Strategic environmental assessment for achieving sustainable development in Egypt

02-07-2016 09:55

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) was adapted in Egypt in 1994, according to the Egyptian Environmental Law No. 4 for 1994. The effectiveness of EIA is comprised by a complex of geographical and temporally variables, mixture of legislative and procedural limitations. This paper address how strategic environmental assessment (SEA) can overcome challenges facing EIA system and prompting sustainable development in Egypt. EIA system in Egypt is facing many challenges such as poor consideration of cumulative impacts; lack of post-decision follow up monitoring / auditing; poor consideration of public participation and even though the Environmental Law does not provide sufficient details on EIA procedures. Consequently, EIA process should be applied to higher strategic level including plans and programmes (SEA) as introduced in several countries such as USA, UK, Canada, the Netherlands and New Zealand. Currently; there is no formal provision for SEA process within the Egyptian Environmental Legislations. SEA can aids in achieving sustainable development of our natural, financial and human resources. Where, SEA can lead to comprehensive protection of our environment and encourage natural resources management. It considers effectively cumulative impacts of a wide range of proposed developments at an early stage of decision making. Moreover, SEA is able to strength the project EIA process and improves its effectiveness. Hence all these benefits and others emphasise the importance of the application of EIA in Egypt at strategic level.