Book in Focus
Handbook of Environmental Impact Assessment"/>

19th October 2022

Book in Focus
Handbook of Environmental Impact Assessment

Concepts and Practice

By Dr Arjun Kumar A. Rathi


What Inspired the Book?

While offering a course on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to post-graduate students of engineering for more than a decade, the author developed a passion for the subject. As a regulator recommending environmental approval for proposed projects and as an assessor recommending accreditation of EIA consultants in India, it was observed that a majority of the professionals learned EIA by experience and lacked a basic understanding of the subject. The review of some 150 EIA reports revealed several shortcomings, generally because they were prepared by a consultant based on a standard template developed for all kinds of projects. One reason for this could be that many professionals engaged in preparing and reviewing EIA reports were not trained through a standard EIA course framed by a university when they were students, while those who were taught at universities had only superficial knowledge and lacked the required skills to prepare EIA reports. Further, a lack of proficiency in the nitty-gritty involved in EIA was also evident.

Given that the manufacturing sector, duly supported by the infrastructural sector, is considered to play a vital role in rapid economic growth and enhancing employment opportunities in developing countries, it is of utmost importance that good-quality EIA reports are prepared for development projects, with the full understanding that EIA is specific to a given project at the proposed location, in order to facilitate well-informed decision-making based on the evaluation of multiple factors involved, including those concerned with physical, ecological, social, and cultural components of the environment.

An acute need for a book describing basic concepts of EIA, impact assessment requirements for different elements of the environment, and practical guidance on the process of preparing EIA reports for greenfield, as well as brownfield projects, was thus realized. Accordingly, the book Environmental Impact Assessment: A Practical Guide for Professional Practice was authored in 2016 for Indian readers. Encouraged by the response to the book, the author was inspired to revise, update and enlarge the coverage of the book for international readers, especially those from the developing world where major developmental action is taking place and will continue for decades.

What Does the Book Do Differently from Similar Titles?

A huge amount of literature is available describing the concepts and theory of EIA. EIAs have been performed for almost half a century now and, in terms of their number and depth, there has been a phenomenal growth of studies on the different facets of EIA and EIA reports. The reader can become knowledgeable by studying these, but they are not provided with clues on how to go about preparing an EIA report. The book describes how EIA for a project is conducted, and how a good-quality EIA report could be prepared, in addition to its basic concepts and principles. Further, the coverage of the book is wider than several books on similar subjects. Thus, it is better suited to help bridge the gap in the limited understanding of EIA concepts by practitioners and the lack of practical experience of those knowledgeable in theory. Added to this, the book is easily readable as it is written in simple language, and the presentation is in the form of several titles, sub-titles, and numbering, rather than long descriptive text.

What Is Unique about the Book?

The most unique feature of this book is its inclusion of certain issues that are not commonly found in most books on the topic. Unlike other similar titles, it describes the steps involved in the preparation of an EIA report and what needs to be included in such a report. A detailed chapter is included about environmental management programs, the most important output of the EIA process, especially for developing countries where priority is on economic development by way of development projects and the EIA process has inherent weaknesses. The chapter highlighting the salient contents of a good-quality EIA report is generally not seen in other books on similar topics. The coverage of EIA case studies in mining, thermal power, ports and harbors, cross-country pipelines, and area development and construction project sectors gives guidance to EIA professionals in preparing good quality EIA reports.

Who Will Find the Book Valuable?

Given the coverage and how it is written, the book should be very beneficial to a wide range of stakeholders, including EIA professionals and consultants, project proponents, EIA review/appraisal authorities, government authorities, and non-government organizations, particularly in developing countries and emerging economies where major developmental work has been launched and is expected to continue for decades to come. Financial institutions and multilateral institutions will also find it useful in framing guidelines for the funded projects, and prescribing terms and conditions. Academics will find the book very useful in learning practical aspects of EIA.

Limitations of the Book

The book is not intended to serve as an EIA manual per se, though it will facilitate an EIA consulting organization a great deal in preparing one. Further, EIA will keep on transforming itself according to the new knowledge acquired through research and worldwide experiences which will make this tool increasingly versatile, dynamic, and efficient. It is thus recognized that there will always be scope for improving the contents and expanding the coverage of the book to make it more beneficial to different users.


Dr Arjun Kumar A. Rathi is a former Professor at CEPT University, India, and Distinguished Visiting Professor at the National Institute of Technology Karnataka, India. He has also worked as Visiting Faculty at several institutes, and previously served as Director (Environment) to the Government of Gujarat, India. He has conducted several short-term training courses on environmental impact assessment (EIA) and assessed more than 70 EIA consultants for accreditation. His fields of interest include environmental impact assessment, resource conservation, wastewater treatment, and hazardous waste management. He is the author of the books Environmental Management and Industrial Development, and Environmental Impact Assessment: A Practical Guide for Professional Practice, as well as three book chapters and more than 80 journal articles on the environment, safety, industry, and management-related topics.


Handbook of Environmental Impact Assessment: Concepts and Practice is available now in Hardback at a 25% discount. Enter code PROMO25 at checkout to redeem.

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