The aim of the EIA process is to avoid and prevent adverse environmental consequences of the proposed project. If adverse environmental impacts cannot be fully avoided, measures should be considered to minimize and control the possible adverse environmental impacts to within established limits or criteria.

• Avoid adverse environmental impacts View Snapshot
  

  Avoidance:
  Potential impacts on important suitable alternatives (e.g. change of site, design, construction method, alignment, layout, programme, etc).

• Minimize adverse environmental impactsView Snapshot
  

  Minimization:
  Unavoidable impacts can be minimized by taking appropriate design measures such as reclamation phasing to minimize suspended solids and sediment plumes dispersion.

• Mitigate and control adverse environmental impacts View Snapshot
  

  Mitigation:
  To mitigate and control traffic noise impacts using noise barrier / acoustic cover for operation of the project.

Proactive planning is the key to success.

Some tips for a project proponent

• Understand the need for project and justifications, and identify its key environmental concerns, and gather stakeholders' view.
• Inject environmental considerations at the early planning stage, i.e. conceptual stage of project life cycle.
• Apply the cardinal principle of EIA viz, avoidance-minimization-mitigation at each stage of a project life-cycle.
• Consider alternatives to avoid environmental problems and document the rationales in coming up with your decision or choice.
• Avoid putting environmental studies on the critical path of a project delivery.
• Validate assumptions in the EIA and see that promises/mitigation measures can be delivered timely and efficiently.

What is an Alternative?

Alternatives are the elements of the solution space of a problem

Alternative consideration in EIA

EIA is a decision making process. Without decision on alternatives, there is nothing to decide about. In light of prevention is better than cure, alternatives consideration can be one of the best preventive measures.

Options and alternatives are especially important when adverse environmental impacts are expected.

Making Positive Influence on Decision Making at the Earliest Possible Opportunity and Thinking Proactively about Options and Alternatives

It is often better to pre-empt adverse impacts at the early stage.

• different strategies of implementation e.g. to improve existing facilities/infrastructure to meet the demand rather than develop a new one;
• different sites or routes for all or part of the project e.g. the sites or routes should be designed to avoid and minimise possible environmental impacts;
• different technologies/working methods e.g. construction of a gas-fired power plant rather than a coal fired power station; and
• alternative layouts or designs e.g. locating noisy activities away from sensitive receivers.

Avoidance of Environmental Problems at Planning Stage by Alternative Alignment and Design

Examples of Avoiding Environmental Problems at the Planning Stage

• Case 1 - KCRC East Rail Extension from Hung Hom to Tsimshatsui
• Case 2 - HEC's 1,800 MW Gas-fired Power Station
• Case 3 - Tung Chung and Tai Ho Remaining Developments
• Case 4 - Improvement to the Lantau North-South Road Link
• Case 5 - 132kV Power Cable from Po Lam to Tui Min Hoi

Minimization and Mitigation of Environmental Impacts through incorporation of Mitigation Measures at the Design Stage

Examples of Environmental Measures at the Design Stage

• Case 6 - Cyber Port Development
• Case 7 - West Rail Phase 1
• Case 8 - Hong Kong Disneyland

Incorporation of Mitigation Measures during the Construction Stage

Examples of Environmental Measures to Minimize Impacts During Construction

• Case 9 - Pak Shek Kok Reclamation
• Case 10 - Dredging at Cheung Sha Wan Fish Culture Zone
• Case 11 - Reclamation for HEC's 1,800 MW Gas-fired Power Station
• Case 12 - Northern Access Road for Cyber Port