ID: 1685
Presenting Author: Theunis Meyer
Session: 523 - Public participation in IA follow-up for ongoing communication and providing sound information
Status: pending
Best strategies for community engagement and information sharing during IA follow-up should acknowledge the participation of multiple parties, as well as their individual roles and contexts.
As a key mechanism for decision-making towards sustainable development, the institutionalisation of EIA has brought changing perspectives on what constitutes good practice and effective performance (Sadler, 1998:30). Without systematic EIA follow-up, the EIA process is merely an administrative process that fails to produce real environmental benefits.
Baker emphasised that community participation is a critical element of the EIA process and should also be a key consideration in EIA follow-up, while Austin (2000) highlighted several benefits of involving local communities in EIA follow-up activities.
In this regard, Sadler (1998:30; 2004:252) identified a multi-perspective approach, incorporating the views of participants and recognising that these vary with role and context, as important principles for ex post evaluation of EIA effectiveness. Bond et al. (2022:106901) also recognised the importance of understanding context as an important determinant of EIA effectiveness.
The results of a study evaluating the effectiveness of environmental auditing provide insight into evolving strategies for engaging communities and communicating information in EIA follow-up. It also provides interesting contextual perspectives on public participation, highlighting the importance of a multi-perspective approach and recognising that participants’ views vary with their role and context.
Environmental management specialist with 25 years of experience in environmental assessment and auditing, lecturing at the North-West University, South-Africa.