Reforming EIA in Nigeria through Next Generation Environmental Assessment
Date
2022-04-01
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Abstract
In 1992, Nigeria put in place a federal environmental impact assessment (EIA) regime, the Environmental Impact Assessment Act, 1992 (EIAA), which conceptualised and formalised the EIA process as an environmental planning and management tool for Nigeria. The EIA processes have evolved significantly since the EIAA was passed about thirty years ago. Contemporary thinking around the world is focussed on the concept of next generation environmental assessment (NGEA). However, the EIAA remains unchanged to date. A primary objective of this thesis is to analyse the provisions of the EIAA in the light of the NGEA concept. To do so, this thesis examines how far the former satisfies or differs from the normative ideals of the latter. Analysis in this thesis uses Canada’s new Impact Assessment Act, 2019 (IAA) as a contemporary example of NGEA norm-based legislation. Thirteen defining components of NGEA are identified from the literature and analysed generally. These include, purpose and overall role of the assessment process, application rules, assessment streams, scope of assessment considerations, impacts analysis, the nature and significance of knowledge in the assessment, meaningful public participation, clear roles and responsibilities, co-operative jurisdictional assessment, consideration of alternatives and trade-offs as core decision criteria, decision making and review system, compliance and enforcement and monitoring and continuous learning. Drawing on the IAA, the focus of the analysis is on the decision making, sustainability, climate change, public participation, and enforcement and monitoring features of NGEA. This research took stock of Nigeria’s current environmental impact assessment process under the EIAA and found that EIAA significantly falls short of the NGEA standards, and that although the IAA equally has not measured up to the NGEA standards, it is a good beginning and has a lot to offer Nigeria as a reference point for future environmental regulation and management reforms.
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Next Generation Environmental Impact Assessment, Fourth Generation Environmental Impact Assessment, Canadian Environmental Impact Assessment Law and Regulations, Nigerian Environmental Impact Assessment Law and Regulations, Oil and Gas Pollution, Environmental Pollution, Public Participation, Climate Change, EIA, Impact Assessment
Citation
Ugwuokpe, K. (2022). Reforming EIA in Nigeria through Next Generation Environmental Assessment (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.