EIA and Soft Tools: A Study on Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategies for Reducing Plastic Waste

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EIA AND SOFT TOOLS
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Question 1
The article on Revisiting the Limits to Growth After Peak Oil clearly explains different
limiting factors to growth. Recently there has been vast discussion on human activities on
environmental sustainability primarily those related to climate change and biodiversity (Hall, and
Day, 2009, p.234). However, little attention has been given to the depleting resources for human
use. Regardless of the less attention, population has been growing and the resources gradually
depleting.
The largely affected of amongst the issues, seems to narrow to the continued depletion of
oil in the wells, bringing in the “peak oil” phenomenon since total world production is believed
to hit the maximum and now reducing.
In 1960s and 1970s, the syllabuses and opinions were largely swayed by articles from
environmentalists and digital scientists who explained vividly and fluently about the debate on
rising world population, their increasing needs for materials to use and the limited resources
available on the planet (Hatch, 2018, p39).
Before 2008 financial collapse, newspapers and dailies were full of stories concerning
energy, increase in prices of foodstuffs, increased hunger and riots on cities and shortage of
many materials (Balaam, and Dillman, 2015, p.37). The headings have shifted to banking system
collapse, inflation, unemployment and shrinkage of economy whereas another group of people
have blamed the present economic disorder on oil price earlier 2008.
Malthus and his 1798 publication First Essay on Population: tells us the necessity of food
in human life and that of desire amongst sexes and will remain the same state (Malthus, 2013,
p.122). Population power is obviously much greater than the ability of the earth to cater for

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sustainability of human. Unchecked population can lead to increased geometric ratio whereas
arithmetic ratio is increased by subsistence. Acquaintance with numbers will lower the vastness
of the power of population over the power of earth to produce for the subsistence of man.
Hardin’s essays in the 1960s on the impacts of overpopulation included the famous
Tragedy of the Commons; individuals will be tempted to use one common resource for their
personal benefit while it is disadvantageous to the rest (Robbins, Hintz, and Moore, 2014, p.28).
Overpopulation will not be a cause of death but its results such as death due to starvation or
diseases will bring the population growth under control.
Australia has tried to put in place many strategies and policies to try tackle the issue of
limit to growth which is now a global issue.
 Work less, live more: Sharing available work among the working population
would help control unemployment even in contracting or non-growing economy.
Low income means low consumption thus reduced economic impact.
 Measuring progress: GDP cannot be the only measure of economy, a growth in in
GDP might be experienced but there is environmental degradation, poor social
well-being and increasing inequality (Kubiszewski, Costanza, Franco, Lawn,
Talberth, Jackson, and Aylmer, 2013 p.57)
 Cap resources and energy: Efficiency (doing more with less) can help reduce
demand. This is achieved by encouraging technological innovation and recycling
thus minimizing waste.
 Redirect public spending: Move from fossil fuel economy to renewable energy
systems, investing in proficiency and lowering energy demand has helped much.

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Question 2
Queensland and Western Australia are two states in Australia that share a lot of
environmental similarities and are thus comparable in terms of Environmental Impact
Assessment process (Kennard, Pusey, Olden, Mackay, Stein, and Marsh, 2010, p.171). Below is
the comparison in the steps required to get approval for a development project that needs EIA.
Similarities
To obtain a sanction for a venture that requires EIA, the following are similarities between the
states of Western Australia and Queensland:
 Identification of study goals; it involve primarily coming up with the project which will
then be subjected to the Environmental Impact Assessment processes.
 Screening of the study goals; here were consider environmental effects that will be
caused by development and its significance level (Pölönen, Hokkanen, and Jalava, 2011,
p.120).
 If the significance is high, then EIA is required. Associated implication can make the
project developer to reassess the design with the aim of minimizing the significant
impact.
 Scope; issues that needs to be addressed are identified; these are the ones that have a
significant impact to the environment.
 Measure of baseline conditions; relevant information regarding the current status of the
environment are collected. This serves as the baseline in which change as a result of the
development can be measured.
 Predicting the effects and possibility of actions; this is basically forecasting the
environmental changes that will occur as a result of project roll out.