♻️ Chapter 07 · Topic 06 · Sustainable Development
EIA & Complete Revision
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) — process, EIA Notification 2006, Category A & B projects, public hearing, strategic EIA — plus complete Chapter 07 revision checklist.
🔍 What is EIA?
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process of evaluating the likely environmental impacts of a proposed project or development, taking into account inter-related socio-economic, cultural, and human-health impacts, both beneficial and adverse.
- EIA is a preventive tool — identifies environmental problems before a project is approved
- Mandated under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 in India
- First EIA Notification: 1994; replaced by EIA Notification 2006
- Administered by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
- EIA is required for projects that may have significant environmental impacts
📋 EIA Process — Steps
- Screening — determine if a project requires EIA; categorise as A or B
- Scoping — identify key issues and impacts to be studied; prepare Terms of Reference (ToR)
- Baseline data collection — collect data on existing environmental conditions (air, water, soil, biodiversity, socio-economic)
- Impact prediction — predict likely impacts of the project on the environment
- Impact evaluation — assess significance of predicted impacts
- Environmental Management Plan (EMP) — measures to mitigate negative impacts and enhance positive ones
- EIA Report (EIA/EMP Report) — comprehensive document submitted for appraisal
- Public hearing — mandatory for Category A and most Category B projects; local communities can raise concerns
- Appraisal — Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) reviews the EIA report
- Decision — MoEFCC (for Category A) or SEIAA (for Category B) grants or rejects Environmental Clearance (EC)
- Post-clearance monitoring — compliance monitoring after project approval
📂 Category A and Category B Projects
| Feature | Category A | Category B |
|---|---|---|
| Scale | Large-scale; significant national/international impact | Smaller scale; local/regional impact |
| Appraisal authority | MoEFCC (Central Government) | SEIAA (State Environment Impact Assessment Authority) |
| Appraisal committee | Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) at central level | SEAC (State Expert Appraisal Committee) |
| Examples | Nuclear power plants, major ports, large thermal power plants, large mining projects, large highways | Small/medium industries, small mining, small thermal plants, small irrigation projects |
| Category B1 | — | Requires EIA study and public hearing |
| Category B2 | — | No EIA study required; only Form 1 and site visit |
📌 Public Hearing: A mandatory step in the EIA process for Category A and Category B1 projects. Conducted by the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) at the project site. Local communities, NGOs, and affected persons can raise concerns and objections. The public hearing report is submitted along with the EIA report to the appraisal authority. Public hearing ensures democratic participation in environmental decision-making.
🌐 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
- SEA = application of EIA principles to policies, plans, and programmes (PPPs) — not just individual projects
- More comprehensive than project-level EIA — addresses cumulative impacts
- Example: SEA for a national energy policy would assess the cumulative environmental impact of all planned power plants, not just one
- India does not have a mandatory SEA framework yet — but it is recommended by experts
- SEA is mandatory in the EU under the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive (2001)
✅ Complete Revision Checklist — Chapter 07
✅ Brundtland definition = “meets needs of present without compromising future generations”
✅ Three pillars = Economic + Social + Environmental
✅ Precautionary principle = act despite scientific uncertainty (Rio Principle 15)
✅ Polluter pays principle = polluters bear cost of managing pollution
✅ Stockholm Conference (1972) = UNEP created = Nairobi = June 5 = World Environment Day
✅ Earth Summit (1992) = Rio = Rio Declaration + Agenda 21 + UNFCCC + CBD
✅ Rio+20 (2012) = “The Future We Want” = HLPF = SDG process launched
✅ 17 SDGs + 169 targets = 2030 Agenda = adopted September 2015
✅ SDG 13 = Climate Action; SDG 14 = Life Below Water; SDG 15 = Life on Land
✅ NITI Aayog = nodal agency for SDGs in India = SDG India Index
✅ Green economy = low-carbon + resource-efficient + socially inclusive
✅ Green GDP = GDP minus environmental degradation and resource depletion
✅ Ecosystem services = provisioning + regulating + cultural + supporting
✅ TEEB = Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity = UNEP
✅ Circular economy = keep resources in use; regenerate natural systems
✅ 3Rs = Reduce → Reuse → Recycle (in order of preference)
✅ EPR = Extended Producer Responsibility = producers responsible for end-of-life
✅ India’s single-use plastic ban = July 2022 = 19 categories
✅ Carbon credit = permit to emit 1 tonne CO₂e
✅ Cap-and-trade = emission cap + tradeable allowances
✅ CDM = developed country funds project in developing country = earns CERs
✅ Article 6 Paris Agreement = new carbon market framework = rules finalised COP26
✅ India’s CCTS = Carbon Credit Trading Scheme = Energy Conservation Act 2022
✅ PAT scheme = energy efficiency trading = ESCerts
✅ REDD+ = reduce deforestation = financial incentives for forest protection
✅ EIA = Environmental Impact Assessment = preventive tool = EPA 1986
✅ EIA Notification 2006 = current framework = Category A (central) + B (state)
✅ Public hearing = mandatory for Category A and B1 = conducted by SPCB
✅ SEA = Strategic Environmental Assessment = for policies, plans, programmes
✅ Three pillars = Economic + Social + Environmental
✅ Precautionary principle = act despite scientific uncertainty (Rio Principle 15)
✅ Polluter pays principle = polluters bear cost of managing pollution
✅ Stockholm Conference (1972) = UNEP created = Nairobi = June 5 = World Environment Day
✅ Earth Summit (1992) = Rio = Rio Declaration + Agenda 21 + UNFCCC + CBD
✅ Rio+20 (2012) = “The Future We Want” = HLPF = SDG process launched
✅ 17 SDGs + 169 targets = 2030 Agenda = adopted September 2015
✅ SDG 13 = Climate Action; SDG 14 = Life Below Water; SDG 15 = Life on Land
✅ NITI Aayog = nodal agency for SDGs in India = SDG India Index
✅ Green economy = low-carbon + resource-efficient + socially inclusive
✅ Green GDP = GDP minus environmental degradation and resource depletion
✅ Ecosystem services = provisioning + regulating + cultural + supporting
✅ TEEB = Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity = UNEP
✅ Circular economy = keep resources in use; regenerate natural systems
✅ 3Rs = Reduce → Reuse → Recycle (in order of preference)
✅ EPR = Extended Producer Responsibility = producers responsible for end-of-life
✅ India’s single-use plastic ban = July 2022 = 19 categories
✅ Carbon credit = permit to emit 1 tonne CO₂e
✅ Cap-and-trade = emission cap + tradeable allowances
✅ CDM = developed country funds project in developing country = earns CERs
✅ Article 6 Paris Agreement = new carbon market framework = rules finalised COP26
✅ India’s CCTS = Carbon Credit Trading Scheme = Energy Conservation Act 2022
✅ PAT scheme = energy efficiency trading = ESCerts
✅ REDD+ = reduce deforestation = financial incentives for forest protection
✅ EIA = Environmental Impact Assessment = preventive tool = EPA 1986
✅ EIA Notification 2006 = current framework = Category A (central) + B (state)
✅ Public hearing = mandatory for Category A and B1 = conducted by SPCB
✅ SEA = Strategic Environmental Assessment = for policies, plans, programmes