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Training
and Capacity Building Program (TCBP)
The application of EIA in major economic
development projects has increased remarkably over the past
few years. The Earth Summit held in 1992 was one of the landmark
events and a driving force for the integration of environmental
considerations in economic development planning in order to
achieve environmentally sound and sustainable benefits. About
87 percent of the Asian countries have already adopted EIA
as one of their national instruments for achieving sustainable
development goal. In this context, Nepal enforced environmental
protection legislation, which made EIA a mandatory requirement
for development projects.
However, there are difficulties in promoting
EIA due to lack of skilled human resource to conduct EIAs,
and inadequate knowledge of its importance for sustainability
of development projects. In this regard, School of Environmental
Management and Sustainable Development (SchEMS) has developed
itself as the pioneer institution in Nepal, perhaps in the
region, which has been significantly contributing in preparing
the skilled human resource for EIA. The main objective of
the EIA training programs of SchEMS is to cater the need of
the wider audience who are interested to become well versed
with EIA concepts and practice and to assist in removing the
deficiencies in the process. In addition, the training programs
are also assumed to make available the skilled human resource
with enough insight into the EIA concept and methods to promote
good EIA practices.
Modules of the training courses carried out
by SchEMS have the approval from Environmental Management
Subject Committee and Academic Council of Pokhara University
and Ministry of Population and Environment (MoPE), HMG/N through
the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Following are the training courses designed
and offered by SchEMS on EIA and Strategic Environmental Assessment
(SEA), which have been developed considering the need of different
target groups.
| Environmental Impact Assessment Training for Professionals |
| A four-week modular course
on EIA designed for professionals includes the deliberation
of 4 modules of one week each. |
| Module I |
Basic understanding
of EIA |
| Module
II |
EIA
Principles and Practice |
| Module III |
EIA Methods and Tools |
| Module IV |
An extensive field study
and practice |
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The objective of this training
course is to develop EIA professionals and EIA study team
leaders. The deliberation of each module is supplemented
by case studies and field practice. In case of specific
requirements, the generic module can be converted into
sector specific applications. |
Environmental Impact
Assessment Training for EIA Administrators and Managers
| A two week training
course on EIA designed for EIA administrators and managers
is given with the objective of: |
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familiarizing the administrator,
reviewers, and implementers of EIA procedures |
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facilitation for decision making in
the process of EIA report approval |
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facilitation for the implementation of EIA in
project construction and monitoring and auditing
activities |
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The training course will provide most effective
skills and knowledge for EIA administrators and contains, primarily,
an introduction to EIA, EIA process and procedures, advanced topics
on EIA review process, monitoring and environmental audits, approval
criteria, and knowledge on regulations and standards. Such courses
are all supplemented by case and field studies. |
EIA Training for Executives, Managers, Reviewers, NGOs
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A one week training
module designed to suit the executives, managers, reviewers,
and NGOs related to EIA and environmental management
is also administered through SchEMS. The objectives
of this training module are to: |
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familiarize EIA and EIA
procedures |
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familiarize laws, regulations, norms,
and standards related to EIA application |
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provide updated knowledge and
skills on the integration of EIA in economic planning
and policy making |
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provide skills to integrate environmental consideration
into decision making and implementation |
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| This course will provide most effective skills
and knowledge on the integration of EIA in economic planning process.
This module contains an introduction to EIA and EIA procedures,
benefits of its application, advanced topics with illustration
and case studies decision-making, consensus building, and conflict
resolutions. The courses given will be supplemented by field visits
and demonstration. |
EIA and Environmental
Management (Awareness Building Program for Policy Makers,
Planners, and Senior Officials)
|
Three day
intensive deliberation will be made on EIA and Environmental
Management especially for policy makers, planners, and
senior executives. The program is designed with the
objectives of: |
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acquainting
policy makers, planners and senior executives
on the current practice of EIA and Environmental
Management procedures |
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convincing them with the benefits
of EIA application |
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familiarization
with environmental criteria for decision making |
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economic benefits and cost implications |
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The topics for deliberation
will be presented by most well known experts and specialists
and each topic of deliberation will be supplemented
by case studies. |
Awareness Raising Program
on Environmental Consideration for the Members of Parliamentary
Committee, Environmental Minister, Policy Makers, and Higher
Officials
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The program includes one-day intensive
deliberation on environmental consideration and the
objectives of program are to: |
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acquaint the participants on
current status of environment in the country and
outside |
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familiarize the participants with
the current global trends on environmental protection |
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acquaint the efforts
of environmental protection made in the country |
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facilitate interaction of environmental
specialists, administrators, policy makers, and
the parliament members on the contemporary issues
of environmental protection |
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| Specialized and well-known
experts from the country and outside will deliver and
facilitate the program. |
Strategic Environmental
Assessment (SEA)
SEA highlights similarities and differences
between project-level impact studies and the planning and
preparation of programmatic EIA on agency policies, plans,
and programs. Both country and international experiences in
these types of strategic studies will be described. Case studies
of three main types of SEAs, namely, policy-level studies,
regional (or geographic area) studies, and sectoral (water,
transportation, energy, and forestry) studies are dealt in
this program. Substantial topics include SEA and sustainable
development of alternatives, methods, and generic mitigation
measures. Workshops on topical issues are included.
Learning Approach
The training programs are undertaken adopting
an interactive and writing workshop style, which will extensively
use presentation on the relevant topics followed by discussion
sessions. The participants will be grouped into smaller groups
and provided with assignments to be referred from hypothetical
cases. The participants will have to present their findings
which will be reviewed and discussed. Extensive field works
supplement the training course to familiarize the trainees
with the actual field level EIA.
Certification
At the end of the training program, a certificate
jointly signed by SchEMS and Pokhara University will be awarded
to the participants in a congregation ceremony.
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