The book is written to promote strong and effective environmental impact assessment (EIA) implementation globally, creating awareness on the use of EIA as a tool for decision making on project execution and development actions. The book covers substantive and contemporary issues involved in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), highlighting key concepts, methodologies, practical approaches to effective EIA for development projects/actions in line with regulatory requirements and global best practices The intent of the book is to provide the missing link on the use of EIA as tool for environmental management thereby raising the awareness on actions to preventing environmental pollution and degradation, global warming and other contemporary environmental issues It is written to provide basic guidance that simplifies the methodologies of environmental assessment including the use of GIS technology presenting the value of EIA as policy and management tool for both planning and decision making The book provides the template for quality EIA development and application for environment-lovers across the globe thereby promoting the achievement of the principles of sustainable development. The book will prove to be a useful reference on environmental management to students of environmental studies, teachers, researchers and practitioners as it offers basic theoretical knowledge and practical applications needed to promoting projects' sound environmental management. The book is divided into Eight Chapters. Chapter one provides background information on EIA including global historical background on the evolution of EIA studies and environmental disasters to buttress the connection between Environmental studies, safety and environmental pollution Chapter Two - gives information on the purpose scope and objectives of EIA. Chapter Three - provides the EIA process in a stepwise manner. Chapter Four - Gives detailed description on methodologies for field data gathering, laboratory analysis and data interpretation. Chapter Five- Provides standard and appropriate methodologies for identification, assessment and prediction of project impacts. Chapter Six - Provides basic guidance on the cost-effective measures which are useful in ameliorating environmental and socio-economic impacts of project activities. Chapter Seven - Presents Environmental Management Plan (EMP) as a necessary component of the EIA and its importance for monitoring the effectiveness of mitigation measures. Chapter Eight presents stakeholders' engagement as a delicate aspect of the EIA process which might ultimately define the quality of the study and project acceptability.
About the Author: Bernard A. Omoyeni has been one of the leading experts on Environmental Assessment and Management in Nigeria. He currently works as an Environmental Specialist with a multinational oil and gas company in Lagos, Nigeria and has successfully pioneered different Environmental Studies for projects and operations in the oil and gas sector. He has become phenomenal as Environmental Assessment Subject Matter Expert (SME) given his wealth of experience and academic prowess He has been Project Manager for over fifteen (15) Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) projects and has continued to provide his wealth of experience in carrying out world class studies in this field satisfying the requirements of the World Bank and Local Regulatory Agencies. He has many publications to his credit in the research and academic journals. Prior to joining the oil and gas sector, Bernard has served as Lecturer at the Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology, Baga, Borno State, Nigeria where he held increasingly different responsibilities which include: Head of Academics, Head of Fish Biology and Director of Studies between 1999 - 2005. He was involved in different research endeavors on the fisheries, ecology and environmental functioning of the Lake Chad Basin while at the college. Bernard obtained a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech), Hons in Fisheries and Wildlife from the Federal University of Technology, Akure (1997); a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Maiduguri (2000-2001); a Master of Science (MSc) in Environmental Management (MEM) and Geographic Information System (GIS) at the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (2003-2004) and University of Ibadan, (2004 -2005) respectively.He has membership with local and international professional bodies, notably: the Fisheries Society of Nigeria (FSN), Nigeria Environmental Society (NES), American Society of Safety Engineer (ASSE), Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA). He has attended different trainings, seminars and workshops both locally and internationally. He is married to Uzoma Omoyeni and their union is blessed with three great children: Newdawn, Delight and Excel Omoyeni