Unit 5 a,b,c : Environmental Management

 

Unit 5 - Environmental Management 

Guided By:  Dr. Arunadevi Kurane

Presented by: Gitanjali Rath

Introduction:

Environmental Management: An Environmental Management System  is a set of processes and practices that enable an organization to reduce its environmental impacts and increase its operating efficiency.

Operating efficiently means using resources like time, people, equipment, inventory and money in an optimized way to serve the business

a) Economics and environmental Quality: Environmental and Economic indicators

Environmental indicators

Environmental indicators are measures that tell us what is happening in the environment. 

Environmental indicators provide a more practical and economical way to track the state of the environment.

These includes:

1. loss of biological diversity

2. Agricultural output and declining forest area

3. Freshwater withdrawals and freshwater growing scarcity

4. Electricity production

5. Greenhouse gas emissions

Economic indicators

Economic indicators are macroeconomic data that describe the condition of an economy. So, use them to determine whether an economy is prosperous and expanding or troubled and contracting.

An economic indicator is a statistic about an economic activity.  

Economic indicators allow analysis of economic performance and predictions of future performance. 

These includes:

1.  Gross domestic product GDP(measures the monetary value of final goods and services)

2. consumption, investment, and international trade

3. Stability (central government budgets, prices, the money supply, and the balance of payments).

For example, a high unemployment rate and a contracting GDP are considered signs of a troubled economy

The indicators of economic development are:

To know the level of economic development of a country there are a different indicators which are used.

These indicators help in understanding the level of development , comparisons with other countries, or different time periods.

These indicators help in better planning towards achieving economic development.

1. Growth rate of National Income:

In this indicator real income is calculated on constant prices.

If there is rise in national income, this indicates economic development.

When there is high rate of national income, development rate is high and vice versa.

2. Per Capita Income (PCI):

The average income of the people living in the country is the per capita income.

A rise in PCI is an important indicator of economic development.

The rise in PCI indicates economic welfare of the country.

3. Per Capita Consumption (PCC):

The increase in consumption of goods and services by the people is measured in PCC.

Example clothing, food, education, health etc

An increase in PCC shows better quality of life of people and higher economic development of the country.

4. Physical Quality Life Index (PQLI) and Human Development Index (HDI):

PQLI is the overall welfare of the people in life expectancy, infant mortality rate, standard of living.

HDI measures life expectancy, education and standard of living.

A rise in PQLI and HDI shows an improvement in quality of life of people and therefore economic development.

5. Industrial progress:Industrial progress is an important indicator of the economic development of a country. It helps to increase per capita income and the national output of the country.

6. Capital formation:It means investing in transport, irrigation, roads, electricity, technology etc. higher capital formation will lead to higher economic development.

The indicators under economic development are more towards the qualitative improvement of people in the country.

A higher rate of these indicators shows a higher level of economic development.

a-Economics and environmental Quality: Internal and External costs

External costs (also known as externalities) refer to the economic concept of uncompensated social or environmental effects. 

Internal costs refer to the direct monetised costs (planning, construction, management, maintenance, disposal) for a person or organisation undertaking an activity.

For example,

When people buy fuel for a car, they pay for the production of that fuel (an internal cost), but not for the costs of burning that fuel, such as air pollution.

a- Full cost pricing

The full cost of a service encompasses all direct and indirect economic, environmental, health and social costs related to that service or project.

Full cost pricing is considered one of several best practices to promote and maintain long-term financial sustainability.

It includes:

1. Costs: Expenditure of cash to acquire or use a resource.  

2. Hidden costs and externalities: The value of goods and services .

3. Overhead and indirect costs: costs those that are shared with other public agencies(administrative support, data processing , billing).

4. Past and future outlays: Equipment retirement, and post-employment health and retirement benefits

5. Waste management cost.

Advantages:

1.Identifies a total cost of service including direct and indirect costs.

2.Identifies all operating and non-operating revenues and capital contributions.

3.Provides useful information to make decisions on user charges and other financing items. 

4.Identifies revenue requirements for a test and rate year.

5.Establishes fees and charges that are based on full costs to ensure long-term financial sustainability.

b) Environmental Audit: Objectives, Elements of audit, process of environmental audit

Environmental Auditing is an independent assessment performed by different organisations to ensure that they are complying with the Environmental Policies. 

It examines the amount of risk or injury or actual harm caused and determines the types of Pollution produced by assessing the range of locations, procedures and activities.

Aims –

To facilitate management control of environmental practices.

2. To assess compliance with company policies.

3. To facilitate professional competence.

Objectives:

 Assists in providing protection against harm to the environment along with reducing health risk factors for humans.

Determining the performance analysis of available Environmental Management Systems.

2. Verifying the compliance measures of being in accordance with the relevant Laws and Regulations.

3. Reducing exposing humans to potential risk factors for any environmental, health or safety measures.

Elements of Audit:

1. Environmental Compliance Audits -

The Environmental Compliance Audits are authorised to review the applicant company’s compliance measures, whether they are being followed in accordance with the State and National rules and regulations established by the Government of India and if the compliance measures are legally binding.

2. Environmental Management Audits -

The Environmental Management Audits assist the applicant company in understanding the procedure of operating their company in accordance with the Environmental Performance Standards.

3. Functional Environmental Audits -

Functional Environmental Audits are responsible for measuring the consequences of specific environmental pollution or hazard caused. This particular auditing is authorised for investigating specific concern areas such as evaluation of the monitoring of the maintenance of the air quality, waste management, etc. 

Process of environmental audit

1.Pre–Audit Phase: 

Forming an Auditing Team

Constructing an Audit Plan

Reviewing of the following documents – Permit Applications

Reports: Report in case of any prior audits conducted along with the proof of the corrective actions taken and the latest status of the issues identified

2. Audit Phase

Established the ground rules

Determining the solution for the issues that are identified

Conducting regular meetings to document the latest data

Evaluating the following documents - Environmental Policies, Compliance Measures , Training Reports

3. Post­–Audit Phase

Preparation of the “Environmental Audit Report” and the “Disclosure of Violations Form”

Enlisting the identified issues and areas of concern

Enlisting Actions that are taken and enquiring follow–ups in relation to concerned topics

c) Environmental Impact Assessment ( Significance, EIA process)

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a tool used to assess the significant effects of a project or development proposal on the environment.

EIAs make sure that project decision makers think about the likely effects on the environment at the earliest possible time and aim to avoid, reduce or offset those effects. 

This ensures that proposals are understood properly before decisions are made.

c) Environmental Impact Assessment ( Significance, EIA process)

Screening :Deciding if an EIA is required

Scoping: Deciding what needs to be covered in the assessment and reported in the 'EIA Report’

Preparing the EIA Report: The EIA report has to include the likely significant environmental effects of the development

Making an application and consultation :The EIA Report and development application must be publicised (including electronic advertisement), interested parties and the public must be given an opportunity to give their views on it

Decision making : The EIA Report and any comments made on it must be taken into account by the competent authority before they decide whether to give consent for the development. The decision notice has to be published

Post decision : The developer starts any monitoring required by the competent authority.