Environmental impact assessment system and sustainable regional development

Poveikio aplinkai vertinimas - tai konkrečios planuojamos ūkinės veiklos potencialaus poveikio aplinkai numatymo, apibūdinimo ir įvertinimo procesas. Poveikio aplinkai vertinimu (PAV) siekiama nustatyti, apibūdinti ir įvertinti galimą tiesioginį ir netiesioginį planuojamos veiklos poveikį aplinkai ir užtikrinti, kad į aplinkos ypatumus bus atsižvelgta iki šios veiklos vykdymo pradžios. Straipsnyje pateikiama poveikio aplinkai vertinimo sistemos ir jos įtakos strateginiam planavimui ir įgyvendinimo vadybai siekiant darnios regiono plėtros analizė. Remiantis tyrimų medžiaga, pateikiamos išvados apie poveikio aplinkai vertinimo sistemos problemas ir rekomendacijos efektyvumo didinimui.Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a process of identification, description and assessment of potential impact of planned economic activity on the environment. The origins of EIA procedure are in the United States in the second half of XX century. Law on Environmental impact assessment in Lithuania was adopted in 1996. Thus, experience with EIA in Lithuania is about 10 years. Many EIA procedures were carried out during these 10 years. Not only the number of environmental impact assessment procedures has changed since the beginning of EIA in Lithuania, but also the number and quality of related legal acts. The law itself has been amended twice, and one more amendment is on the way. Over 50 various regulations and decisions related with EIA were adopted during the decade. When joining the European Union, EU legislation has been transposed into our national legislation. There are some discussions about the effectiveness of EIA. Some countries, like Denmark, Great Britain, Australia and etc. have carried out detailed studies on effectiveness of EIA and named the problems to be solved. There are no similar studies in Lithuania. Therefore it was considered important to evaluate the effectiveness of EIA in Lithuania and to identify weak points. Aim of the research . to analyze system of environmental impact assessment in Lithuania and to assess its effectiveness based on EIA impact on sustainable development of the region. As a result of the investigation, factors influencing the effectiveness of environmental impact assessment were identified and defined the main weak points of this process