ABSTRACT

Transport remains one of the essential infrastructures, crucial for socio-economic development. However, climate change threatens the transport infrastructure development gains already achieved globally. The incorporation of climate change and adaptation capabilities into environmental impact assessment (EIA) processes has been extensively discussed and linked to enhanced project climate resilience. However, a considerable research gap remains unexplored, and that is assessing whether and how EIA has been used to climate-proof development proposals in Africa. This study examined how climate change impacts and adaptation capabilities featured in the EIA of a major transport infrastructure project in Tanzania. It draws on reviewing the project’s environmental impact statement (EIS) using review criteria derived from the literature. The findings revealed that all EIA stages addressed climate change in one way or another, with some of the criteria more comprehensively treated than others. A closer examination unveiled several good practices, which evidence appreciation for climate science and considerable strength in climate change preparedness. The results highlight EIA’s potential to steer climate efforts among vulnerable communities systematically. This paper will contribute to the international discussion on this issue and offer a basis for further research towards deeper engagement between the actors within EIA, transport planning and climate networks.

摘要

交通仍然是必不可少的基础设施之一，对社会经济发展至关重要。然而，气候变化威胁着全球已经取得的交通基础设施发展成果。将气候变化和适应能力纳入环境影响评估 (EIA) 过程已得到广泛讨论，并与增强项目的气候适应能力相关联。然而，仍有相当大的研究空白尚未探索，那就是评估 EIA 是否以及如何被用于非洲的气候防护发展提案。本研究考察了坦桑尼亚一个主要交通基础设施项目的环境影响评估中的气候变化影响和适应能力。它利用从文献中得出的审查标准审查项目的环境影响报告 (EIS)。调查结果表明，所有 EIA 阶段都以一种或另一种方式处理气候变化，其中一些标准比其他标准更全面地处理。更仔细的研究揭示了一些良好实践，这些实践证明了对气候科学的赞赏和在气候变化准备方面的巨大实力。结果突出了 EIA 在系统地引导脆弱社区的气候努力方面的潜力。本文将有助于就此问题进行国际讨论，并为进一步研究环境影响评估、交通规划和气候网络中的参与者之间的更深入参与提供基础。这证明了对气候科学的赞赏以及在气候变化准备方面的巨大实力。结果突出了 EIA 在系统地引导脆弱社区的气候努力方面的潜力。本文将有助于就此问题进行国际讨论，并为进一步研究环境影响评估、交通规划和气候网络中的参与者之间的更深入参与提供基础。这证明了对气候科学的赞赏以及在气候变化准备方面的巨大实力。结果突出了 EIA 在系统地引导脆弱社区的气候努力方面的潜力。本文将有助于就此问题进行国际讨论，并为进一步研究环境影响评估、交通规划和气候网络中的参与者之间的更深入参与提供基础。