Standards
In connection with the Environmental Impact Assessment for the project, a number of international standards are used. This ensures that the studies in this regard are performed such that they cover the issues required by legislation and so that there is an overall evaluation. In these standards there are also determined limit values for a number of impacts. Some of the standards are compulsory for larger projects to follow. Compliance with a number of the standards is mandatory for major projects within the EU, while other standards will be used in the event that members of the World Bank Group participate in the project. This is done to ensure that the consequences of planned projects are understood in advance, and that it is known how these consequences will be dealt with in order to have as little impact on the surrounding environment as possible. It is the client's job to ensure that the surveys comply with the standards.
There are five partly overlapping standards that are used with regard to the Aluminum Smelter Project. In these there are given guidelines for how to conduct assessments. The standards may also give guiding limit values that may be used when no higher demands exist locally.
The European Union's Guidelines for the Assessment of Indirect and Cumulative Impacts as well as Impact Interactions These guidelines have been developed by the EU to ensure that indirect consequences are taken into account in a project. The guidelines used have been developed on the basis of statutory requirements from the EU on carrying out comprehensive EIAs in connection with construction projects. Identification must be made of the consequences of a derived nature that will affect the environment; these impacts may be caused by one of the direct impacts or a new impact resulting from two other impacts. The derived consequences are often of a more complex nature than the direct consequences and can therefore be more difficult to deal with, and it is therefore important to identify them in advance. This is of course done either to anticipate and avoid them completely, or to be prepared for them from the beginning and thus deal with them in the correct manner from the outset. These guidelines are thereby an extension to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and related legislation, and therefore help to ensure a more realistic picture of the consequences of a particular project. You may find the EU EIA directory here. The Finnish Ministry of Environment's guidelines for Environmental Impact Assessment in the Arctic region Guidelines for EIAs in the Arctic have been developed in order to clarify the consequences and effects of projects established in the Arctic regions. Arctic EIA guidelines therefore take into account special conditions such as permafrost and a sensitive flora and food chain. Guidelines for the EIA in the Arctic region have been drawn up in consultation with 8 Nordic and Arctic governments via the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy, and are thus adopted by these governments as being a guarantee of the quality of EIAs developed in the Arctic. These guidelines ensure that a more realistic picture of an EIA in Arctic regions will be drawn up. Furthermore, these guidelines ensure that the local population is involved in an appropriate manner. The local population in the Arctic differs from other local populations in several ways, and by involving the local population and its knowledge of local conditions a greater level of sustainability for the project is achieved. You may find guidelines for EIA in the Arctic here. IFC's array of performance standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 An array of standards which ensures a sound basis of decision concerning issues such as social, environmental, health, use and incorporation of rural areas, biodiversity and cultural heritage, to name but a few. By using these standards, a high level of sustainability for the entire project and all its aspects, both internal and external, is secured. The standards must be complied with and have been drawn up for members and clients of IFC. You may find the IFC Performance standards here. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is a part of the World Bank Group helping to finance private projects that enables development all over the world. World Bank Group's sourcebook for environmental assessment World Bank Group Sourcebook (WBGS) is a book drafted in connection with a World Bank directive (EA 4.01, October 1991), which describes rules and guidelines for the environmental assessment process. WBGS is developed as a reference book for the person responsible for performing an EIA and others involved in the process. The aim is to identify the possibilities that are environmentally sound and sustainable for a particular project and to ensure that each environmental consequence is illuminated early in the course of the project. The WBGS is unfortunately not available for free but you may read more about the World Bank here. The World Bank Group (WBG) is not a bank in the common sense of the word. WGB, in which the World Bank is also a part, is an organization owned by 180 member states that all work for bringing down poverty on a global level and which supports education and development around the world. IFC and World Bank Group's environmental, health and safety guidelines for the aluminium industry Guidelines for how an aluminum smelter project is carried out under sound conditions, and in this case industry-specific issues are taken into account. This ensures that appropriate action will be taken in relation to possible environmental, health and safety challenges that apply in particular to an aluminum project. By using these industry-specific guidelines, a better overall picture of consequences and pitfalls for the project is achieved. Areas and issues which may not be included in the general guidelines are illuminated, e.g. concerning the emissions that are specific to aluminum smelters. See IFC and WBG guidelines here |
Irrespective of whether the standards and guidelines are statutory, it is extremely beneficial in the long term for any project to follow them. This ensures a sensible and sound project with greater security for a long lifetime and thereby a better economic foundation and at the same time it ensures the interests of the host country.