Environmental impact assessment

“ To this end, the Parties shall:
(a) in accordance with Article IV, establish specific objectives for emissions limitations or reductions at air pollutants and adopt the necessary programs and other measures to implement such specific objectives;
(b) in accordance with Article V, undertake environmental impact assessment, prior notification, and, as appropriate, mitigation measures;
(c) carry out coordinated or cooperative scientific and technical activities, and economic research, in accordance with Article VI, and exchange information, in accordance with Article VII ”

“ Moreover assessments of the significance of the environmental impact of human activity are, in the end, unavoidably subjective. This is because, even with all the available information in front of them, decision-makers have to make essentially arbitrary, valueladen decisions about the significance of certain impacts. ”

“ For the construction of a project where solid wastes are generated, stored, utilized, or treated, the impact on the environment shall be assessed in accordance with law, and the state regulations governing environmental protection in respect of construction projects shall be complied with. ”

“ We will undertake rigorous investigations on soil pollution and develop and implement category-based measures to tackle this problem. We will take comprehensive measures to improve both urban and rural environments, and promote waste sorting. We will strengthen energy conservation and environmental protection industries to ensure both environmental improvement and economic growth.
We will move forward with ecological conservation and improvement. ”

“ The development that generates economic benefits in a town upstream may create pollution and loss of recreation in a town downstream.
Sometimes people persist in actions which cause environmental damage because they do not know that they are causing it. Construction of dams, extensive paving of land surfaces, and filling of estuaries for industrial development have in many cases been carried out with incomplete or wrong information about the extent of the impact on the environment. ”

“ The competent department of ecology and environment under the State Council shall, in conjunction with the competent departments of development and reform, and industry and information technology under the State Council, define the hazards of industrial solid wastes and their impact on public health and ecological environment, formulate technology policies on, and organize the dissemination of advanced production technologies and equipment for preventing and controlling environmental pollution by industrial solid wastes. ”

“ Indeed, today we know that the health of aquatic ecosystems must be examined holistically, to determine how various forms of human activity affect water quality. We know that we must protect entire watersheds that feed into our rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. We also recognize that, by preventing pollution at the source, we can protect watersheds and avoid the high economic and environmental costs of treating wastes and restoring ecosystems after pollution has already occurred. Moreover, experience has shown us that our actions must be based on sound science. ”

“ Citizens shall actively carry out environmental protection and be responsible for assisting the government in implementing measures related to environmental protection. Article 6 Enterprises shall plan for the phasing in of environmental protection concepts when carrying out their activities. Based on product lifecycles, enterprises shall promote clean production, prevent and reduce pollution, conserve resources and recycle and use recycled resources and other raw (or processed) materials or services that help lessen environmental impact with the purpose of achieving sustainable development. ”

“ The prevention and reduction of air and water pollution will remain a critical task of resource conservation. Air and water quality come under pressure from such activities as fertilizer and pesticide use. ”

“ Yet 1970 marks the beginning of a new emphasis on the environment - a turning point, a year when the quality of life has become more than a phrase; environment and pollution have become everyday words; and ecology has become almost a religion to some of the young. Environmental problems, standing for many years on the threshold of national prominence, are now at the center of nationwide concern. Action to improve the environment has been launched by government at all levels. ”

“ Improvement of environmental conditions in areas of human settlement Environmental conditions associated with transport, housing, working areas, urban development and planning, water supply and sewage disposal systems; assessment of harmful effects of noise, and noise control methods; collection, treatment and utilization of wastes, including the recovery and recycling of materials; research on substitutes for non-biodegradable substances ”

“ In the light of this and the growth trends projected through the next century, it is evident that measures to reduce, control, and prevent industrial pollution will need to be greatly strengthened. If they are not, Pollution damage to human health could become intolerable in certain cities and threats to property and ecosystems will continue to grow. Fortunately, the past two decades of environmental action have provided governments and industry with the policy experience and the technological means to achieve more sustainable patterns of industrial development. ”

“ Every person has the right to live in a healthy and balanced environment. (2) No real or legal person shall drain or dump into the sea or into any dam, lake or river, for any purpose whatsoever, any liquid, gas or Solid matter which is of such a nature as to cause harm to human health or to endanger marine life and resources. (3) It shall be the duty of the State, and of the real and legal persons to develop the environment, to protect environmental health and to prevent pollution of the environment. (4) The State shall take the necessary measures for the establishment of national parks. ”

“ Water pollution control and fresh water utilization Prevention and control of water pollution, in particular of transboundary rivers and international lakes; techniques for the improvement of the quality of water and further development of ways and means for industrial and municipal sewage effluent purification; methods of assessment of fresh water resources and the improvement of their utilization, in particular by developing methods of production which are less polluting and lead to less consumption of fresh water ”

“ For example, deforestation, by increasing run off, accelerates soil erosion and siltation of rivers and lakes. Air pollution and acidification play their part in killing forests and lakes. Such links mean that several different problems must be tackled simultaneously. And success in one area, such as forest protection, can improve chances of success in another area, such as soil conservation.
42. Second, environmental stresses and patterns of economic development are linked one to another. Thus agricultural policies may lie at the root of land, water, and forest degradation. ”

“ Seek to understand better the impacts of global environmental threats, in particular climate change and variability, the depletion of the ozone layer, loss of biodiversity and various forms of environmental pollution, on food security ”

“ In its early days, the conservation movement aimed primarily at stemming the exploitation of natural resources and preserving wildlife and important natural areas. By the 1950's, Federal air and water pollution laws had been enacted, and the pace of environmental legislation quickened dramatically in the decade of the 1960's. Now the conservation movement has broadened to embrace concern for the totality of man's environment, focusing on pollution, population, ecology, and the urban environment. ”

“ Environment—current issues: air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment—international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
People
Population: 65,179,752 (July 1999 est.) ”

“ State environmental policy shall take precautions against the occurrence of harmful effects on the environment and shall work towards the economical use and reuse of non-renewable raw materials and the economical use of energy. (2) Severe impairment or endangerment of the natural environment may be permitted only to the extent that this is indispensable for the protection of paramount public interests. ”

“ An America First energy policy goes hand-in-hand with responsible environmental protection. Protecting our streams, lakes, and air, and preserving all of our natural habitats, will always be high priority for my Administration. Since 1970, aggregate emissions of six common air pollutants have fallen by 73 percent. We have aggressively fought pollution and reduced emissions even as our population, energy use, and energy production have all grown. ”

“ The central government shall establish pre-approval, management and control and auditing mechanisms for the use of rare resources and natural and cultural assets to effectively conserve natural resources. Article 27 Government entities at all levels shall establish a strict environmental monitoring network, regularly publish monitoring results, establish pre-warning systems, and adopt necessary measures. Article 28 Environmental resources belong to all citizens and future generations. The central government shall establish a system in which those who pollute or destroy the environment pay. ”

“ Industry and its products have an impact on the natural resources base of civilization through the entire cycle of raw materials exploration and extraction, transformation into products, energy consumption, waste generation, and the use and disposal of products by consumers. These impacts may be positive, enhancing the quality of a resource or extending its uses. Or they may be negative, as a result of process and product pollution and of depletion or degradation of resources. ”

“ For example. information on policies and standards applied to and followed by corporations when in their own hone country, especially concerning hazardous technologies, should be provided to host countries. Moreover, the policies of some industrialized countries that major investments are subject to prior environmental assessment should be considered for application to investments mad elsewhere and should be broadened to include sustainability criteria. ”

“ In the short run, much can be done to reverse the deadly downward spiral in environmental quality. Citizens, industries, and all levels of government have already begun to act in ways which will improve environmental quality. ”

“ We need to protect the environment while pursuing development and achieve development in a well-protected environment, making sustained efforts to build a sound ecological system. We need to take serious action to prevent and control air, water, and soil pollution, and intensify ecological conservation and restoration efforts. Over the next five years, we should aim to ensure that water consumption, energy consumption, and carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP are cut by 23%, 15%, and 18%, respectively, and that forest coverage reaches 23.04%. ”

“ Many developing countries need information on the nature of industry-based resource and environmental problems, on risks associated with certain processes and products, and on standards and other measures to protect health and ensure environmental sustainability. ”

“ Whereas, two goals of this Administration's environmental policy, cost-effective pollution prevention and the conservation of natural resources, can be significantly advanced by reducing waste and recycling the resources used by this generation of Americans ”

“ WHEREAS, the environmental, energy, and economic benefits of energy and water use reductions are very significant; the scope of innovative pollution prevention programs must be broad to adequately address the highest risk environmental problems and to take full advantage of technological opportunities in sectors other than industrial manufacturing ”

“ Assuming low levels of economic growth in the future, these same countries will probably ave to increase expenditures on environmental protection of somewhere between 20 to 100 per cent just to maintain current levels of environmental quality. ”

“ Where an entity that generates industrial solid wastes terminates, measures for pollution prevention and control in facilities and premises where industrial solid wastes are stored or treated shall be taken prior to the termination, and the untreated industrial solid wastes shall be dealt with properly to prevent environmental pollution. ”

“ Today, people are breathing easier all across our country. Thanks to engineering breakthroughs and bipartisan environmental stewardship over the past three decades, we have reduced the annual emissions of harmful pollutants by a remarkable 70 million tons. ”

“ In dealing with industrial pollution and resource degradation, it is essential that industry, government, and the public have clear benchmarks. Where the workforce and financial resources permit, national governments should establish clear environmental goals and enforce environmental laws, regulations, incentives, and standards on industrial enterprises. In formulating such policies, they should give priority to public health problems associated with industrial pollution and hazardous wastes. ”

“ Industry extracts materials from the natural resource base and inserts both products and pollution into the human environment. It has the power to enhance or degrade the environment; it invariably does both. (See Chapter 2 for a discussion of the concept of sustainable development within the context of industry and resource use.) ”