Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a formal process of considering at the planning stage, the potential impact of proposed projects on environment. Such projects require careful analysis and assessment of the likely impact on both the micro and the macro-environment. It is these impact that constitute the need to embrace the concept by making it a compulsory policy for adoption, if only to conserve the environment for sustainability. The adoption of the concept in Edo State and its successful implementation projects on planning and evaluation constitute the subject- matter of this paper presentation. To be able to assess the success and /or failure of the application of EIA in the State, relevant literature were reviewed on project initiation, environmental perception and changes that result from project implementation, the concept of EIA, environment policy in Nigeria, and the implementation of EIA policy in Edo State. Both formal and informal interviews were held with the stakeholders in the built environment. It was found out that Edo State recognized the scientific and non-scientific categories of EIA policy in operation in Nigeria. Surprisingly, it does not seem to be effective in the state when the concept is viewed against the background of the current environmental condition in most parts of the state due to general and specific limitations. It is recommended that the policy should be recognized as a mechanism for ensuring that all major development project proposals are subjected to an examination of their total environmental consequences and the legal basis for EIA strengthened to mitigate the worst consequences of rapid development in the state.
Imimole William Okhumode (Thu,) studied this question.