INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

The course is included in the Environmental Sciences bachelor programme. The main objective of the programme is to develop highly skilled professionals able to use their multidisciplinary knowledge for preventing, assessing and solving environmental issues. The latter are, to a great extent, direct or indirect result of human activities. This generates the need of preventing, diagnosing, and solving anthropogenic impacts. the problems of regulatory and non-regulatory concern. The course provides basic methodological tools for integrating previously acquired knowledges and finalizing their application to quantitative environmental assessment in the context of sustainable development. Regulatory aspects are presented as answer to the need of integrating sectorial aspects with environmental aspects over different decisional levels and spatial-temporal scales with the aim of safeguarding and adding value to environmental resources involved in single work interventions or in plans and programs. The teaching approach is aimed to develop student’s critical thinking in evaluating alternatives concerning reduction/elimination of negative impacts or increase of positive impacts generated by humans, and in selecting most effective science based technical and decisional procedures for improving environmental management.

Attending the classes and thoroughly studying the course notes and reading materials will enable students to achieve the following learning outcomes.

1) Knowledge and comprehension
Knowledge of the terminology and fundamentals of the theoretical basis allowing the comprehension of environmental valuation and impacts assessment. In line with the learning objectives of the Course programme, this knowledge will enable students to familiarize with main procedures for the environmental impact assessment at the different scales in the context of spatial and temporal variability, thus providing a background for acting as either writer or reviewer of environmental impact statements.
Understanding the relevance of systemic and integrative approaches in the investigation, interpretation and prediction of environmental components dynamics.

2) Capacity of applying knowledge and comprehension
Ability to apply the acquired theoretical basis and regulatory approaches to real case studies such as the impacts assessment of infrastructures, conservation and remediation master plans.
Ability to evaluate and formulate alternatives aiming at reducing or eliminating adverse environmental impacts from human pressures.

3) Assessment capacity
To be able of assessing positive and negative environmental impacts along with benefits and damages brought about by the implementation of human activities through single interventions, plans and programs.

4) Communication Skills
Ability to clearly present the results of an environmental assessment using appropriate technical language, even in multidisciplinary and participatory contexts.

5) Learning Skills
Ability to consult regulations, guidelines, and technical documentation, and to independently stay updated on environmental assessment and management tools.

Prerequisite Courses: ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS - [CT0584]; ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND LAW - [CT0591]; ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT AND EXERCISES - [CT0587]; ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY - [CT0590].

A fundamental aspect for successfully undertaking this course will be the acquisition of basic knowledge from the prerequisite courses concerning:
1) The structure and functioning of ecosystems and environmental systems as a whole, and the formalization of cause-and-effect relationships (including matrix calculus).
2) Environmental risk assessment.
3) Environmental policy instruments (including economic ones).

During the course, the following topics will be covered:

1) Fundamentals of environmental assessment and sustainability: Introduction to environmental assessment and the main methodological approaches: mass and energy balances, ecosystem services, environmental stressors of a chemical, physical, and biological nature, and identification of environmental risks. Concepts of social, economic, and environmental sustainability, and criteria for the use of renewable and non-renewable resources. Case studies on complex contaminated sites of national interest (SIN), with particular reference to Taranto and Porto Marghera.

2) The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedure: Project cycle with and without EIA. Evolution of the international, European, national, and regional regulatory framework. Scope of application of EIA, screening, and scoping. Structure and contents of the Environmental Impact Study (EIS), with particular reference to the programmatic, project-related, and environmental frameworks. Indicators, indices, and the main conceptual frameworks for environmental analysis (PSR and DPSIR). Identification, characterization, and assessment of impacts, mitigation and compensation measures, ex post monitoring, and cumulative impact assessment.

3) Methods for environmental impact assessment: Decision analysis in the environmental field and applications of multicriteria analysis. Impact matrices: definitions, structure, applications to real case studies, and practical exercises. Monetary and non-monetary evaluation methodologies, elements of impact modelling, and decision support systems.

4) Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and other environmental assessment/authorization procedures: The SEA procedure in the decision-making process for plans and programmes; structure and contents of the Environmental Report; relationships between EIA and SEA. Appropriate Assessment (AA), the Natura 2000 Network, the Habitats Directive, and the Birds Directive. Introduction to Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC), Best Available Techniques (BAT), and Integrated Environmental Authorization (IEA).

5) Stakeholder participation processes in environmental assessment procedures: organization, timing, and implementation methods. Guidelines, operational criteria, and the main decision-support tools for EIA and SEA. Integrated application of environmental assessment tools to case studies.

Lecture presentations and documents provided by the professor on the Moodle platform.

The achievement of the learning objectives if verified by means of a final written test: the test includes 4 open questions, aimed at ascertaining that a student has understood the theory and practice of environmental impact assessment (e.g. EIA, SEA, IPCC, VIncA).
The evaluation takes into account: (1) conceptual completeness; (2) terminological accuracy; (3) ability to argue critically, also in relation to the cases discussed in class.

written

The instructor is responsible for ensuring the authenticity and originality of all examinations and coursework. In cases of suspected academic misconduct, an additional on-site assessment may be required during the exams, which may differ from the standard format.

The exams will be graded from 0 to 30 cum laude, with a passing threshold of 18 points.
The work will be evaluated on the basis of completeness and clarity of the answers, and on the use of appropriate language and terms.
For the questions of the written exam, max 8 points each are assigned, where: 8 corresponds to excellent; 7 to very good; 6 to good; 5 to sufficient; 4 to insufficient; 3 to seriously insufficient.

For the overall evaluation of the work:
Scores in the range 18-21 range: superficial knowledge of the topics covered in the classes; unclear and lacking in technical terminology.
Scores in the range 22-25: not always in-depth knowledge of the topics covered in the classes; orderly presentation but with not always correct use of technical terminology;
Scores in the range 26-27: good knowledge of the topics covered in the classes; fair ability to organize information and present it; familiarity with technical terminology;
Scores in the range 28-30: excellent mastery of the topics covered in the classes; ability to prioritize information and correct use of appropriate technical terminology.

Honors will be awarded in the presence of excellent judgment and communication ability, and excellent understanding of the program's topics.

Lectures will be based on PowerPoint presentations and notes, which are provided to students weekly. The relevance of all topics to understanding environmental impact assessment (EIA) issues will be underlined and illustrated with various examples. This will include in-class practice work on using interaction matrices in EIA (via Excel), drafting a brief evaluation of the results, and leading classroom discussions.

Ca' Foscari adheres to Italian Law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) regarding the support and accommodation services available to students with disabilities or specific learning disorders. If you have a motor, visual, hearing, or other disability (Law 17/1999), or a specific learning disorder (Law 170/2010) and require support—such as classroom assistance, technological aids for exams or individualized exams, accessible format materials, note-taking assistance, specialized study tutoring, interpreters, or other services—please contact the Disability and DSA Office at: disabilita@unive.it.

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Natural capital and environmental quality" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development