| dc.description.abstract | The protection of the environment is becoming one of the most pressing
concerns of mankind in the 21St century. South African Legislation requires
an environmental impact assessment (EM) to obtain authorisation for
executing certain activities.
Constructing and operating a gas pipeline requires an authorisation from
the relevant authorities under the EIA legislation.
One of the objectives of an EIA is to ensure public involvement. South
African legislation stipulates guidelines for conducting public participation
but leaves voids for interpretation on how to most effectively apply these
guidelines.
This study investigates how an appropriate and cost and time effective
public participation process for proposed new Sasol Gas pipelines should be
conducted.
The method of investigation is to first address four sub-questions relating
to EIAs in South Africa; the meaning of public participation; public
participation as a component of EIAs; and specific problems and lessons
learned in some case studies.
These sub-questions were discussed and answered, respectively in
Chapters 2, 3, 4 and 5 of this report.
In Chapter 6 the student concluded and gave recommendations to
conduct an effective public participation process for Sasol Gas pipeline
projects. The research determined that the public participation process
recommended for these projects cannot be limited to one prescriptive
process as each project differs from the next.
Certain Sasol Gas pipeline projects need a very extensive public
participation process, whereas, a "limited" public participation process can
be applied on certain Sasol Gas pipeline projects and still be effective.
The public participation process to be followed for both types above, is
recommended in detail in Chapter 6 under the planning, participation and
exit phases. These two proposed processes are internally also flexible, as
discussed in this report. | |
