EDU 20  ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSEMENT

I.          COURSE DESCRIPTION

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a planning tool to incorporate environmental issues and concerns into the decision making process. As such the EIA is preferably done at the earliest stage of the conceptualization of the action[1] since at this stage there is maximum flexibility to integrate the environmental concerns. The EIA legislation has been in place in the Philippines for more than 30 years now and to date the EIA process is still misunderstood even by administrators, action proponents and even preparers. As a result, the rules and regulations for the EIA legislation is frequently changed negating the very purpose of the EIA as a planning tool.

This course is designed for students with limited knowledge of the EIA concepts, principles, process and application. The course will focuses on the challenges faced by administrators, action proponents such as companies, policy makers and planners, and the media and public in understanding the purpose and function of the EIA system. After taking the course, students will have the understanding of the uses and function of the EIA, knowledge to prepare and review an EIA report and advocate for changes in the current practices. To accomplish this, the course is organized into five parts: (1) introduction to the planning process and the project cycle and the integration of the EIA process[2]; (2) review of relevant foreign laws and international agreements affecting the EIA process in the Philippines (3) review of the Philippine EIA legislation (4) application of the EIA legislation[3] (5) preparing an EIA (6) review an EIA and (7) strategic environmental assessment for policies, (master) plans, and programs.

The course will be taught through the electronic media from mid November, 2011 to end of January 2012 and after this there will be three hour meetings every Saturday afternoon. However, the electronic discussions and notes will continue for the benefits of the participants who could not attend the Saturday lectures.

II.                COURSE OBJECTIVES

This course has the following objectives:

1. to examine importance of planning for successful actions;
2. to examine the project cycle, the role of planning at each stage of the project cycle
3. to examine the need to integrate environmental concerns in planning
4. to understand how the environmental impact assessment evolved and its role in planning ;
5. to examine how EIA is enforced as part of the decision making process through various legislation and
6. to understand how an organization accommodate various stakeholder demands for environmental improvement while maintaining their competitiveness.

At the end of the course, the student is expected to be able:

1. to formulate the various EIA processes into the planning activities i.e. preparation of TOR
2. to prepare the outline of an EIA study;
3. to prepare the agenda for scoping, public consultation;
4. to  prepare an EIA report; and  
5. to review an EIA report.

III.             COURSE METHODOLOGY

The course will use various approaches to achieve the course objectives. It will utilize lecture discussion, case discussion, role play, if possible, and service learning. While everyone is already familiar with lecture discussion, case discussion will have a different set-up from lecture. Cases typically describe an environmental issue facing a country or an organization. During case discussion, students will have greater participation in analyzing the environmental issue, identify and assess decision options. Instead of the one-way information flow from the instructor to students during lecture, case discussion will have multidirectional flow of information¾ between facilitator and students and among students. My role then becomes that of facilitator, making sure that participative discussion achieves significant learning points. Your ability to articulate your ideas and positions with respect to the topics or issues being discussed will determine how much you learn from the course. Therefore, the quality of your participation will become a significant portion of your final grade.

In a simulation, students will have a chance to role play the various players involved in an environmental issue and to articulate their corresponding views relating to the environmental issue. Participating in role-plays will allow students to get a feel of the various perspectives ensuing from a particular environmental issue. Instead of analyzing the issues from an outsider position, students in a role-play will be able to view the issues from an insider's viewpoint,

Service learning tries to link academic study and community service.  The service allows the study to be applicable and relevant, while the study informs the service through the knowledge, analysis and reflection undertaken while taking the course.  In this subject, the community may mean the SMEs, a non-government organization, or a local government unit.  Service learning has two objectives: student learning and service to the community.  You will be assessed based on what you learn from doing the service and the usefulness of your work to the people and organization you served. 

IV.             COURSE OUTLINE