Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE GEO2010

 
TITLE Environmental Impact Assessment

 
UM LEVEL 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT Geography

 
DESCRIPTION Environmental Impact Assessment has developed into one of the most powerful tools in the repertoire of environmental management and constitutes a prime example of applied geography. This study-unit is aimed at introducing students to the field of Environmental Impact Assessment and demonstrates the conventional methodologies employed. By the end of this unit, students are expected to compare the basic methods employed in project-based EIA and critically analyze their application to specific case studies.

Study-unit Aims:

This study-unit is an introductory course in environmental impact assessment.
It is aimed at familiarizing students with the role of EIA as a front-line environmental management tool. This is achieved through discussions related to the scope, strengths and limitations of EIA.
The course describes the main methodologies adopted for project-based environmental assessment and evaluates each of these by illustrations with specific case studies.
A special emphasis is made on the role of public pa.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
1. Describe the development of EIA and assess its role as an environmental management tool.
2. Outline the EIA sequence of events within the planning process and focus on particular stages like scoping and screening.
3. Compare the different methodologies applied within EIA and assess the relative merits of each of these within specific case studies.
4. Discuss the role of public participation within EIA and explain its importance in developing effective environmental assessment reports.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
1. Contribute to the drafting of an environmental impact assessment.
2. Assess the relative merits of an environmental assessment
3. Participate effectively in the public participation phases of an EIA and contribute to its effectiveness on behalf of an NGO, or civil society.

Reading List:

Carroll, B. Turpin, T. and Nicholas Pearson Associates (2002) Environmental Impact Assessment Handbook: A Practical Guide for Planners, Developers and Communities Thomas Telford Ltd.
Glasson J., Therivel R., and Chadwick A., (2005) Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment (3rd ed) Routledge, London.
Hanna, Kevin S. (2005) Environmental Impact Assessment: Participation and Practice; OUP Canada.
Morris, P. Therivel, R. eds. (2009) Methods of Environmental Impact Assessment 3 edition Routledge.
Noble, B. (2009) Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment: A Guide to Principles and Practice (2nd ed.) OUP Canada.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Project SEM1 No 50%
Examination (1 Hour) SEM1 Yes 50%

 
LECTURER/S Andrea Pace

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit