Class Environmental Impact Assessment

This class provides students with a set of contents that allows them to acquire knowledge and develop practical skills and behaviors, necessary for carrying out activities in terms of Environmental Impact Assessment of plans and projects, Environmental Impact Studies and Post-Audit of Environmental Impact Assessment.

1. Framework of the theme. Impact Assessment’s importance of projects as a preventive and decision support tool

2. Legal Framework

3. Main Impact Assessment’s Products

4. Phases of the IA process

5. Environmental Impact Studies: Structure and Content

6. Public Participation

7. Impact assessment methodologies

8. Minimization, compensation and monitoring programs

9. Analysis and discussion of case studies: impacts induced by different project typologies according to their characteristics. Scope definition. Environmental factors of major and minor significance. Minimization / compensation measures, monitoring programs.

Expository / interrogative method; development of individual / group works and challenges using bibliographic research and internet, for the application and amplification of acquired knowledge, consultation of EISs, public participation stimulating debate, reflection, innovation, and creativity.

Use of active learning methodologies, namely: Case Study Analysis; Brainstorming; Role Play, Mentimeter, Flipped Learning, Mind Maps, Systemic Thinking, privileging the 4 C's of Education (Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, Creativity).

Continuous assessment with students' attendance at a minimum of 2/3 of the classes, carrying out exercises with written and oral presentation, favoring debate. A frequency will be held, with a minimum score of 9.5. The works developed will have a weight of 70% in the evaluation and the frequency 30%.

The written exam will be designed for students who do not pass or who wish to improve their grade. For approval, the grades must be at least 10 (9.5).

Legislação aplicável

AIA – International Association for Impact Assessment / IEA - Institute of Environmental Assessment 1999 Environmental Impact Assessment Best Practice Principles. Fargo, USA: International Association for Impact Assessment (disponível em www.iaia.org). Tradução portuguesa disponível em www.redeimpactos.or

APAI (Associação Portuguesa de Avaliação de Impactes) (2008). Critérios de Boa Prática para o RNT. Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente. https://www.ccdr-lvt.pt/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/criterios_RNT.pdf

Canter, L. W. (2006). Environmental Impact Assessment. McGraw-Hill Education (ISE Editions)

Miller, G.T. & Spoolman, E.S. (2021). Living in the Environment. Cengage. www.cengage.com

Consulta de Estudos de Impacte Ambiental, Resumos Não Técnicos e Declarações de Impacte Ambiental de projetos em avaliação ou sujeitos a avaliação

Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente. (2023, janeiro 21). www.apambiente.pt

Agência Europeia do Ambiente. (2023, janeiro 21). www.eea.europa.eu/