An evaluation of the participation of potentially affected public in environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for manufacturing and processing industries in Uganda

This data was collected in Uganda between 2018 and 2019 to assess the participation of the potentially affected public in environmental impact assessments (EIA) for manufacturing and processing industries. It was part of a PhD research in environmental governance and management. The specific research was on; Stakeholders’ capacities, institutional and regulatory framework and influence on the implementation of EIA follow-up in the central Uganda’s industries. Stakeholders capacity and the institutional and regulatory framework are considered important context factors in influencing the effectiveness of EIA implementation at both assessment and follow-up stages of the EIA process. This data was collected to assess the participation of potentially affected public in EIAs for manufacturing and processing industries. The data was collected using questionnaire administered for 100 households around 4 industries within central Uganda. The 4 industries were systematically selected from a list of 16 manufacturing industries which were issued operation licenses by the environmental regulator (the National Environmental Management Authority between 2000 and 2005. The questionaire covered important aspects of community capacity in terms of knowledge and awareness, access to EIA information, environmental stewardship, social cohesion, participation in EIA during assessment and EIA follow-up activities such as monitoring, post environmental audits or evaluation, management and communication . The assumption was that, these factors influence the participation of potentially affected public in the EIA process. at both assessment or pre-approval decision and post decision stages. The data was analyzed mainly using descriptive statistics though regression analysis was used but the results were not used in the main reporting, though it revealed that, most of the selected parameters for community capacity had postive significant impact on participation of the potentially affected public in EIA activities at both pre-approval decision and post-decision activities. The study revealed that there were fairly good legal provisions for public participation and involvement in EIA. However, public participation was not well legislated in the early phases of the EIA process and the later phases particularly final decision making and EIA follow-up. There were gaps between law and actual practice due to many contextual factors including developer – led public participation and involvement, weak monitoring by the regulator, weak community cohesion and environmental stewardship, limited dissemination of EIA information and lack of community awareness of potential environmental and health impacts of projects. The paper made several recommendations to enhance the participation and involvement of the affected public in EIA.

本数据集于2018至2019年间在乌干达采集，旨在评估制造业与加工业环境影响评价（Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA）中受影响公众的参与情况。本数据集为环境治理与管理方向博士研究的一部分，该项研究的核心内容为：乌干达中部工业领域的利益相关者能力、制度与监管框架，及其对EIA后续实施工作的影响。利益相关者能力与制度、监管框架，被视为影响EIA全流程（包括评价与后续阶段）实施效果的关键情境因素。本次数据采集的核心目标，仍是评估制造业与加工业EIA中受影响公众的参与情况。本次数据通过问卷形式采集，共向乌干达中部4家工业企业周边的100户家庭发放问卷。这4家工业企业均通过系统抽样法，从乌干达环境监管机构——国家环境管理局（National Environmental Management Authority）2000至2005年间核发运营许可的16家制造业企业名单中选出。问卷内容涵盖了社区能力的多个关键维度，包括知识与认知水平、EIA信息获取渠道、环境管护意识、社会凝聚力、EIA评价阶段参与情况，以及监测、事后环境审计或评估、管理与沟通等EIA后续活动的参与情况。本研究的假设前提为：上述因素会在EIA的评价/审批前决策阶段与审批后决策阶段，影响受影响公众的参与意愿与行为。本次数据主要采用描述性统计方法进行分析，虽曾使用回归分析，但最终未将其结果纳入主报告；不过回归分析结果显示，大部分选取的社区能力相关参数，均对受影响公众在EIA审批前决策阶段与审批后阶段的活动参与情况产生了显著正向影响。研究表明，乌干达已具备较为完善的EIA公众参与相关法律条款。但在EIA流程的早期阶段，以及尤其是最终决策与EIA后续实施等后期阶段，公众参与的相关立法仍存在不足。由于多方面情境因素的影响，法律规定与实际执行之间存在较大差距，这些因素包括：由项目开发者主导的公众参与、监管机构监测力度不足、社区凝聚力与环境管护意识薄弱、EIA信息传播范围有限，以及社区对项目潜在环境与健康影响缺乏认知。本研究针对提升受影响公众在EIA中的参与程度，提出了多项改进建议。