List of Monitoring Indicators

Transcription

1 List of Monitoring Indicators Examples of potential indicators to assess the state of the environment Environmental Impact Indicator Cause of the Impact Pollution Heavy metal emissions Organic compound emissions Water pollution Intensive use of water resources Annual extraction of surface water/ground water Household water consumption per capita Household/industrial discharges in water bodies Nutrient overload Water and soil acidification Emissions of N and P in water and soil Use of N and P in aquatic crop food Use of N and P in fertilizers and animal feed Index of acid substances Emissions of SO and NO- Air pollution Inventory of stationary and mobile sources Number and rate of increase of industries and cars Conservation of biodiversity and landscape Earth and soil degradation Alteration of habitats Annual rate of wood production Annual rate of firewood consumption Annual rate of export of endemic species Erosion risk Current and potential use of soil for agriculture Loading capacity (head cattle per unit area) Indicator State of the Environment Concentration of heavy metals and organic compounds in the environment and animals Frequency, duration, extension of water shortage periods Concentrations of Pb, Cd, Hg and pesticides in fresh water Concentration of fecal coliforms (ecoli) in water Water temperature Biological oxygen demand and dissolved oxygen demand Concentrations of N and P in continental and marine waters Excess of critical ph values in water and soil Concentration of acid rainfall Concentration of particles, microparticles and gas in the air Levels of soil, water and forest pollution by emission and deposit Percentage of threatened or endangered species with regard to the total of known species Changes in biomass Extinction rate of protected species Deforestation rate Area affected according to degree and type of erosion Erosion index (sediment production) % of loss of horizon A from the soil Surface area affected by desertification 1

2 Socioeconomic Indicators Communities are often located within a project s impact area. The impacts the project will have on the socioeconomic factors need to be determined through a baseline. After that, impacts can be determined through a change in the indicator. Indicators of socioeconomic impacts Indicators Population demographics: size, age, ethnic groups, gender Employment/ unemployment rates Median income according to sectors % of the population with access to social services (health, education, recreation, social support etc.) % of the population with access adequate water, sanitation, electricity Number of community organizations/advocacy groups Housing quality and quantity State of public safety services (fire/police) Location and quantity of farmlands Local land-use patterns Attitudes toward the project Details Indicates impact the project has based on migration patterns and needs to correspond to the ability of a community to meet the needs of a Determine in part how large an impact the project will have on quality of life and contribution to household financial stability. Determines in part how large an impact the project will have on quality of life and contribution to household financial stability. Indicates the type of pressure the project and influx of workers may have on local services and the ability of a community to meet the needs of a Indicates the type of pressure the project and influx of workers may have on local services and the ability of a community to meet the needs of a Shows the ability and need for communities to advocate for themselves for or against a cause. This is particularly important where relocation is necessary. While not all people will want to relocate, providing the affected population with improved quality housing helps to improve living standards. Larger populations can cause a strain on the public safety system. If the services are inadequate or become inadequate as a result of the population shift it can negatively affect the social fabric of the population. Arable land is essential to both access to food and economic activity in an area. As such, a project should always consider the impact the project may have on agricultural systems. Land is often used in a wide variety of ways; agriculture, forestry, hunting/fishing, natural and protected areas. A project must be clear about the impact it will have on local land-use patterns because it can directly affect the livelihood activities of the local population. General content or discontent toward a project is important, not only in project success but also in ensuring the project can co-exist with the population. 2

3 Sectoral Indicators Example Environmental Impact Indicator Standard Tourism Water consumption Volume of water consumed per month/day/time period Water quality % Residual water (m 3 ) of total water use per area Energy Monthly kwh use Maintenance for Machines Water quality of individual sample testing based on: temperature, colour, Ph, discharge volume, amount oil/grease Water quality accumulation temperature, colour, Ph, discharge volume, oils/grease over time For service provision: Kwh used/month; monthly gas consumption(l/mo); % of services provided Frequency of machine tuneups including: Oil changes, belt changes, spark plug changes, lubrication Waste Quantity of solid waste produced/month Mining Quantity of organic waste produced/month Mercury Quantity of mercury captured Quantity of mercury released into air/water by mine operations each year Cyanide Compliance with requirements of the International Cyanide Management code for manufacture, transport and use Biodiversity and Protected Areas Greenhouse Gas Emission Extent and condition of areas identified as containing or likely to have high levels of biodiversity or provide environmental services which may be affected (positive/negative) by the mine project % of protected area that may be impacted/threatened by the mine Mine complies with GHG emissions standards based on ISO :2006 and ISO :2006 Noise Mine meeting acceptable noise emission standards based on government/international standards Standard set by individual water use licences issued by the state. Standards to be set by the technical norms for Residual Waters discharging into receiving bodies. Publication of the compliance code and monitoring data is suggested. Standards may be set either through national legislation or taken from international bodies, 3

4 Environmental Impact Indicator Standard Air quality Mine meeting acceptable air quality standards determined by government/international regulating bodies Waste management % tailings facilities with liners adequately designed to minimize the seepage of contamination to the environment over time % of tailings dams and waste rock dumps that are judged to be able to withstand large seismic and hydrologic events % tailings facilities and waste rock dumps with closure covers that will minimize the generation of contamination and best meet re-vegetation and visual reclamation objectives Water Quantity % of rivers and streams potentially affected by mining projects whose environmental flow is maintained over time Groundwater levels in areas potentially affected by mining projects Water Quality Water quality based on set standards, tested against the baseline for ground and surface water (Ph, temperature, sediment amounts, presence of arsenic, mercury, lead, cyanide etc.) Resettlement Number of unlawful forced evictions associated with the project % of displaced persons associated with the project who are satisfied with the resettlement/compensation process % of displaced persons associated with the mining projects whose standard of living has improved/deteriorated post-settlement Cultural Heritage Number of complaints raised by the communities in relation to the project regarding the protection of culture Reclamation/closure Existence of an up-to-date, satisfactory closure/reclamation plan Annual cost to public and third parties other than mine beneficiaries of site closure and reclamation Standards may be set either through national legislation or taken from International bodies. Acceptable threshold for seepage is 10 6 cm/sec with a thickness of 33 cm, taking about 1 year for seepage to move through the liner The probable maximum seismic activity and amount of precipitation should be modelled based on past local weather patterns, accounting for climate change. Baseline to be determined, benchmarks or limits set to indicate at what point irreversible impact will occur. Water quality standards set by state or followed from international bodies such as World Health Organization. Regulations for cultural heritage laid out in national legislation. 4

5 References Conservation International (n.d.). The Energy and Biodiversity Initiative: Biodiversity Indicators for Monitoring Impacts and Conservation Actions. Retrieved from Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA). (2015). The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) Standard for Responsible Mining. Retrieved from United States Agency for International Development (USAID). (2011). Technical Review Guidelines: Energy Generation and Transmission. Vol 1, pt 2. P Retrieved from Source: EIA Online Learning Platform - International Institute for Sustainable Development 5