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。本数据集属于一项环境治理与管理领域的博士研究项目，其核心主题为：乌干达中部地区制造业环境影响评价后续落实工作中的利益相关方能力、制度与监管框架，及其对该项工作的影响。利益相关方能力与制度监管框架，被视为影响环境影响评价全流程（含评价与后续落实阶段）实施成效的关键情境因素。本次数据采集的核心目标与前述一致，即评估制造业与加工业环境影响评价中受影响公众的参与情况。本次数据通过问卷采集完成，共向乌干达中部4家制造业周边的100户居民发放问卷。这4家企业均从乌干达环境监管机构——国家环境管理局（National Environmental Management Authority, NEMA）于2000至2005年间核发运营许可的16家制造业企业名单中，经系统抽样遴选而出。问卷内容涵盖社区能力建设的多个核心维度：包括知识与认知水平、环境影响评价信息获取渠道、环境治理参与意愿、社会凝聚力、环境影响评价阶段的公众参与，以及环境影响评价后续落实相关活动（如监测、环境后审计或评估、管理与沟通）中的公众参与情况。本研究预设上述因素，会影响受影响公众在环境影响评价全流程中的参与度，涵盖评价阶段、审批前决策阶段与审批后决策阶段。本次数据主要采用描述性统计方法开展分析，虽曾辅以回归分析，但相关结果未纳入主报告。不过回归分析结果显示，多数遴选的社区能力相关参数，对受影响公众在环境影响评价审批前及审批后的相关活动中的参与度，均产生了显著正向影响。研究表明，乌干达已具备较为完善的环境影响评价公众参与相关法律条款。但在环境影响评价流程的早期阶段，以及后期尤其是最终决策与环境影响评价后续落实阶段，公众参与的相关立法仍存在不足。由于多方面情境因素影响，法律规定与实际执行之间存在显著差距，这些因素包括：由项目开发方主导的公众参与模式、监管机构监测力度不足、社区凝聚力与环境治理参与意愿薄弱、环境影响评价信息传播范围有限，以及社区对项目潜在环境与健康影响缺乏认知。本研究针对上述问题提出多项建议，以提升受影响公众在环境影响评价流程中的参与度与融入度。