Avaliação de Impactes

Objectives

Students are expected to know by end of the semester what are environmental impacts in a broad sense, as a key analytical dimension in environmental policy and management. In particular how environmental impacts are proactively analysed and assessed, in an integrated way, in support of sectorial decision- making, regarding the development of new projects as well as in the recuperation and rehabilitation of existing projects. Students are also expected to learn what is environmental impact assessment (EIA) as an environmental policy and management instrument, and explore its proactive role in support of decision-making, acting at the levels of projects planning, conception, construction, operation and abandonment. By the end students should know how to identify environmental impacts, justify why its analysis is important, how to collect information, how to assign values in a multi-actor and multi-level context, how to assess impacts, how to mitigate negative and nenhance positive impacts.

Syllabus

Basic concepts and instruments of environmental impact analysis and assessment. Environmental Impact Assessmnet (EIA) as a central instrument - legal and institutional framework. Assessment methods and techniques. EIA process: from screening and scoping to follow-up and monitoring. TTyps and nature of environmental impacts: physical, ecological, social and economic. Public participation. Cumulative impacts. Identification and assessment of alternatives. Preparation of the environmental impact study. Follow-up with monitoring and post-evaluation. Environmental surveillance of construction works. Quality review. EIA relationship with environmental management systems. Development of a project during the semester.

Prerequisites

Social Sciences and Environment, Environment and Natural Resources Economics, Environment and Territory Management and Policies, Fundamentals of Spatial Planning, Applied Ecology and Landscape, nergy, Climate and Environment, Hydrology and Water Resources, Sampling and Environmental Analysis Methodologies,Atmospheric Pollution and Treatment of Gasouses Effluents, Materials, Waste and Recycling.

Cross Competence Component

The UC allows the development of transversal competences in critical and innovative thinking (namely strategic thinking and problem solving approach), interpersonal and intrapersonal competences (in oral presentations, organisational and team work in project development), literacy (of information and media, ability to locate and access information, as well as to analyse and evaluate media contents) and global citizenship, with self-discipline, perseverance, self-motivation. All these skills are developed in class participation, team work for project development and its presentations. The percentage of evaluation associated with these skills should be in the order of 20%.

Ethical Principles

All members of a group are responsible for the group's work. In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used. In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.