Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is an important tool for public and private development and planning decisions toward creating a sustainable society. In this course, students learn EIA theories, methods and regulations with several case studies. Scientific aspects such as predictions and evaluation methods as well as democratic aspects relating to public participation will be explained. Students will also explore EIA practices both of foreign countries and international cooperation.
(1) To be able to explain what is EIA.
(2) To understand theories, methods and systems of EIA.
(3) To explain methodologies of impact prediction, evaluation and their challenges.
Environmental Impact Assessment, Public Participation
✔ Specialist skills | Intercultural skills | Communication skills | Critical thinking skills | Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
Mainly lectures are conducted, discussions or short reports are assigned.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | Introduction to the course, What is EIA? | To understand the basic concept of EIA |
Class 2 | Screening | To understand screening method worldwide |
Class 3 | Scoping and Public Participation | To understand the matrix method in the scoping stage and public participation methodologies |
Class 4 | SEA | To understand the concept of SEA and its practices |
Class 5 | Prediction of Environmental Impacts 1 | To understand prediction and evaluation methods relating to physical environmental items |
Class 6 | Prediction of Environmental Impacts 2 | To understand prediction and evaluation methods relating to impacts to the eco-system and social aspects |
Class 7 | EIA systems in Foreign Countries | To understand EIA systems in foreign countries such as US NEPA |
Class 8 | Environmental and Social Consideration in International Cooperation | To understand EIA practices in international cooperation |
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Materials are distributed in each class
Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment, 4th Edition, John Glasson et al. (in English)
Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment, Japan Society of Impact Assessment (in Japanese)
Environmental Impact Assessment 2nd Edition, Sachihiko Harashina (in Japanese)
Assignments in each class 75%, report 25 %
There is no prerequisite for this course.