Environmental Impact Assessment Process Research Articles

Revisiting procedural requirements for the assessment of environmental impacts arising from the different stages of deep seabed mining: Current practices at the International Seabed Authority and recommendations for improvement

More than five decades ago, Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) emerged in domestic legislation as a tool to respond to increased human pressures on the natural realm. Although the theory and practice of conducting EIAs have evolved over the years, several shortcomings for an effective implementation remain, hampering it from consolidating as a tool to promote Ecosystem-based Management (EBM). The challenges undermining an effective implementation of EIAs are magnified when considered under the scope of offshore extractive activities taking place in areas beyond national jurisdiction, such as deep seabed mining (DSM) on the international seabed (or ‘the Area’), which is governed by an international organization known as the International Seabed Authority (ISA). DSM activities are anticipated to cause extensive environmental harm, which may compromise the still poorly understood processes, functions, and services in the deep ocean. Since its inception, the ISA has taken measures to address the assessment of environmental impacts arising from DSM activities at the various stages of the mining process, which range from prospecting, exploration, and future exploitation. Nevertheless, a detailed description of the procedures to assess impacts at different stages of mining is absent in the literature, remaining a puzzled topic. This paper seeks to clarify the ISA's procedural framework for the assessment of environmental impacts arising from the different mining stages and reveals that its current practices do not represent a comprehensive, transparent, or participative EIA process that conforms with EBM. Consequently, the ISA's existing approach to the EIA process and its potential to support informed decision-making is doubtful. Based on the identified shortcomings, this paper provides some recommendations for improvement of EIA practices at the ISA.

Investment Licensing and Environmental Sustainability in the Perspective of Law Number 11 The Year 2020 Concerning Job Creation

This article examines the impact of regulatory changes on investment activities and environmental sustainability in Indonesia, particularly based on the Law No. 11 of 2020 concerning Job Creation, which utilizes the omnibus law method. This law represents a significant overhaul of the investment licensing framework and introduces substantial amendments to environmental regulations, notably revising, omitting, and repealing several provisions of Law No. 32 of 2009 concerning Environmental Protection and Management (PPLH). The primary objectives of this research are to analyze the new investment licensing arrangements under Law No. 11 of 2020 and to assess the implications for environmental sustainability following its enactment. Employing a normative legal research methodology, this research utilizes legal, historical, and conceptual approaches to address its aims. Findings suggest that the regulatory reforms introduced by Law No. 11 of 2020 could substantially influence investment patterns within the country. Investors generally seek regulations that are clear, consistent, and non-conflicting; however, the reduction in community involvement in the Environmental Impact Assessment (AMDAL) process, as stipulated by the amendment to Article 26 of Law No. 32 of 2009 by the Job Creation Act, raises concerns about the effectiveness of environmental governance. Despite these changes, the sustainability assessment criteria in Law No. 11 of 2020 and its derivatives ostensibly remain aligned with existing environmental prevention instruments, covering planning, utilization, control, maintenance, supervision, and law enforcement. Nevertheless, the diminished role of directly affected communities in the AMDAL process is a significant alteration that could affect the quality and acceptability of environmental assessments and subsequent activities.

Effect of a new offshore gas platform on harbor porpoises in the Dogger Bank

AbstractOffshore Oil and Gas (O&G) exploration and production has been cycling from cradle to grave for over 100 years, spanning many generations of marine fauna. Despite global occurrence of offshore infrastructure, implications of their presence for apex predators, including cetaceans, is understudied. We analyzed data from autonomous underwater passive‐echolocation‐click detectors (C‐PODs) deployed at an offshore O&G production platform and at control locations to investigate acoustic activity of harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from 2015 to 2020, before, during, and after platform construction. Despite a statistically significant decrease in porpoise detections following platform construction and initial drilling operations (2015–2016), detections returned to baseline levels within five months. We detected no long‐term effects of platform presence on porpoise‐detection rates. While additional study is required to further understand activity of porpoise at O&G platforms during continued operation through to decommissioning, our findings, nonetheless, have important implications for Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), which do not currently consider effects of platform presence on marine mammals in any context other than short‐term noise mitigation. While we know porpoise forage at ageing platforms, this is the first study to demonstrate porpoise also utilize space around new platforms, which must be accommodated in long‐term EIA processes.

The state of public participation in the EIA process and its role in South Africa: a case of Xolobeni

ABSTRACT Public participation is an integral part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, as it provides opportunities for interested and affected parties (I&APs) to participate in the decision making process. This process is part of the legislative regime in South Africa and recognized as the main instrument to ensure that the proposed development is sustainable from a triple-helix perspective (i.e., ecological, socially, and economically sustainable). Therefore, the paper describes a case of public engagement in Xolobeni, located in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, as well as the environmental politics that evolved from arguments that favoured development over environmental conservation. The proposed mining project was known as the Xolobeni mining development project. The Department of Minerals and Petroleum Resources announced in 2005 that an Australian company, Transworld Energy and Minerals (TEM), would establish a mining development project in Xolobeni to mine red sand dunes contained within five blocks, each named after the river that runs through it on its southern border. The Department of Minerals and Energy is the exclusive custodian of mining licences and thus the only Department that issues them, according to the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act (Act 28 of 2002). When seeking mining rights, it also requires corporations to consult with local populations. The Amadiba Crisis Committee filed a mining licence appeal based on a lack of consultation. One of the complications was also brought about by the divided community. TEM’s solicitors sent a redacted copy of the mining right application to the community on 3 February 2016. The community was informed that drilling would begin on February 22nd, and that force would be employed if access was not granted. Following the receipt of the mining rights copy, an objection was lodged under section 10 of the MPRDA. The people resisted because they did not want their land, to be taken away. The community also opposed the proposed mining because they were concerned about the negative social, economic, and environmental effects. The land in Xolobeni was also used by the community for agriculture, or tourism and they did not want to lose that. The community also resists the migration of foreigners who wish to dwell in their village, fearing that they will overrun their way of life and impose a social lifestyle commonly connected with mining activity. The preceding study highlights the potential for conflict when communities reject the establishment of mining enterprises. As a result, the goal of this study is to see if incorporating community agreement into South Africa’s legal requirements for granting a mining licence could help to reduce community unrest. The High Court ruled in favour of Xolobeni residents in this mining rights case

Controlling the narrative: Critiquing the geopolitical narratives of US environmental impact assessments and exclusion of Indigenous communities

Environmental policy, while often well-intentioned, can fall short when environmental issues intersect with Indigenous community concerns. The intention of the United States National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is for federal agencies to consider the adverse environmental impacts prior to action. While NEPA has resulted in some agencies making more environmentally conscious decisions, agency self-interest is sometimes prioritized over socio-ecological well-being. Rather than using environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for their potential to inform just and sustainable environmental decisions, in practice federal, state, and private agencies have the power as assessment document authors to create geopolitical narratives. These narratives can be utilized to legitimize the outcomes that best serve their interests rather than the well-being of the surrounding physical and social environment. This article further explores the details of these narratives through two case studies in which Indigenous communities argued that the EIA documents did not adequately consider their worldviews or holistic adverse impacts. Through the utilization of a case study structure, a qualitative content analysis of EIA documents, and an environmental geopolitics framework informed by Indigenous scholarship, this article illustrates how the EIA process, in its current form, allows for agencies to justify or obscure geopolitically motivated actions, often at the expense of Indigenous communities. This work aims to critically enrich EIA scholarship by exploring the phenomenon of inadequate consideration of Indigenous worldviews through an Indigenous environmental geopolitics framework, building on conceptual understandings of the shortcomings of the EIA process and encouraging changes that make strides toward more equitable environmental assessment practice.

Legislative amendments and the environmental impact assessment process in Istanbul

ABSTRACT An environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a tool that has been used for more than 50 years to assess situations that may have future negative effects on the environment. This study has attempted to address the status of the EIA in Istanbul, a city founded 2500 years ago and, therefore, one of the oldest cities in the world. The study first defines the EIA and then discusses legislative amendments to the Turkish EIA Regulation, which are the most important source of problems in the application of EIAs in Turkey. Twenty amendments have been passed since the first EIA Regulation was entered into force, and these amendments have had significant effects on the application of EIAs. It has been determined that some of these amendments have expanded the scope of EIAs but others have narrowed the scope. In the last part of the study, the effects of these legislative amendments in the case of Istanbul are revealed. Graphics show that when an amendment in passed that narrows the scope of an EIA, the number of projects excluded from review by that EIA increases, and they are projects that could have a negative impact on the environment.

The consideration of waste management in environmental impact assessment (EIA) for developments in protected areas

ABSTRACT Waste management is an important consideration for developments within protected areas (PAs). With the growing demand for mainly tourism-related infrastructure in PAs, more urgent and innovate ways of dealing with waste management are required. Internationally environmental impact assessment (EIA) is considered a key policy instrument to inform waste management-related decision-making for new developments. The EIA process makes provision for the identification of waste-related impacts and mitigation measures during the construction-, operation- and decommissioning phases of a development. However, there has been scant reflection on the role of EIA in dealing with waste management decision-making in PAs. Therefore, this research aims to review the extent to which waste management measures are considered in EIAs for developments in PAs. The results show that waste management measures are, for the most part, poorly considered. For example, EIAs failed to provide estimates of expected waste types and quantities and mostly failed to consider the waste management hierarchy. Recommendations are made towards improving the consideration of waste management measures in EIAs for developments within PAs. These include the drafting of guidelines for waste management in protected areas; training relevant roleplayers on waste management measures; and promoting specialist input on waste-related matters for EIAs in PAs.

Considering Fish as Recipients of Ecosystem Services Provides a Framework to Formally Link Baseline, Development, and Post-operational Monitoring Programs and Improve Aquatic Impact Assessments for Large Scale Developments

In most countries, major development projects must satisfy an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process that considers positive and negative aspects to determine if it meets environmental standards and appropriately mitigates or offsets negative impacts on the values being considered. The benefits of before-after-control-impact monitoring designs have been widely known for more than 30 years, but most development assessments fail to effectively link pre- and post-development monitoring in a meaningful way. Fish are a common component of EIA evaluation for both socioeconomic and scientific reasons. The Ecosystem Services (ES) concept was developed to describe the ecosystem attributes that benefit humans, and it offers the opportunity to develop a framework for EIA that is centred around the needs of and benefits from fish. Focusing an environmental monitoring framework on the critical needs of fish could serve to better align risk, development, and monitoring assessment processes. We define the ES that fish provide in the context of two common ES frameworks. To allow for linkages between environmental assessment and the ES concept, we describe critical ecosystem functions from a fish perspective to highlight potential monitoring targets that relate to fish abundance, diversity, health, and habitat. Finally, we suggest how this framing of a monitoring process can be used to better align aquatic monitoring programs across pre-development, development, and post-operational monitoring programs.

Are Environmental Impact Assessments effectively addressing the biodiversity issues in Brazil?

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is the main legal instrument for controlling the impacts of human development projects in many countries, including Brazil. However, the way biodiversity is addressed as part of the EIA process has been discussed around the world, with concerns raised about poor-quality studies and a failure to achieve evidence-based decisions. To explore these concerns, we evaluated: 1) the quality of baseline biodiversity studies used to inform EIAs; 2) the predictions made about the impacts of the development on biodiversity and their relationship to baseline studies; and 3) the relevance of the quality of these baseline studies and the predicted impacts on the decisions made by the relevant licensing agency. To do this, we collected and analyzed EIAs associated with 78 development proposals from the State of Minas Gerais in southeastern Brazil, using medium and large-sized terrestrial mammals as indicators. We found baseline studies were basic and lacking scientific rigor, with no guiding questions or hypotheses, few ecological analyses, and that they omitted essential information about study design. The poor quality of biodiversity information in most baseline studies led to significant deficiencies in impact reports, with inadequate descriptions of the likely impacts of developments on biodiversity. Finally, we found that the shortcomings in both baseline studies and impact assessment reports had no relationship to decision-making, with poor quality EIAs still obtaining environmental licenses, which is alarming. Only in two decisions were cited some shortcoming of baseline studies as a reason for conditional approval. We conclude by providing a range of recommendations to help promote evidence-based decision-making in EIAs and improve the quality and transparency of the biodiversity data produced throughout Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and EIA.

Communication problems and alternatives in the process of collecting resident opinions for environmental impact assessment through text mining: A case study of the Dangjin landfill in Korea

Do even projects that have already collected residents' opinions as a part of their environmental impact assessment (EIA) processes face opposition from residents later? Previous studies have noted that the public participation process of EIA is regarded as a mere formality, and that its effectiveness in reflecting residents' opinions remains unclear. Nevertheless, research on the public participation process is lacking. It should be supplemented with sufficient communication and address the potential of achieving this through policy application. This study aimed to identify the problems with, and alternatives to, the current process of collecting resident opinions during EIA by analyzing the case of the Dangjin landfill project in Korea, which was opposed by residents despite their having participated in the assessment. According to the analysis results, the contents of the conversations were divided into two categories: establishment of reduction measures and environmental impact surveys. Most resident opinions were related to the establishment of reduction measures (71.70%), followed by those related to the local (65.20%), metropolitan (63.32%), and central governments (62.96%). However, the change between the preliminary small-scale review (52.29%) and third-round decision review (58.06%) was not significant. In terms of high-frequency words, the first preliminary review and third-round decision by the Ministry of Environment were similar, but both greatly differed from the second-round resident opinions. These results indicate that although residents had many questions regarding measures for reducing environmental pollution, the preliminary small-scale review and third-round decision phases only involved discussions on conducting environmental impact surveys. The contents of the conversations pertained to the residents requesting long-term, wide-ranging, and realistic health-related alternatives; however, the responses were highly technical, and the discussions only concerned performing procedural environmental impact surveys. Additionally, the use of different content and language perspectives hindered communication. It was also difficult to confirm whether the residents' opinions were reflected. These results suggest the need for the use of more relatable and comprehensible language by experts during the public participation process, and that a mutually understandable language perspective through multilateral participation should be the foundation for policy application.

Same Space, Different Standards: A Review of Cumulative Effects Assessment Practice for Marine Mammals

Marine mammals are vulnerable to a variety of acute and chronic anthropogenic stressors, potentially experiencing these in isolation, successively and/or simultaneously. Formal assessment of the likely impact(s) of the cumulative effects of multiple stressors on a defined population is carried out through a Cumulative Effects Assessment (CEA), which is a mandatory component of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process in many countries. However, for marine mammals, the information required to feed into CEA, such as thresholds for disturbance, frequency of multiple (and simultaneous) exposures, interactions between stressors, and individual variation in response, is extremely limited, though our understanding is slowly improving. The gaps in knowledge make it challenging to effectively quantify and subsequently assess the risk of individual and population consequences of multiple disturbances in the form of a CEA. To assess the current state of practice for assessing cumulative effects on marine mammals within UK waters, 93 CEAs were reviewed across eleven maritime industries. An objective framework of thirteen evaluative criteria was used to score each assessment on a scale of 13-52 (weak - strong). Scores varied significantly by industry. On average, the aquaculture industry produced the lowest scoring CEAs, whilst the large offshore windfarm industry (≥ 20 turbines) scored highest, according to the scoring criteria used. There was a significant increase in scores over the sample period (2009-2019), though this was mostly attributed to five industries (cable, large and small offshore wind farms, tidal and wave energy). There was inconsistency in the language used to define and describe cumulative effects and a lack of routinely applied methodology. We use the findings presented here, along with a wider review of the literature, to provide recommendations and discussion points aimed at supporting the standardisation and improvement of CEA practice. Although this research focused on how marine mammals were considered within UK CEAs, recommendations made are broadly applicable to assessments conducted for other receptors, countries and/or environments. Adoption of these proposals would help to ensure a more consistent approach, and would aid decision-makers and practitioners in mitigating any potential impacts, to ensure conservation objectives of marine mammal populations are not compromised.

A critique of the EIA Report selected from the East African region, taking into consideration what is required in an ideal of EIA Report

At present, every country strives to realize development for its people. Therefore, to achieve this requires the construction of various projects for the realization of a country's socio-economic and political development. However, the development of the projects is associated with various ecological challenges that can have an impact on society as a whole and the environment. Therefore, there is a need to conduct an environmental impact assessment (EIA), a tool that can be used to determine the environmental, social and economic impacts of a project before making a decision. The EIA process is linked to the detailed report containing all possible environmental, social and health impacts after, during and after the project. Therefore, this paper aims to deliver the critique of one of the EIA reports in the East African region. To achieve this, EIA legislation and guidelines for preparing and verifying EIA reports in the East African region will be examined. The critique contains the issues that include the advisory team (environmental and social impact assessment team), an executive or non-technical summary, a description of the proposed project, a description of the development, the local environment and initial conditions, the political, legal and administrative framework, and public participation/stakeholder analysis in the EIA process.

Knowledge hierarchy and mechanisms of power in environmental impact assessment: Insights from the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project

AbstractDiscussions surrounding the improvement of decision‐making processes like environmental impact assessment (EIA) often emphasize pluralism in the knowledge generation process, in an effort to increase effectiveness. However, empirical research indicates that such attempts to integrate multiple ways of knowing often fall short and significant knowledge conflicts remain. Scholars suggest this may be due to inadequate attention to power in the regulatory arena. The purpose of this study is to examine how power and knowledge influence the process and outcome of EIA in a participatory context. We develop a case study analysis of the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project, located in Labrador, Canada. We use situational analysis to analyze documents produced over the course of the EIA and semi‐structured interviews. We find evidence of pluralism in knowledge production in the EIA process, but a distinct knowledge hierarchy in EIA outcome. We argue that this knowledge hierarchy is achieved through depoliticization of the EIA process. In particular, we identify the concept of “project inertia” as a distinct mechanism of depoliticization present in EIA and make policy prescriptions to improve the Canadian EIA process. This research contributes to broader theoretical discussions about pluralism in decision‐making processes.

Compliance With Legal and Other Requirements Related to the Environmental Licensing Processes in Companies Located in Rio De Janeiro - Brazil

Purpose: This work aims to analyse the compliance with legal and other requirements related to the environmental licensing processes in some Brazilian companies. The work also aims to assess the degree to which these companies define and execute action plans to address unmet requirements as well as their risk management. Theoretical framework: The article presents an overview of the legal questions related to the theme. In addition, a literature review was conducted on works related to the Environmental Impact Assessment Process and environmental risk management in organizations in Brazil and worldwide. Method/design/approach: Based on a qualitative-quantitative and descriptive approach, six medium and large-sized companies located in the state of Rio de Janeiro were analysed. The companies operate in the chemical, pharmaceutical, hospitality, engineering, and metallurgical segments. The following data was collected: number of legal and other applicable requirements, which were assessed, met and unmet; number of risks identified; number of action plans drawn up to mitigate risks; number of action plans overdue, completed and on time. Results and conclusion: Results indicate significant amounts of non-assessed and unmet requirements, weak identification of risks by companies and a considerable number of overdue action plans. It can be concluded that environmental control bodies did not demonstrate effectiveness in the execution of their attributions. Furthermore, the main stakeholders involved in the licensing process have not played their roles and fulfilled their responsibilities adequately. Research implications: It is believed that this work presents relevant information about the behaviour of Brazilian companies regarding their environmental licensing processes, compliance obligations and risk management. Thus, it can contribute to the reflection and proposition of initiatives that bring positive results for organizations and, especially, for the environment and society. Originality/value: Similar studies generally focus on specific companies in specific industries. The main differential of this study is its broad analysis, carried out in different segments of activity and involving companies of different sizes and levels of environmental risk.

Environmental Impact Assessment, Human Health and the Sustainable Development Goals

Objectives: Developmental processes influence the determinants of health and, consequently, human health. Yet, assessing human health impacts in impact assessment, with exception of health impact assessment, is still rather vague. Inclusion of Sustainable Development Goal indicators in environmental impact assessment (EIA) is an opportunity to enhance addressing human health in EIA practices. Methods: We reviewed a list of health-related targets and indicators for SDGs as defined by the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) in Seattle, WA, United States with the aim of identifying those to be suggested as outcome indicators within EIA. Results: Among 42 health-related indicators, we identified 17 indicators which could be relevant for impact assessment procedures and categorized them into three groups: 1) direct health indicators (e.g., under five mortality). 2) complex indicators (e.g., cancer). 3) environmental determinant indicators (e.g., mean PM2.5). Conclusion: All 17 indicators can be employed to improve quantification assessing human health impacts and bring SDGs into EIA processes. Though our assessment has been conducted for Denmark and the set of suggested indicators could be different for contexts in other countries, the process of their identification can be generalized.

La urgente articulación entre la certificación y la fiscalización ambiental, a propósito del requerimiento de modificación del estudio de impacto ambiental del proyecto minero las Bambas

 The environmental management of investment projects in Peru has a great challenge: to guarantee their environmental viability through the search for a balance between the environmental impacts generated and the management measures implemented to prevent, correct, mitigate and even compensate them; all with the purpose of complying with the central objective of our environmental legal system, sustainable development. However, what happens when this task is found to be incomplete? When, for reasons unrelated and/or linked to the environmental impact assessment process, it is verified, during the exercise of the environmental supervision function, that the environmental management instruments do not identify all the impacts that in practice are being generated when they enter into execution. Our environmental legal system has regulated this assumption, establishing the possibility that the environmental supervision authority may require the updating or modification of the environmental study, in order to incorporate the unforeseen negative environmental impacts. This article analyzes this scenario and the challenges that an administrative measure of this nature represents in the framework of the necessary articulation between the National System of Environmental Impact Assessment and the National System of Evaluation and Control, two key pillars for the adequate environmental management of investment projects.

Conservation after the Fact: The Implications of Post-Approval Condition-Setting Trends in Environmental Impact Assessment Processes

Conservation after the Fact: The Implications of Post-Approval Condition-Setting Trends in Environmental Impact Assessment Processes

BBNJ Agreement: Mapping the Roles of the Relevant Actors and Their Issues in the Environmental Impact Assessment Process

BBNJ Agreement: Mapping the Roles of the Relevant Actors and Their Issues in the Environmental Impact Assessment Process

Strategic Impact Assessment: A Potential Tool Contributing to Sustainable Development in the Sudan

This paper aims to appraise the process and performance of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in the Sudan and explores the prospects of adopting Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). The occurrence of two political events in the Sudan in the last decade (2011-2021)—the secession of Southern Sudan in 2011 and the cessation in 2019 of the previous political regime which has reined for thirty years—was portrayed from an environmental perspective. The implications of the secession of Southern Sudan on the country’s natural resources are underscored while the second event implies a new governance system with major legislative and institutional alterations. Within this context, the paper argues that the Sudan needs to improve its classical project-restricted EIA system as well as upgrade the environmental assessment to the higher tier of policies and plans i.e. to SEA. Justifications for the application of (SEA) in the Sudan are highlighted considering the overarching impinging impact of climate change on the country’s degraded and over exploited resources. Steps and prerequisites towards the application of SEA are expressed. The institutional and legislative reforms as well as human resources capacity building are underlined. Towards applying SEA, the Sudan is urged to take on board the experience of other countries—especially within Africa—in the realm of SEA.

Encouraging proactive governance of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction through Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)

The international legal agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (the BBNJ Agreement) currently being developed by the United Nations will be the foundation for conservation and sustainable use of these marine areas for the foreseeable future. As presently formulated the draft text seems more oriented to a reactive approach, based on the use of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to respond to proposals rather than proactively pursuing what needs to be done to ensure sustainability of ocean ecosystems in ABNJ. In this paper we argue that a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) process could transform the way that the BBNJ agreement approaches conservation and sustainable use. By conceptualising SEA as a process designed to facilitate strategic thinking it can facilitate a proactive approach to ecosystem function conservation and enable transitions toward sustainability. We outline and describe a SEA process that could be incorporated into the BBNJ Agreement. This process would be consistent with the currently proposed structure of the Agreement and the EIA process that is currently envisaged. The proposed process comprises two interacting tracks of SEA and Marine Protected Area/Area-based Management Tool (MPA/ABMT) development. The process would also facilitate engagement of the full range of regional and global stakeholders required for effective governance of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ).