Environmental impact assessment: Sea-Outfall for the Larnaca Sewerage System - UNEP Regional Seas Reports and Studies No. 131

Environmental impact assessments (EIA) have been extensively prepared and used over the last 15 years. Their wide application clearly indicates a need to ensure that environmental considerations are included in the decision-making process. However, particularly In developing countries, the procedures established for EIA in developed countries have met much criticism. Realizing the shortcomings of these procedures and responding to frequent requests for a simple and practical, but still adequate approach to EIA, the Oceans and Coastal Areas Programme Activity Centre (OCA/PAC) of UNEP has attempted to formulate procedures, supplemented with guidelines, which could be used in preparing EIAs for typical development projects in the context of legal agreements supporting the UNEP Regional Seas Programme.

The procedures and guidelines advocated by UNEPll were tested through a series of concrete case studies. One of the first case studies and the way it was prepared is described in this document.