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Toward an analytical framework for understanding complex socialecological systems when conducting environmental impact assessments in South Africa

Bowd, Rebecca; Quinn, Nevil; Kotze, Donovan

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Authors

Rebecca Bowd

Donovan Kotze



Abstract

© 2015 by the author(s). Consideration of biophysical impacts has historically dominated environmental impact assessment (EIA) practice. Despite the emergence of social impact assessment, the consideration of socioeconomic impacts in EIA is variable, as is the extent of their integration in EIA findings. There is growing recognition for the need to move EIA practice toward sustainability assessment, characterized by comprehensiveness, i.e., scope of impacts, integration, i.e., of biophysical and socioeconomic impacts, and a greater strategic focus. This is particularly the case in developing regions and in countries like South Africa, which have statutory requirements for the full consideration of socioeconomic impacts in EIA. We suggest that EIA practice could benefit from incorporating evolving theory around social-ecological systems (SES) as an effective way of moving toward sustainability assessment. As far as we are aware, our study constitutes the first attempt to apply and formalize SES constructs to EIA practice within a regulated procedure. Our framework goes beyond conventional scoping approaches reliant on checklists and matrices by requiring the EIA practitioner to cocreate a conceptual model of the current and future social-ecological system with the implicated communities. This means social and biophysical impacts are assessed integratively, and that communities participate meaningfully in the EIA process, thereby helping address two of the most common shortfalls of EIA practice. The framework was applied in two case studies, establishment of communitybased accommodation linked to existing tourism infrastructure (Eastern Cape, South Africa), and a proposed wine estate (KwaZulu- Natal, South Africa). The framework revealed impacts, which would not be considered in a biophysically-oriented EIA, and helped identify development synergies and institutional and governance needs that are equally likely to have been overlooked. We suggest the framework has value as a counterpoint to established approaches and could contribute to improving the quality of EIAs with respect to the complex SESs that characterize the developing world.

Citation

Bowd, R., Quinn, N., & Kotze, D. (2015). Toward an analytical framework for understanding complex socialecological systems when conducting environmental impact assessments in South Africa. Ecology and Society, 20(1), Article 41. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-07057-200141

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Mar 1, 2015
Online Publication Date Mar 1, 2015
Publication Date Mar 1, 2015
Deposit Date Feb 18, 2015
Publicly Available Date Mar 4, 2016
Journal Ecology and Society
Print ISSN 1708-3087
Electronic ISSN 1708-3087
Publisher Resilience Alliance
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 20
Issue 1
Article Number 41
DOI https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-07057-200141
Keywords ecosystem services, environmental impact assessment, EIA, framework, participation, social-ecological system, SES, sustainability assessment
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/841012
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.5751/ES-07057-200141

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