ILUP13_Pract_Step5_Part5

Physical land suitability evaluation already includes the explicit notion that land use must be sustainable. Therefore, any use that degrades the land or water resource base on a continuing basis must be classified as not suitable.
However, an analysis of environmental impact goes beyond this implication. It requires that the likely positive or negative effects on the land—and, by extension, the affected communities—are anticipated and explicitly documented for each alternative use under consideration.

From a footnote in land resource studies 30 years ago, the impact of land use on the environment has evolved into one of the hottest topics in land use planning. Table 7 illustrates the level of environmental ambition embedded in the European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Table 7 . Current major goals and policy priorities of the environmentally sustainable CAP

Goal	Priorities for policy development
Tackling climate change	• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by promoting improved livestock management and breeding, and investing in manure storage and treatment • Increasing carbon sequestration and storage through measures such as soil protection and forest restoration • Supporting farmers in adapting to climate change through investments and advice on new methods and technologies
Protecting natural resources and biodiversity	• Safeguarding the quantity and quality of agricultural water use by establishing buffer strips along watercourses, promoting efficient irrigation systems, and enhancing enforcement in nitrate vulnerable zones • Setting mandatory standards for minimum soil cover and encouraging practices that limit soil erosion and maintain soil organic matter • Protecting air quality by reducing ammonia emissions, restricting residue burning, and preventing pesticide spraying in windy conditions
Encouraging low-input agriculture	• Promoting organic farming • Supporting responsible pesticide and fertilizer use, and encouraging environmentally friendly management practices, alternative methods, and new technologies • Reducing antibiotic use by investing in measures that improve animal health and welfare

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a procedure that ensures the environmental implications of decisions are considered before those decisions are made. In principle, all plans, programmes, and projects—regardless of their goals—that are likely to have significant environmental effects must undergo an environmental assessment prior to approval.

A mandatory feature of EIA is public consultation. While these key principles are enshrined in law in most countries, actual adherence is far less common.

A primary concern regarding the environmental consequences of a land development project is that they may extend beyond the planning area. For example, continued groundwater extraction beyond natural recharge capacity to irrigate cash crops may threaten not only the livelihoods of farmers but also the water supply and quality of entire communities far beyond the project area. Table 8 provides examples of environmental effects that must be considered when planning major land use interventions.

Table 8. Examples of environmental issues to be considered in an EIA (adapted from FAO, 1993)

Theme	Major environmental risks
Soil and water resources	• Risk of soil erosion, landslides, and sedimentation • Security of water supply and quality within and beyond the planning area
Pasture and forest resources	• Degradation of rangelands • Clearance or degradation of forests
Biodiversity	• Alteration of the structure and composition of forests, grasslands, and wetlands • Decline of areas critical for animal and plant communities and germplasm conservation • Negative side effects of terrestrial developments on wetland ecosystems
Scenic and recreational value for tourism	• Pollution of tourism hotspots due to over-exploitation • Lack of regulation of leisure industries, causing competition with other land uses

The EIA process follows a systematic and structured sequence of steps involving the analysis of likely consequences of a proposed development. This includes assessing baseline environmental conditions and predicting impacts of alternative land uses during development, operation, and eventual change or closure.

A recommended framework for preparing a structured EIA report, consisting of seven main steps, is shown in Figure 26. The Irish Environmental Protection Agency (2022) has published detailed guidelines on this topic.
Figure 26 underscores the importance of consultation, which is a common thread throughout the entire EIA process. To support the public’s right to clear information, EIA reports must be understandable to a non-technical audience, particularly in presenting the baseline assessments and the evaluated alternatives.

Table 9. Standardized terminology for the description of environmental effects
(Environmental Protection Agency, 2022)

Attribute	Kind	Description
Quality of effects	Positive	A change which improves the quality of the environment (for example, by increasing species diversity, or improving the reproductive capacity of an ecosystem, or by removing nuisances or improving amenities)
	Neutral	No effects or effects that are imperceptible, within normal bounds of variation or within the margin of forecasting error.
	Negative/adverse	A change which reduces the quality of the environment (e.g. lessening specieis diversity or diminishing the reproductive capacity of an ecosystem, or damaging health or property or by causing nuisance)
Significance of effects	Imperceptible	An effect capable of measurement but without significant consequences
	Not significant	An effect which causes noticeable changes in the character of the environment but without significant consequences
	Slightly significant	An effect which causes noticeable changes in the character of the environment without affecting its sensitivities
	Moderately significant	An effect that alters the character of the environment in a manner that is consistent with existing and emerging baseline trends
	Significant	An effect which, by its character, magnitude, duration or intensity, alters a sensitive aspect of the environment
	Very significant	An effect which, by its character, magnitude, duration or intensity, significantly alters most of a sensitive aspect of the environment
	Profound	An effect which obliterates sensitive characteristics
Extent and context of effects	Extent	The size of the area, the number of sites and the proportion of a population affected by an effect
	Context	The degree to which the effect, its magnitude, duration or frequency conforms or contrasts with baseline conditions