Environmental Impact

Assessment of DISASTERS

Dr. Anil Kumar Gupta

Associate Professor
National Institute of Disaster
Management
New Delhi
 Hazard
or
Disaster???
Disaster –types : Re-classified…
• Environmental (natural or man-made)
– Geo-hydrological
– Biological
– Chemical
– Fires
– Epidemic….
• Technological & civil / sectorial
– Rail, Industrial (Electrical, Mechanical..), Nuclear,
Road…
• Security threats
– Terrorism, sabotage, bomb blast…
• War
• Festival related – Stempede etc.
 IMPACTS OF DISASTERS
Disaster Event

Physical Environmental

SOCIAL

Economic

• Physical (buildings, structures, physical property, industry, roads, bridges,

etc.)
• Environmental (water, land/soil, land-use, landscape, crops, lake/rivers /
estuaries, aquaculture, forests, animals/livestock, wildlife, atmosphere,
energy, etc.)
• Social (life, health, employment, relations, security, peace, etc.)
• Economic (assets, deposits, reserves, income, commerce, production,
guarantee/insurance, etc.)
 Likely effects on disaster impacts on
environmental components and assets
Impact Likely environmental effects (tentative list) of disaster event
component

Air Air pollution, toxic release, local-climatic change, global warming

contribution
Water Water pollution, water scarcity, chemical spillage, waste discharge, loss
of aquatic life, eutrophication
Land Soil erosion, soil contamination, acidity/alkalinity/sodicity, aridity,
wetland-loss, land-use conflict, debris/waste
Crops Crop damage, crop failure, pre-crop condition failures, quality loss
Wildlife Loss of habitat, animal death or illness, migration, food scarcity
Livestock Animal death, loss of fodder, illness, breeding troubles, migration
Forests Vegetation damage, structural/functional failures, produce/services
loss
Waste Carcasses, Debris, Damaged goods, e-waste, hazardous/infectious
waste
Aesthetic Loss of natural landscape, ecotourism, recreation, and psycho-spiritual
services
 Disaster-Environment Impact Matrix
Air Water Land Crops Wildlife Livestock Forests Waste

Flood S D D D D D D D
Cyclone D D D D D D D D
Drought I D D D D D D I
Earthquake S, C I, C I -- L D -- D
Landslide -- S D -- I -- D D
Chemical D D D D D, C D D, C D
Nuclear D D, S D D, S D D D, L D
Biological S D, C S C C C C D
Civil C C C, I -- -- -- -- C
Transport C C C L -- -- -- D

D=Direct, I=Indirect, S=Secondary, L=Less, C=Case specific

Disaster cycle Likely environmental impact causes, examples
Pre-disaster stage: • Environmental impacts of structural mitigation
 Land-use alteration
 Environmental impacts and wastes during mock-drills
During Disaster • Structural waste/debris/e-waste/carcasses
(Natural – Earthquake,  Air pollution, contamination, toxic release
Landslide,  Fire and/or explosion, Hazardous wastes exposure
Tsunami, Flood,  Water pollution
Drought, Cyclone;  Radiation
Man-made –  Noise
Chemical/
 Land degradation, contamination, soil loss
industrial, nuclear,
 Vegetation – crop/ forest, biodiversity damage
biological, civil)
 Wetland loss
 Coastal beach/ River bank erosion
Post-disaster • Waste generation from relief operation (food, medical, shelter, packaging)
(Relief-rehab. phase)  Water shortage, Water pollution, loss of fisheries
 Air pollution due to waste/carcasses disposal, transport, etc.
 Land-use and landscape changes for shelters/ camps etc.
 Environmental impacts due to relief road/bridge making
 Environmental impacts due to other emergency supplies
 Hazardous waste recoveries
 Spoilages of industrial materials and goods
 Local climatic-setting alteration
Post-disaster • Environmental impacts of changed land-use and landscape
(recovery and  Environmental impacts of persistent chemicals release in system
later – long term)  Biotic pressure of the altered settings of rehabilitated population
 Environmental impacts due to peoples increased dependence on ecosystem
resources because of losses to their crops/livelihoods
 Biodiversity changes and alien species invasion
Impacts of tropical cyclone land-fall and
associated environmental losses
Flooding of Low-
Lying Coastal
Effect of local Tides Areas
Loss of
Soil
Erosion of Fertility
Beaches from Saline
Effect of local Intrusion
Coastal Damage to onshore
& offshore
Configuration
installations
Land
Subsidence
Damage to
Shipping & Fishing
Contaminati
Low Atmospheric Facilities
Storm Surge on of
Pressure in the Centre
Domestic
Water
Supply
Urban
Bushfire Destruction
Loss of Damage to
Human of
Wind structures & Vegetation,
Life: Continent
Injuries Crops,
Livestock
Loss of
Communication
s & Power

Rain Flooding
Effects of a chemical disaster on life
and environmental factors
Environ-disaster interface
Losses Poverty

Population
Growth

High
Environmental Exposure Low
Hazards to coping
Complex Hazard capacity
Locations

High Disaster Risk

Hazard /
Trigger
event

Major Disaster
Losses

Source: 2008(5) Publication

EIA: Best Practice Framework in
Emergency Response
• December 2001 Benfield Greig Hazard
Research Centre, University of London
• BGHRC and Care International – REIA
• UN Economic Community for Latin
American and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
• Handbook for Estimating the Socio-
economic and Environmental Effects of
Disasters3, updated in 2003
 Disaster Focused EIA Tools
• Natural Hazard Environmental Impact Assessment
(Pre-disaster) (90 days)
• Fast Environmental Assessment Tool (Hours) (Hours to
3 days)
• Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment in Disasters
(REA, 2-10 days) Guidelines at
http://www.benfieldhrc.org/disaster studies/rea/rea
index.htm
• Framework for Assessing, Monitoring and Evaluating
the Environment in Refugee-related Operations
(FRAME) (Days to weeks, Months)
• Guide to Identifying Critical Environmental
Considerations in Emergency Shelter (Hours to weeks)
• Post Disaster Environmental Impact Assessments
(Months / 90 days)
Environmental needs….(relief)

• Water • Shelter
– Consumption • Evacuation of waste
– Sanitation
• Disposal of waste
• Energy
– Protection from climate • Water (quality)
– Heating/cooling
• Vector control
– Clothing
– Food • Environmental sanitation
– Processing food
– Processing water
– Lighting
Disaster-Environment Complex: Emergency
Response and Development Needs…..
 Disaster Debris: Katrina Case
The primary types of disaster debris being removed in the wake
of Hurricane Katrina fall into the following categories:
• Municipal solid waste — general household trash and
personal belongings.
• Construction and demolition (C&D) debris — building
materials (which may include asbestos-containing materials),
drywall, lumber, carpet, furniture, mattresses, plumbing.
• Vegetative debris — trees, branches, shrubs, and logs.
• Household hazardous waste — oil, pesticides, paints,
cleaning agents.
• White goods — refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers,
stoves, water heaters, dishwashers, air conditioners.
• Electronic waste — computers, televisions, printers, stereos,
DVD players, telephones.
 REIA
Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment in Disasters?
• The REA is a tool to identify, define, characterize and prioritize potential
environmental impacts in disaster situations which threaten human life and
welfare.
• The REA is a simple, qualitative assessment process. It uses easy to
understand descriptions, rating tables and lists to identify and rank
environmental issues and appropriate follow-up actions during a disaster.
• The REA is used from shortly before a disaster strikes, up to 120 days after
a disaster, or for any major stage-change in an emergency situation. The
REA can also be used as an environmental impact check list in relief project
design and review.
Who undertakes a REA?
• Primary REA users are non-specialists directly involved in disaster response
operations, with a basic knowledge of the disaster management process but
no background in environmental issues. It can be used by disaster victims
with appropriate support
The Joint United Nations Environment Program/ Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs Office, Geneva, Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, USAID
Pro-Active Approach
• Environmental Risk Assessment
– Disaster Risk
– Impact Risk
• Environmental Auditing
• Natural Resource Accounting
• Ecological Footprints of Disasters
• Economic Evaluation of Environmental
Impacts
• Environmental Health Preparedness
• Environmental Response in Emergencies
 Context Differences EIA
Normal and Disaster Assessments
Normal
• Lead Time
• Legal Requirement
• Deliberate and pro-active
• Will be comprehensive
• “No project” an option
• Location known
• Duration planned
• Beneficiary populations
known and static
• Environmental goals can be
made compatible with
economic ones
Disaster
• Sudden onset
• Rarely a legal requirement
• Reactive
• May need to be partial in
coverage
• “No project” not an option
• Unpredictable location
• Uncertain duration
• Population dynamic and
heterogeneous
• Saving lives given priority
• Activities sometimes hard to
reconcile with environmental
goals.
EIA Exercise 001/NIDM
• Participants divided in 4 groups
• Each group will analyze 2 cases out of
given 08 cases
• Each group will identify:
– 02 environmental aspects not related to
development/livelihood /economic
development
– 03 environmental aspects related to
development/livelihood / economic
development
EIA Exercise 002
• Each group will be given Tsunami Case
Environmental Aspects
• Pre-disaster
• During Emergency
• Post-disaster relief
• Rehabilitation
• Recovery phase
• Social-Environmental Impact Linkages
– Identify 02 aspects which are not related
– Identify 02 aspects which are related
 environment
a charity
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Our need?

Disasters from A Disaster?

Man-made Disasters…..
THANK YOU….

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