The Southern African Institute for Environmental Assessment

The Southern African Institute for Environmental Assessment (SAIEA) has developed and tested a standard EIA review form over the past 18 years for a range of different projects and many different clients throughout southern and eastern Africa.  An early version of this review form is included in the guidelines on Review in EIA, Number 13 of the DEAT Integrated Environmental Management Information Series, published in 2004, and in its evolved form, it has formed the basis of many successful local, regional and international training courses on the subject of external review.

The aim of the review form is to provide a systematic and comprehensive checklist of key elements that should be addressed in most EIAs.  Use of the form assists EAPs to ensure that they have covered all key aspects in their EIRs, while authority reviewers should use the form to enable them to make sound and informed decisions about a project EIA in a structured manner.