Monitoring and Audit

Anusuya Joshi, PhD

Environmental Monitoring
 Environmental monitoring is a tool to assess environmental
conditions and trends, support policy development and its
implementation, and develop information for reporting to
national policymakers, international forums and the public.
(Source: UNECE)

 Systematic measurement of key environmental indicators

over time within a particular geographic area
 Systematic evaluation of the implementation of mitigation
measures

 Environmental monitoring is critical to the protection of

human health and the environment.
Anusuya Joshi, PhD
Monitoring in EIA
Monitoring is designed to :

 check the implementation of mitigation measures;

 act as an early warning system;
 be a continuous measurement process
◦ To check the compliance with the mitigation
measures suggested in the EIA report;
◦ providing early warning of potential environmental
damage; and
◦ input to EIA audits.

Anusuya Joshi, PhD

Need for Monitoring
Environmental impact monitoring must be conducted to
fulfill the following objectives:
 Ensure that the impact does not exceed legal standards.
 Check the implementation of mitigation measures to see
whether it is in conformity with the environmental
impact assessment report.
 Provide timely warning of potential environmetal
damage.

Anusuya Joshi, PhD

Principles of Monitoring
 Determine carefully the indicators to be used in the
process of monitoring.
 Collect important and relevant information.
 Apply measurable criteria with regard to prescribed
indicators.
 Conduct objective analysis of the information collected.
 Work out clear conclusions based on objective analysis
and processed information.
 Make rational decisions based on the conclusions drawn
pursuant to clauses 1 to 5.
 Recommend improved mitigation measures to the
implementing agencies.
Anusuya Joshi, PhD
Types of Monitoring
 Baselinemonitoring: prior to the construction, survey
conducted for basic environmental parameters of the
surrounding areas

 Impact monitoring: The ecological, social and economic

and health parameters within the project area during
construction and operation

 Compliance monitoring: periodic sampling or

continuous recording of specific environmental quality
indicators or pollution levels to ensure project
compliance with recommended standards

Anusuya Joshi, PhD

Monitoring Programme
 Monitoring is an integral part of EIA; baseline data, project
descriptions, impact predictions and mitigation measures
should be developed with monitoring implications in mind.

 Monitoring programme should have:

◦ a clear objectives,
◦ temporal and spatial controls,
◦ an adequate duration (e.g. covering the main stages of the
project’s implementation),
◦ practical methodologies,
◦ sufficient funding,
◦ clear responsibilities and
◦ a regular reporting.
Anusuya Joshi, PhD
Components of Monitoring Programme
a summary of the significant impacts identified in the
Environmental Impact Report;
 the mitigation measures recommended for each
significant impact;
 the monitoring requirements for each mitigation
measure;
 the person or agency responsible for the monitoring of
the mitigation measure;
 the timing and/or frequency of the monitoring;
 the agency responsible for ensuring compliance with the
monitoring programme;
 the reporting requirements.

Anusuya Joshi, PhD

Intensity of Monitoring
 In order to make the environmental impact monitoring a
success as anticipated, it should be granted proper
importance in the project cycle.
 A selection or scoping should specially be made of the
most important and critical parameters that could
influence the project and its surrounding environment.
 The extent to which monitoring ought to be intensified
should be determined on the basis of potential severity
of the environmental impact.

Anusuya Joshi, PhD

Anusuya Joshi, PhD
Anusuya Joshi, PhD
Anusuya Joshi, PhD
Evaluation of Environmental Impact Studies
 Evaluation is a continuous process through which
project can be assessed objectively.
 Evaluation assesses the performance of environmental
protection programmes.
 It determines if mitigation measures adopted by
implementing agencies have been implemented
according to the requirements of the EIA report.
 Monitoring and evaluation are complementary processes
of the EIA.
 EIA evaluation and results are necessary if mitigation
measures are to be effectively maintained and revised
when necessary.

Anusuya Joshi, PhD

Determinants of Effective Evaluation
 Methodology adopted for the EIA evaluation work.
 Completeness and goal-orientation of the EIA
evaluation work.
 Tools used for analysis.
 Commitment of the responsible agencies.
 Willingness and ability of implementing agencies to
mitigate adverse impacts.

 When to conduct evaluation

Evaluation must be conducted immediately after the
implementation of the project, once data obtained from
monitoring have been analysed.
Anusuya Joshi, PhD
Evaluation Parameters
 Environmental issues raised in the EIA report
 Areas of actual environmental impact
 Adequacy of suggested mitigation measures
 Adequacy of resource allocation for implementing
mitigation measures
 Involvement of appropriate authorities
 Cost-benefit of environmental mitigations
 Adequacy of project implementation monitoring
 Adequacy of monitoring data for evaluating predictions
made in the EIA report
 Recommendations made to improve mitigation
including new remedial measures, if necessary
Anusuya Joshi, PhD
Anusuya Joshi, PhD
Environmental Auditing
 The environmental impact auditing assesses actual
environmental impact, accuracy of prediction,
effectiveness of environmental impact mitigation and
enhancement measures and functioning of monitoring
mechanisms.
 Usually performed only once for each project, after two
years of project implementation, within six months.

Anusuya Joshi, PhD

Environmental Auditing
 The environmental impact auditing assesses actual
environmental impact, accuracy of prediction,
effectiveness of environmental impact mitigation and
enhancement measures and functioning of monitoring
mechanisms.
 Usually performed only once for each project, after two
years of project implementation, within six months,
undertaken by the Ministry of Forest and Environment.

Anusuya Joshi, PhD

Types of Auditing
1. Decision point Auditing: effectiveness of EIA as a
decision making tool;
2. Implementation Auditing: ensures that conditions of
consent have been met;
3. Performance Auditing: audits the responses of the
stakeholders.
4. Project impact Auditing: audits the environmental
effects arising from the project activities,
5. Predictive technique auditing: examines the accuracy
and utility of predictive techniques vs. actual
6. EIA procedure Auditing: critically examines the
methods and approaches used in preparing the EIA report

Anusuya Joshi, PhD

Reference:
Glasson, J., Therivel, R. & Chadwi, A.(2005).
Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment, 3rd
edition, Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, London

 Government of Nepal (1993). National Guideline for

Environmental Impact Assessment. 

 Sharma, S. (2011). Environmental Monitoring. Lecture

Note, Kathmandu University, Kathmandu

Anusuya Joshi, PhD