were executed unsatisfactorily. The poor communication of environmental impacts to stakeholders is not only an obstacle for EIA processes but also for sustainable development mechanisms as a whole.

Explanations for the Quality of Biodiversity Inputs to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in Areas with High Biodiversity Value

Biodiversity is under significant threat globally and therefore the biodiversity input to environmental impact assessment (EIA) is important. The quality of biodiversity inputs needs to be high if biodiversity is to be protected, especially in areas with high biodiversity value. Here, we follow-up quality reviews of biodiversity inputs to EIA reports, through interviews with the biodiversity specialists who authored the biodiversity inputs, in order to find explanations for the quality results. This is the first quality review research to systematically engage with biodiversity specialists in this way. The biodiversity specialists highlighted professional registration as a key factor supporting strengths around professional conduct and gathering of baseline information. Weaknesses identified relate to review areas dealing with alternatives, public participation, prediction, as well as management actions and monitoring arrangements, which seem to be the result of a lack of understanding and/or agreement on the role of the biodiversity specialists in the EIA process. The research results suggest that ideally biodiversity inputs should not be seen as a one-off contribution but rather as an iterative contribution during different stages of the EIA process.

Environmental justice in India: a case study of environmental impact assessment, community engagement and public interest litigation

ABSTRACTThis paper scrutinizes environmental impact assessment (EIA) in India and its potential environmental justice implications. We focused on procedural aspects of environmental justice and concentrated specifically on public interest litigation. Using a qualitative case study (document review, semi-structured interviews, participant observation, transect walks, thematic analysis), we examined conflict and litigation in an EIA of a proposed industrial development affecting a wetland and agricultural livelihoods in the state of Gujarat. The study 1) describes aspects of the EIA that triggered opposition, including litigation before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), 2) explains the extent to which the EIA addressed concerns of potentially affected local communities, and 3) assesses the effectiveness of the court system and the NGT in resolving disputes arising from the EIA. We found: that important gaps in the EIA report and lack of public participation opportunities were important triggers for litigation; crucial disconnects between issues addressed in the EIA and concerns of affected communities; and formidable challenges to gaining full access to legal representation, technical expertise and judicial remedies. Addressing these shortcomings would improve the EIA regime, enhance procedural aspects of environmental justice in India, and improve the prospects for distributive, recognitional and restorative justice by ensuring that EIAs reflect local knowledge, values and aspirations.

An Analysis of EIA Report of the Second International Airport Project, Nepal

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a planning tool which enables decision makers to accept environmentally friendly projects and reject environment damaging projects or their certain components. EIA has been mandatory in Nepal since the enactment of Environment Protection Act in 1997. Usually in Nepal, EIA is done for a project late in the project cycle after many important decisions on design and locations have already been made. While in case of government sponsored projects, EIA has remained as ‘pro forma’ compliance with government’s legal requirements. This paper analyses outputs of approved EIA of a mega infrastructure project “Second International Airport Project” which government wants to implement despite of protests by conservationists, and environmental and social activists. There are technocratic problems in EIA Report such as informational weaknesses, insufficient analysis of impacts, and inadequately proposed mitigations measures. It indicates political influence on EIA. This paper suggests making policy decision on size and nature of an international airport and its facilities, alternative locations avoiding ecologically sensitive area, and source of funding. It proposes to conduct a comprehensive Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) complying with national and international environmental and social safeguards, before making any decision to fell trees.