Environmental impacts assessment vital for sustainable development |30 May 2011

All these impacts are then weighed out and help decision makers to settle on whether to pursue or forfeit the proposed development.
EIAs are carried out worldwide and Seychelles is no exception.

Although the principles of an EIA remain more or less constant across international boundaries, the duration and sequence of the procedure often varies. Today we take a look at the EIA process in Seychelles.

EIA in Seychelles

The Environmental Impacts Assessment Regulations 1996 (EIA Regulations 1996) governs the procedures for Environmental Impact Assessment in the Seychelles prior to the start of any project or activity as prescribed in the Schedules of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 1996.  This process is carried out under the Authority of the Environment Department in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Environment, Transport and Energy.

When is an EIA required?

An EIA is not a pre-requisite for all development undertaken in the Seychelles. For smaller scale developments (termed CLASS II) such as houses, shops, cottage industry an EIA is not asked of the proponent. However for the large scale developments (e.g. resorts, wind farm project) and also for projects whose proposed locations occur within ecologically sensitive areas (termed CLASS I developments), the Environment Department requests in all cases that an EIA is completed before approval can be given for that particular project.

The Process

To launch the EIA process the proponent (owner of the project) presents the project concept to the Authority in a pre-scoping meeting. For all EIA Class 1 an environment consultant needs to be contracted by the proponent. This consultant liaises closely with the Authority and is responsible for submission of both Scoping and EIA reports. The main parts of the process are: 
 

(i)The scoping phase/ consultative whereby all the stakeholders that could possibly be
(ii)The release of the Terms of Reference (ToR) by the Authority.
 (iii)Submission of the EIA Report.
(iv)Public Inspection (Review)
(v)Authority Review

The accompanying figure shows all the steps undertaken in the EIA process including all of the possible outcomes. Following the EIA and commencement of the project the Authority keeps on following the development ensuring that it is in line with the conditions that were set out in the conditional approval. 

Advice

Although the EIA process can appear to be a complicated and often long process it encourages sustainable development for our country and should be taken seriously.

The staff of the Environment Assessment and Permits Section of the Environment Department is available to advise and provide assistance to people seeking more information on the process.

We can be contacted on Tel: 4670500 or alternatively be visited at the Botanical Gardens, Mont Fleuri.

Contributed by the Environment Department