The International Law of Environmental Impact Assessment: Process, Substance and Integration (Cambridge Studies in International and Comparative Law, Series Number 58)

The central idea animating environmental impact assessment (EIA) is that decisions affecting the environment should be made through a comprehensive evaluation of predicted impacts. Notwithstanding their evaluative mandate, EIA processes do not impose specific environmental standards, but rely on the creation of open, participatory and information rich decision-making settings to bring about environmentally benign outcomes. In light of this tension between process and substance, Neil Craik assesses whether EIA, as a method of implementing international environmental law, is a sound policy strategy, and how international EIA commitments structure transnational interactions in order to influence decisions affecting the international environment. Through a comprehensive description of international EIA commitments and their implementation with domestic and transnational governance structures, and drawing on specific examples of transnational EIA processes, the author examines how international EIA commitments can facilitate interest coordination, and provide opportunities for persuasion and for the internalization of international environmental norms. Cover 1 Half-title 3 Series-title 5 Title 7 Copyright 8 Contents 9 Acknowledgments 13 Table of cases 15 Canada 15 United States 15 United Kingdom 16 European Community 16 International courts and tribunals 16 Table of international instruments 18 Treaties 18 Other international instruments 21 European Community documents 22 Part I Introduction 25 1 Introduction and overview 27 1.1 EIAs and the process and substance of international law 27 1.2 Proceduralism, transnationalism and integration 30 1.3 EIAs and compliance 35 1.4 Overview 38 1.5 Method 40 Part II Background norms 45 2 Domestic origins of international EIA commitments 47 2.1 Introduction 47 2.2 Elements of domestic EIA processes 49 2.3 Domestic EIA structure: process and substance 58 2.4 The roles of domestic EIA processes 61 2.5 EIA in developing countries 66 2.6 Application of domestic EIA beyond the state 69 2.7 Conclusion 75 3 EIAs and general principles of international environmental law 78 3.1 Introduction 78 3.2 Nondiscrimination 79 3.3 The harm principle 83 3.4 The duty to cooperate 92 3.5 The proceduralization of the harm principle 96 3.6 Sustainable development 101 3.7 Conclusion 106 Part III EIA commitments in international law 109 4 Sources of international EIA commitments 111 4.1 Introduction 111 4.2 Explicit EIA commitments 114 4.2.1 Formally non-binding instruments 114 4.2.2 MEAs as a source of international EIA 120 4.2.3 EIA guideline documents 129 4.3 International organizations 132 4.4 EIA and interstate disputes 135 4.5 Customary obligations to perform EIAs 144 4.6 Elaboration of existing EIA commitments 150 4.7 Conclusion 153 5 The structure of international EIA commitments 156 5.1 Introduction 156 5.2 Screening 157 5.3 Scoping and the contents of EIA reports 163 5.4 Notification and consultation 165 5.5 Public participation 170 5.6 Final decisions 174 5.7 Post-project monitoring 177 5.8 Strategic environmental assessment 179 5.9 Implementation 183 5.10 Conclusion 185 5.10.1 Determinants of international EIA commitments 185 5.10.2 Structure of EIA commitments 191 Part IV The role of EIA commitments in international law 197 6 EIAs and compliance 199 6.1 Introduction 199 6.2 Implementation, compliance and effectiveness 202 6.3 Process-oriented compliance models 206 6.3.1 The managerial model 206 6.3.2 Transnational legal process 211 6.3.3 Legitimacy and compliance 213 6.4 Process values: transparency, participation and discursiveness 218 6.4.1 Transparency 218 6.4.2 Participation 220 6.4.3 Discursiveness 222 6.5 EIAs as transnational legal processes 224 6.6 Substantive values: normativity and context 232 6.6.1 Standards and norms in EIA processes 233 6.6.2 Context and EIAs 236 6.6.3 Science as a normative influence 240 6.7 Conclusion 249 7 EIAs, interests and legitimacy 252 7.1 Introduction 252 7.2 EIAs and interest-coordination 253 7.3 EIAs and interest-transformation 259 7.4 EIAs and legitimacy 268 7.5 Conclusion 275 Part V Conclusion 279 8 EIAs and the process and substance of international environmental law 281 8.1 Introduction 281 8.2 Proceduralism, transnationalism and integration in international environmental governance 282 8.3 Process-oriented approaches and EIAs 291 8.4 Proceduralization as a form of governance 295 8.5 The effectiveness of international EIA commitments 298 8.6 Conclusion: an action-forcing mechanism for international environmental law 303 Appendices 305 Appendix 1 List of international instruments containing EIA commitments 307 General environmental principles 307 Transboundary pollution 308 Article 2 309 Article 10 309 Marine pollution 309 Article 204 Monitoring of the risks or effects of pollution 309 Article 205 Publication of reports 310 Article 206 Assessment of potential effects of activities 310 Article XI 310 Article 13 310 Article 8 311 Article XI 311 Article 12 312 Article 16 312 Article 7 313 Article XV 313 Article 17 313 Shared watercourse agreements 314 Article 12 314 Article 3 314 Article 9 314 Atmospheric pollution 315 Article 4(1) 315 Article V 315 Conservation of biological diversity 316 Article 14 316 Polar ecosystems 316 Article 8 316 Appendix 2 Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo, 1991) 318 Article 1 Definitions 319 Article 2 General provisions 320 Article 3 Notification 321 Article 4 Preparation of the environmental impact assessment documentation 322 Article 5 Consultations on the basis of the environmental impact assessment documentation 322 Article 6 Final decision 323 Article 7 Post-project analysis 323 Article 8 Bilateral and multilateral co-operation 323 Article 9 Research programmes 324 Article 10 Status of the Appendices 324 Article 11 Meeting of Parties 324 Article 12 Right to vote 325 Article 13 Secretariat 325 Article 14 Amendments To The Convention 325 Article 14 bis Review of compliance 326 Article 15 Settlement of disputes 326 Article 16 Signature 327 Article 17 Ratification, acceptance, approval and accession 327 Article 18 Entry into force 328 Article 19 Withdrawal 328 Article 20 Authentic texts 328 Appendix I List of activities 328 Appendix II Content of the environmental impact assessment documentation 330 Appendix III General criteria to assist in the determination of the environmental significance of activities not listed in Appendix I 330 Appendix IV Inquiry procedure 331 Appendix V Post-project analysis 332 Appendix VI Elements for bilateral and multilateral co-operation 332 Appendix VII Arbitration 332 Appendix 3 Annex I to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty 333 Annex I Environmental impact assessment 333 Article 1 Preliminary stage 333 Article 2 Initial Environmental Evaluation 333 Article 3 Comprehensive Environmental Evaluation 333 Article 4 Decisions to be based on Comprehensive Environmental 335 Article 5 Monitoring 335 Article 6 Circulation of information 335 Article 7 Cases of emergency 336 Article 8 Amendment or modification 336 Bibliography 337 Index 351 Cambridge studies in international and comparative law 357 Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Series-title......Page 5 Title......Page 7 Copyright......Page 8 Contents......Page 9 Acknowledgments......Page 13 United States......Page 15 International courts and tribunals......Page 16 Treaties......Page 18 Other international instruments......Page 21 European Community documents......Page 22 Part I Introduction......Page 25 1.1 EIAs and the process and substance of international law......Page 27 1.2 Proceduralism, transnationalism and integration......Page 30 1.3 EIAs and compliance......Page 35 1.4 Overview......Page 38 1.5 Method......Page 40 Part II Background norms......Page 45 2.1 Introduction......Page 47 2.2 Elements of domestic EIA processes......Page 49 2.3 Domestic EIA structure: process and substance......Page 58 2.4 The roles of domestic EIA processes......Page 61 2.5 EIA in developing countries......Page 66 2.6 Application of domestic EIA beyond the state......Page 69 2.7 Conclusion......Page 75 3.1 Introduction......Page 78 3.2 Nondiscrimination......Page 79 3.3 The harm principle......Page 83 3.4 The duty to cooperate......Page 92 3.5 The proceduralization of the harm principle......Page 96 3.6 Sustainable development......Page 101 3.7 Conclusion......Page 106 Part III EIA commitments in international law......Page 109 4.1 Introduction......Page 111 4.2.1 Formally non-binding instruments......Page 114 4.2.2 MEAs as a source of international EIA......Page 120 4.2.3 EIA guideline documents......Page 129 4.3 International organizations......Page 132 4.4 EIA and interstate disputes......Page 135 4.5 Customary obligations to perform EIAs......Page 144 4.6 Elaboration of existing EIA commitments......Page 150 4.7 Conclusion......Page 153 5.1 Introduction......Page 156 5.2 Screening......Page 157 5.3 Scoping and the contents of EIA reports......Page 163 5.4 Notification and consultation......Page 165 5.5 Public participation......Page 170 5.6 Final decisions......Page 174 5.7 Post-project monitoring......Page 177 5.8 Strategic environmental assessment......Page 179 5.9 Implementation......Page 183 5.10.1 Determinants of international EIA commitments......Page 185 5.10.2 Structure of EIA commitments......Page 191 Part IV The role of EIA commitments in international law......Page 197 6.1 Introduction......Page 199 6.2 Implementation, compliance and effectiveness......Page 202 6.3.1 The managerial model......Page 206 6.3.2 Transnational legal process......Page 211 6.3.3 Legitimacy and compliance......Page 213 6.4.1 Transparency......Page 218 6.4.2 Participation......Page 220 6.4.3 Discursiveness......Page 222 6.5 EIAs as transnational legal processes......Page 224 6.6 Substantive values: normativity and context......Page 232 6.6.1 Standards and norms in EIA processes......Page 233 6.6.2 Context and EIAs......Page 236 6.6.3 Science as a normative influence......Page 240 6.7 Conclusion......Page 249 7.1 Introduction......Page 252 7.2 EIAs and interest-coordination......Page 253 7.3 EIAs and interest-transformation......Page 259 7.4 EIAs and legitimacy......Page 268 7.5 Conclusion......Page 275 Part V Conclusion......Page 279 8.1 Introduction......Page 281 8.2 Proceduralism, transnationalism and integration in international environmental governance......Page 282 8.3 Process-oriented approaches and EIAs......Page 291 8.4 Proceduralization as a form of governance......Page 295 8.5 The effectiveness of international EIA commitments......Page 298 8.6 Conclusion: an action-forcing mechanism for international environmental law......Page 303 Appendices......Page 305 General environmental principles......Page 307 Transboundary pollution......Page 308 Article 204 Monitoring of the risks or effects of pollution......Page 309 Article 13......Page 310 Article XI......Page 311 Article 16......Page 312 Article 17......Page 313 Article 9......Page 314 Article V......Page 315 Article 8......Page 316 Appendix 2 Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo, 1991)......Page 318 Article 1 Definitions......Page 319 Article 2 General provisions......Page 320 Article 3 Notification......Page 321 Article 5 Consultations on the basis of the environmental impact assessment documentation......Page 322 Article 8 Bilateral and multilateral co-operation......Page 323 Article 11 Meeting of Parties......Page 324 Article 14 Amendments To The Convention......Page 325 Article 15 Settlement of disputes......Page 326 Article 17 Ratification, acceptance, approval and accession......Page 327 Appendix I List of activities......Page 328 Appendix III General criteria to assist in the determination of the environmental significance of activities not listed in Appendix I......Page 330 Appendix IV Inquiry procedure......Page 331 Appendix VII Arbitration......Page 332 Article 3 Comprehensive Environmental Evaluation......Page 333 Article 6 Circulation of information......Page 335 Article 8 Amendment or modification......Page 336 Bibliography......Page 337 Index......Page 351 Cambridge studies in international and comparative law......Page 357 "The central idea animating environmental impact assessment (EIA) is that decisions affecting the environment should be made through a comprehensive evaluation of predicted impacts. Notwithstanding their evaluative mandate, EIA processes do not impose specific environmental standards, but rely on the creation of open, participatory and information rich decision-making settings to bring about environmentally benign outcomes. In light of this tension between process and substance, Neil Craik assesses whether EIA, as a method of implementing international environmental law, is a sound policy strategy, and how international EIA commitments structure transnational interactions in order to influence decisions affecting the international environment. Through a comprehensive description of international EIA commitments and their implementation with domestic and transnational governance structures, and drawing on specific examples of transnational EIA processes, the author examines how international EIA commitments can facilitate interest coordination, and provide opportunities for persuasion and for the internalisation of international environmental norms."--Pub. desc

The central idea animating environmental impact assessment (EIA) is that decisions affecting the environment should be made through a comprehensive evaluation of predicted impacts. Notwithstanding their evaluative mandate, EIA processes do not impose specific environmental standards, but rely on the creation of open, participatory and information-rich decision-making settings to bring about environmentally benign outcomes. In light of this tension between process and substance, Neil Craik assesses whether EIA, as a method of implementing international environmental law, is a sound policy strategy, and how international EIA commitments structure transnational interactions in order to influence decisions affecting the international environment. Through a comprehensive description of international EIA commitments and their implementation within domestic and transnational governance structures, and drawing on specific examples of transnational EIA processes, the author examines how international EIA commitments can facilitate interest coordination, and provide opportunities for persuasion and for the internalization of international environmental norms.

"The central idea animating environmental impact assessment (EIA) is that decisions affecting the environment should be made through a comprehensive evaluation of predicted impacts. Notwithstanding their evaluative mandate, EIA processes do not impose specific environmental standards, but do rely on the creation of open, participatory and information-rich decision-making settings to bring about environmentally benign outcomes. In light of this tension between process and substance, Neil Craik assesses whether EIA, as a method of implementing international environmental law, is a sound policy strategy, and how international EIA commitments structure transnational interactions in order to influence decisions affecting the international environment. Through a comprehensive description of international EIA commitments and their implementation within domestic and transnational EIA processes, the author examines how international EIA commitments can facilitate interest coordination, and provide opportunities for persuasion and for the internalization of international environmental norms."--Jacket Neil Craik examines the structure and role of international rules requiring States to undertake environmental impact assessments where their proposed activities may have adverse environmental consequences for other States or for global environmental resources, such as biodiversity or climate change