The AMDAL (Environmental Impact Assessment) for the Executives

COURSE OVERVIEW

Renewable energy projects are increasingly required to meet strict environmental criteria, with failure to do sufficient preparation in this area leading to permitting failures or significant project delays – with major economic and financial impacts. Therefore, knowledge of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is important throughout any organization involved in renewable projects, be it through development, investment, legalities and contracts, or policy and planning.

This course will show how an EIA is not just an assessment of the positive or negative impacts that a proposed project may have on the environment, but a process that identifies these potential effects and seeks to avoid, reduce, or offset any adverse effects through mitigation measures where possible.

OBJECTIVE

This program provides a comprehensive guide to the terminology and methodology encountered in preparing Environmental Impact Assessment reports for renewable energy projects – and why it matters to your project and business.

TARGET PARTICIPANTS

This program is designed for lawyers, financial planners, and directors, risk analysts and insurers, environmental consultants, investment managers, and senior management from renewable energy project developers, construction and engineering companies, energy policymakers and planners, equipment manufacturers and service suppliers, and any others seeking to enter or benefit from the growing renewable energy market.

COURSE CONTENT

1. Concepts

• The purpose and aims of an EIA
• The scope of environmental issues
• The principles and elements of an EIA
• Why carry out an EIA?
• Impact analysis of an EIA
• Benefits of undertaking EIA – and the risks of not undertaking one, or failing to do so with sufficient care
• How long does an EIA take, and how much does it cost?
• Structure of an EIA report

2. EIA Policy and Legislation

• Overview of the types of legislation – a brief look at examples of EIA legislation globally
• Key developments in EIA international law
• EIA requirements of international organizations
• Steps in developing a sustainable EIA system

3. Screening

• Why is screening taking place and why it is important?
• Screening procedure – does a project require an EIA or not?
• Preliminary EIA – how to determine if preliminary EIAs are required
• Criteria for determining the need and level of an EIA
• Public involvement – level and type of involvement throughout the whole process

4. Impact Analysis

• Impact classification
• Impact study, prediction, and categorization
• Social impact assessment
• Evaluating impact significance
• Significance criteria

5. Visual impact, noise, and wildlife considerations

• Noise – potential effects, impact assessment, noise assessment
• Landscape and visual assessment
• Ecology – baseline habitat survey, mammal surveys, aquatic surveys, survey for offshore wind projects
• Others – soils, emissions, geology, archaeology, etc.

6. Mitigation and impact management

• Connecting the EIA process and mitigation measures
• Why mitigate – the importance of mitigation in development plans
• Main elements of mitigation – avoidance, minimization, and compensation
• Mitigation basics and approaches to mitigation
• Other solution approaches
• Integrating mitigation measures into an Environmental Management Plan (EMP)

7. EIA Reporting

• What is an EIA report?
• Typical EIA reports elements
• Understanding the shortcomings of an EIA report and how that can affect development
• Preparing and presenting your report, distributing the report, and differing mediums for presenting the report
• Quality control

8. Implementation of report

• Key objectives of EIA implementation
• Components and tools of EIA implementation
• The role and position of monitoring and management in EIA
• EIA audits – site audits, compliance audits, sector, and issue-specific audits
• Evaluation of EIA effectiveness