22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

MODULE 2
INTRODUCTION TO SUSTAINABLE ENGINEERING

Green economy
The term green economy was first coined in a pioneering 1989 report for the Government of
the United Kingdom by a group of leading environmental economists, entitled Blueprint for a
Green Economy (Pearce, Markandya and Barbier, 1989). The report was commissioned to
advise the UK Government if there was a consensus definition to the term "sustainable
development" and the implications of sustainable development for the measurement of
economic progress and the appraisal of projects and policies . Apart from in the title of the
report, there is no further reference to green economy and it appears that the term was used as
an afterthought by the authors. In 1991 and 1994 the authors released sequels to the first report
entitled Blueprint 2: Greening the world economy and Blueprint 3: Measuring Sustainable
Development. Whilst the theme of the first Blueprint report was that economics can and should
come to the aid of environmental policy, the sequels extended this message to the problems of
the global economy - climate change, ozone depletion, tropical deforestation, and resource loss
in the developing world. All reports built upon research and practice in environmental
economics spanning back several decades.
In 2008, the term was revived in the context of discussions on the policy response to multiple
global crises. In the context of the financial crisis and concerns of a global recession, UNEP
championed the idea of "green stimulus packages" and identified specific areas where large-
scale public investment could kick-start a "green economy" (Atkisson, 2012). It inspired
several governments to implement significant "green stimulus" packages as part of their
economic recovery efforts.
In October 2008, UNEP launched its Green Economy Initiative to provide analysis and policy
support for investment in green sectors and for greening environmentally unfriendly sectors.
As part of this Initiative, UNEP commissioned one of the original authors of Blueprint for a
Green Economy to prepare a report entitled a Global Green New Deal (GGND), which was
released in April 2009 and proposed a mix of policy actions that would stimulate economic
recovery and at the same time improve the sustainability of the world economy. The GGND
called on governments to allocate a significant share of stimulus funding to green sectors and
set out three objectives: (i) economic recovery; (ii) poverty eradication; and (iii) reduced carbon
emissions and ecosystem degradation; and proposed a framework for green stimulus programs
as well as supportive domestic and international policies (UNEMG, 2011).
In June 2009, in the lead up to the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, the UN
released an interagency statement supporting the green economy as a transformation to address
multiple crises . The statement included the hope that the economic recovery would be the
turning point for an ambitious and effective international response to the multiple crises facing
humanity based on a global green economy.
In February 2010, Ministers and Heads of Delegation of the UNEP Global Ministerial
Environment Forum in Nusa Dua acknowledged in their declaration that the green economy
concept "can significantly address current challenges and deliver economic development
opportunities and multiple benefits for all nations." It also acknowledged UNEP's leading role
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.
22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

in further defining and promoting the concept and encouraged UNEP to contribute to this work
through the preparatory process for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012
(Rio+20).
In March 2010, the General Assembly agreed that green economy in the context of sustainable
development and poverty eradication would form one of the two specific themes for Rio+20
(resolution 64/236). This led to a great deal of international attention on green economy and
related concepts and the publication of numerous recent reports and other literature aiming to
further define and demystify the concept.
One of the key reports was the flagship Green Economy Report released by UNEP in
November 2011 under its Green Economy Initiative. UNEP partnered with think tanks and
commercial actors (including Deutsche Bank), lending credibility to its economic analyses
(Atkisson, 2012). Importantly, the report also provides a working definition of "green
economy" which has since been cited in numerous other publications.
A series of other publications by UNEP, UNCTAD, UNDESA and the UNCSD Secretariat
have attempted to elaborate on the concept and outline guiding principles, benefits, risks and
emerging international experience . In December 2011, the UN Environment Management
Group (a system-wide coordination body of over 40 specialized agencies, programmes and
organs of the United Nations) also released its system-wide perspective on green economy -
Working Towards a Balanced and Inclusive Green Economy - which identifies and clarifies
the use of green economy and other related terms. This report adopts the definition provided
by UNEP in its 2011 Green Economy Report. A number of non-government organizations and
partnerships have also developed in recent years which aim to promote green economy as a
concept and undertake research, analysis and outreach .
There is no internationally agreed definition of green economy and at least eight separate
definitions were identified in recent publications. For example, UNEP has defined the green
economy as "one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while
significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. It is low carbon, resource
efficient, and socially inclusive" (UNEP, 2011). This definition has been cited in a number of
more recent reports, including by the UNEMG and the OECD. Another definition for green
economy offered by the Green Economy Coalition (a group of NGOs, trade union groups and
others doing grassroots work on a green economy) succinctly defines green economy as "a
resilient economy that provides a better quality of life for all within the ecological limits of the
planet."

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

The 5 Principles of Green Economy

Humanity faces serious challenges in the coming decades: climate change,

biodiversity loss, growing inequality, and more. These systemic global crises cannot
be tackled in isolation, because they are all interconnected. But our economic
systems are not fit enough to deliver a good balance of environmental and social
goals

Economies are, at heart, a collection of rules and norms that reward some behaviours
and punish others. In their current form, our economies incentivise
overconsumption, degrade communal bonds, and destroy natural wealth. But this is
not inevitable or unavoidable; it is simply how our economies have evolved to
operate. To solve these problems, a new economic vision is required.

The vision: a fair, green economic future

Our vision of a green economy is one that provides prosperity for all within the
ecological limits of the planet. It follows five key principles, each of which draws
on important precedents in international policy, and which together can guide
economic reform in diverse contexts.

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

1. The Wellbeing Principle

A green economy enables all people to create and enjoy prosperity.

• The green economy is people-centred. Its purpose is to create genuine, shared

prosperity.
• It focuses on growing wealth that will support wellbeing. This wealth is not merely
financial, but includes the full range of human, social, physical and natural capitals.
• It prioritizes investment and access to the sustainable natural systems, infrastructure,
knowledge and education needed for all people to prosper.
• It offers opportunities for green and decent livelihoods, enterprises and jobs.
• It is built on collective action for public goods, yet is based on individual choices

2. The Justice Principle

The green economy promotes equity within and between generations.

• The green economy is inclusive and non-discriminatory. It shares decision-making,

benefits and costs fairly; avoids elite capture; and especially supports women’s
empowerment.
• It promotes the equitable distribution of opportunity and outcome, reducing disparities
between people, while also giving sufficient space for wildlife and wilderness.

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

• It takes a long-term perspective on the economy, creating wealth and resilience that
serve the interests of future citizens, while also acting urgently to tackle today’s multi-
dimensional poverty and injustice.
• It is based on solidarity and social justice, strengthening trust and social ties, and
supporting human rights, the rights of workers, indigenous peoples and minorities, and
the right to sustainable development.
• It promotes empowerment of MSMEs, social enterprises, and sustainable livelihoods.
• It seeks a fast and fair transition and covers its costs – leaving no-one behind, enabling
vulnerable groups to be agents of transition, and innovating in social protection and
reskilling.

3. The Planetary Boundaries Principle

The green economy safeguards, restores and invests in nature.

• An inclusive green economy recognizes and nurtures nature’s diverse values

– functional values of providing goods and services that underpin the economy,
nature’s cultural values that underpin societies, and nature’s ecological values that
underpin all of life itself.
• It acknowledges the limited substitutability of natural capital with other capitals,
employing the precautionary principle to avoid loss of critical natural capital and
breaching ecological limits.
• It invests in protecting, growing and restoring biodiversity, soil, water, air, and natural
systems.
• It is innovative in managing natural systems, informed by their properties such as
circularity, and aligning with local community livelihoods based on biodiversity and
natural systems.

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

4. The Efficiency and Sufficiency Principle

The green economy is geared to support sustainable consumption and production.

• An inclusive green economy is low-carbon, resource-conserving, diverse and circular.

It embraces new models of economic development that address the challenge
of creating prosperity within planetary boundaries.
• It recognises there must be a significant global shift to limit consumption of natural
resources to physically sustainable levels if we are to remain within planetary
boundaries.
• It recognizes a ‘social floor’ of basic goods and services consumption that is essential
to meet people’s wellbeing and dignity, as well as unacceptable ‘peaks’ of
consumption.
• It aligns prices, subsidies and incentives with true costs to society, through mechanisms
where the ‘polluter pays’ and/or where benefits accrue to those who deliver inclusive
green outcomes.

5. The Good Governance Principle

The green economy is guided by integrated, accountable and resilient institutions.

• An inclusive green economy is evidence-based – its norms and institutions are

interdisciplinary, deploying both sound science and economics along with local
knowledge for adaptive strategy.
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.
22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

• It is supported by institutions that are integrated, collaborative and coherent –

horizontally across sectors and vertically across governance levels – and with adequate
capacity to meet their respective roles in effective, efficient and accountable ways
• It requires public participation, prior informed consent, transparency, social dialogue,
democratic accountability, and freedom from vested interests in all institutions – public,
private and civil society – so that enlightened leadership is complemented by societal
demand.
• It promotes devolved decision-making for local economies and management of natural
systems while maintaining strong common, centralized standards, procedures, and
compliance systems.
• It builds a financial system with the purpose of delivering wellbeing and sustainability,
set up in ways that safely serve the interests of society.

The green economy is a universal and transformative change to the global status quo. It will
require a fundamental shift in government priorities. Realising this change is not easy, but it is
necessary if we are ever to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Low Carbon Economy(LCE)

A low carbon economy is a system that aims to minimize its output of greenhouse gasses while
functioning as a typical economic program. This structure has become the long-term goal of
countries who are trying to reduce the effects of global warming. The move toward low-carbon
economies began with the signing of the Kyoto Protocol, which called on nations to reduce
their carbon emissions, and has continued with the Paris agreement in 2015.

The question that arises for policymakers is how they are going to be able to balance economic
growth with reduced emissions. Many economists suggest the best course of action would be
a gradual shift away from fossil fuels while putting a tax on carbon. That way consumers and
businesses will have an incentive for changing their consumption behaviour.

Low Carbon Development

The concept of low carbon development has its roots in the UNFCCC adopted in Rio in 1992.
In the context of this convention, low carbon development is now generally expressed using
the term low-emission development strategies (LEDS - also known as low-carbon development
strategies, or low-carbon growth plans). Though no formally agreed definition exists, LEDS
are generally used to describe forward-looking national economic development plans or
strategies that encompass low-emission and/or climate-resilient economic growth (OECD, IEA
2010).
LEDS have attracted interest in the climate negotiations as a soft alternative to voluntary or
obligatory GHG emission reduction targets in developing countries (ECN, 2011). The initial

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

proposal to introduce LEDS was put forward by the EU in 2008, highlighting how information
on planned low-carbon pathways can help to inform the international community about funding
needs and priorities and to help gauge the level of global climate change action (OECD, IEA
2010). The concept has been included in the negotiating texts under the UNFCCC since the run
up to COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009 and is part of both the Copenhagen Accord (UNFCCC,
2009) and the Cancun Agreements (UNFCCC, 2011), which recognize that a LEDS is
indispensible to sustainable development and that incentives are required to support the
development of such strategies in developing countries. Though not clearly implied by the
terminology, LEDS are understood to also include provisions to reduce vulnerability to climate
change impacts.
The discourse of integrating climate change and development builds on a large body of
literature, which was assessed by the IPCC in its fourth assessment report (Sathaye et al., 2007),
and distinguished between the traditional "climate-first" approach and a "development-first"
approach (ODI, 2009). The concept of low carbon development takes a "development-first"
approach which rethinks development planning and proposes structural solutions (such as
alternative infrastructure and spatial planning) with lower emission trajectories (Morita et al.
2001). It focuses on addressing and integrating climate change with development objectives
and is therefore a more useful approach for developing countries. In practice, the plans are
often combinations of new and existing elements, all combined in a new way to address pre-
existing policy objectives along with the need to slow climate change and prepare for its
impacts.

Outside of the UNFCCC, the concept has also gained recognition and support by world leaders,
including at the Major Economies Forum in Italy in July 2009 where leaders declared that their
countries would prepare low-carbon growth plans . A growing number of international
organizations and consultancies have also been involved in low-carbon development programs,
including the UNDP, UNEP, the World Bank (including through its Energy Sector
Management Assistance Program (ESMAP)), ClimateWorks, the Climate Development
Knowledge Network, WWF, the European Union and a variety of bilateral donors.

Eco Efficiency:

Eco-efficiency generates more value through technology and process changes whilst reducing
resource use and environmental impact throughout the product or service's life. Eco-efficiency
applies to all business aspects, from purchasing and production to marketing and distribution.

Main features

Linking environmental and economic performance, eco-efficiency is primarily a management

concept. Eco-efficiency differs from sustainability in that eco-efficiency does not measure
social aspects.
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.
22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

The WBCSD defines eco-efficiency as:

Eco-efficiency = Product or service value / Environmental influence

Implementing eco-efficiency measures gives businesses a greater understanding of their

activities and impacts as eco-efficiency requires the development of organisational, financial
and environmental profiles. In addition, businesses using eco-efficiency principles are more
profitable and competitive as they use less virgin resources, water and energy, generate less
waste and pollution, improve production methods, develop new products or services and use
or recycle existing materials.

The main aspects of eco-efficiency are:

• Reduction of energy, water and virgin material use

• Reduction of waste and pollution levels
• Extension of function and therefore product/service life
• Incorporation of life cycle principles
• Consideration of the usefulness and recyclability of products/services at the end of their
useful life
• Increased service intensity

Eco-efficiency measures required integration into management and environmental plans,

policies and strategies. Measurement (through the use of appropriate indicators) of eco-
efficiency actions is important to determine success (financial and environmental), identify and
track trends, prioritise actions and issues and ascertain areas for improvement. Reporting, both
internally and externally is also required to communicate progress and obstacles, build
shareholder and consumer confidence and report to regulators. Reporting can be integrated into
existing reporting and communication mechanisms.

Organizational proponent

The World Council for Sustainable Business Development put forward the Eco-efficiency
concept in 1991.

Case studies and examples

Building Conversion
Southwest Properties and Office Interiors Group (Canada) converted an old brewery into
offices, a showroom and manufacturing facility. Eco-efficiency measures used during the
conversion included the installation of energy efficiency lights, recycling of paper and wood
products, and metals, purchase of energy efficient office equipment, reuse of existing materials
and consideration of future uses for the building.

Fisheries
Upgrades, new processes and changes in corrective maintenance allowed J.S. McMillan
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.
22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

Fisheries (Canada) to save 5,400 GJ of energy, 269.3 tonnes in greenhouse emissions within a
two year payback period. The company's strategic direction also changed as result of eco-
efficiency actions.

Natural fibre car components

DaimlerChrysler (South Africa) is making car components using locally produced and
manufactured sisal fibers. New technology, plant design and technical advice were required to
implement the program. The outcome is that 75 percent of the Mercedes Benz C Class rear
shelf is composed of a sisal - cotton mixture. New uses for the fiber have been identified.

VOC Reductions
New technology, upgrades and system modifications resulted in 3M New Zealand capturing
and reusing 90% of its volatile organic compound emissions, improving air and waste water
emission qualities and reducing solvent purchasing costs by 80%.

Target sectors / stakeholders

The main stakeholders of eco-efficiency are businesses, business associations, industry,

research organisations and government. Other stakeholders are consumers, suppliers, non-
government organisations and shareholders.

Scale of operation
Applicable world-wide, eco-efficiency is best implemented at a business level.

WHAT IS THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE?

The triple bottom line is a business concept that posits firms should commit to
measuring their social and environmental impact—in addition to their financial
performance—rather than solely focusing on generating profit, or the standard “bottom
line.” It can be broken down into “three Ps”: profit, people, and the planet.

Profit

In a capitalist economy, a firm’s success most heavily depends on its financial

performance, or the profit it generates for shareholders. Strategic planning initiatives
and key business decisions are generally carefully designed to maximize profits while
reducing costs and mitigating risk.

In the past, many firms’ goals have ended there. Now, purpose-driven leaders are
discovering they have the power to use their businesses to effect positive change in the
world without hampering financial performance. In many cases, adopting sustainability
initiatives has proven to drive business success

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

People

The second component of the triple bottom line highlights a business’s societal impact,
or its commitment to people.

It’s important to make the distinction between a firm’s shareholders and stakeholders.
Traditionally, businesses have favored shareholder value as an indicator of success,
meaning they strive to generate value for those who own shares of the company. As
firms have increasingly embraced sustainability, they’ve shifted their focus toward
creating value for all stakeholders impacted by business decisions, including customers,
employees, and community members.

Some simple ways companies can serve society include ensuring fair hiring practices
and encouraging volunteerism in the workplace. They can also look externally to effect
change on a larger scale. For instance, many organizations have formed successful
strategic partnerships with nonprofit organizations that share a common purpose-driven
goal.

The Planet

The final component of the triple bottom line is concerned with making a positive
impact on the planet.

Since the birth of the Industrial Revolution, large corporations have contributed a
staggering amount of pollution to the environment, which has been a key driver of
climate change. A recent report by the Carbon Majors Database found that 100 companies
in the energy sector are responsible for roughly 71 percent of all industrial emissions.

While businesses have historically been the greatest contributors to climate change, they
also hold the keys to driving positive change. Many business leaders are now
recognizing their responsibility to do so. This effort isn’t solely on the shoulders of the
world’s largest corporations—virtually all businesses have opportunities to make
changes that reduce their carbon footprint. Adjustments like using ethically sourced
materials, cutting down on energy consumption, and streamlining shipping practices are
steps in the right direction.

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

WHY IS THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE IMPORTANT?

To some, adopting a triple bottom line approach may seem idealistic in a world that
emphasizes profit over purpose. Innovative companies, however, have shown time and
again that it’s possible to do well by doing good.

The triple bottom line doesn’t inherently value societal and environmental impact at the
expense of financial profitability. Instead, many firms have reaped financial benefits by
committing to sustainable business practices.

“In many situations, it's possible to do the right thing and make money at the same
time,” Harvard Business School Professor Rebecca Henderson says in Sustainable
Business Strategy. “Indeed, there's good reason to believe that solving the world's
problems presents trillions of dollars worth of economic opportunity.”

Case in point: Research by Nielsen found that 48 percent of US consumers would

change their consumption habits to lessen their impact on the environment. In 2018
alone, this sentiment translated to roughly $128.5 billion in sales of sustainable, fast-
moving consumer goods.

Beyond helping companies capitalize on a growing market for sustainable goods,

embracing sustainable business strategies can be highly attractive to investors.
According to Sustainable Business Strategy, evidence has increasingly shown that firms
with promising environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics tend to produce
superior financial returns. As a result, more investors have begun focusing on ESG
metrics when making investment decisions.

Guiding principles of sustainable engineering

Engineering in context, engineering with a conscience, engineering for a finite planet and the indefinite
future"
-Benoit Cushman-Roisin

Sustainable engineering should be based on principles that support sustainable development, as defined in
the upper sections of this lesson. Engineering forms an interface between the design (i.e., the idea how to
provide a sustainable solution to a technical problem) and implementation and production. In case of
technology development, engineering phase is linked to almost every level of technology readiness spectrum.
Sustainable engineering principles should be contemplated and applied early to ensure that technology
development and scale-up follow the environmentally benign route. It will be hard to turn back to redo and
redesign things from later stages! In that sense, the sustainable engineering principles should be taken into
account in decision making for both research and industrial projects as well as in policy making and decisions
regarding funding of technological research.
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.
22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

There have been multiple attempts by academic and industrial institutions to formulate sustainable
engineering principles. All of them fall within the triangle with Environmental, Social, and Economic values
as cornerstones. The overarching goal is to generate a balanced solution to any engineering problem. If an
engineering project benefits one of these three aspects but ignores the others, we have a lopsided system
which creates tension, instability, and new problems in the long run.
Here are some of the aspects that differentiate the traditional and sustainable approaches in engineering:

The diagram presents a consolidated framework for sustainable engineering principles, which are in part
adopted from the work of Gagnon and co-authors "Sustainable development in engineering: a review of
principles and definition of a conceptual framework(link is external)" (2008) and from the green engineering

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

principles established by Sundestin Conference (2003

Figure lists the various principles of sustainable engineering versus environmental, social, and economic
poles. Some of these principles clearly gravitate towards one of the corners of this triangle and thus address
particularly societal, environmental, or economic concern. But some others, which are placed along the sides
of the triangle, have connections to two of the poles of the diagram and address both societal and economic,
or both economic and environmental concerns in some proportion. Those principles placed in the center of
the diagram combine all three aspects of sustainability to a certain degree and hence their implementation
would benefit all societal, environmental, and economic stakeholders. We should not consider this collection
of principles set in stone. Many sources and organizations build on the existing documents and provide their
own visions. I invite you to reflect on this diagram and provide your comments for making it more complete
and more concrete for our future consideration.

These principles can be viewed as guidelines for a specific engineering project. We are going to look at a
specific example where the engineering solution was able to address the need and benefit sustainability, not
sacrificing one for the other.

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

Jubilee River Case Study

his example presents a success story about how sustainable engineering has been applied to address a critical
community need. The need is always placed in the center of an engineering project and directs design efforts.
In this case, the need was a flood prevention system. While the traditional approach of creating the concrete
trapezoidal channel(link is external) would address the need perfectly and cost-effectively, it would have
environmental and social trade-offs. For example, construction would destroy or disturb natural vegetation
and wildlife, cause high soil erosion, create a large amount of construction waste, and have a negative
aesthetic impact.
The alternative approach was to convert these problematic trade-offs into benefits. That required some
additional investment and a wider range of collaboration among civil engineers, ecologists, and landscape
architects. The result was creation of a permanent, landscaped, ecologically compatible relief channel, with
amenities and environmental features of a natural river (Figure 1.5), which eventually became an asset to the
community and increased rather than decreased the quality of life.

Current state of the Jubilee River landscape

The 12 Principles of Sustainable Engineering

Technological development, and thus scientists and engineers, play an important role in addressing the
challenges brought by each of the three axes of the Sustainability Triad. But, what does it mean to meet "the
needs of the current generation while preserving the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,"
as stated by the Brundtland Commission?
Some sources call for twelve different guidelines that can be implemented in the practice of every field of
science and engineering. In Table 1.1 below, the key points from these twelve guidelines are summarized.
What they have in common is that they require significant effort and planning BEFORE a new
process/product is created. This type of effort is consistent with the idea introduced in the section in
Sustainable Management. That is, EFFICIENCY is the most effective way to manage. We will come back
to these guidelines when we discuss the life cycle analysis of products and how to design sustainable products
in modules ahead.

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

Principles of Sustainable Engineering. Modified from Sustainability Science and Engineering.

Principle Approach Importance

1. Strive to ensure that material/energy (a) Reduce hazard. Reduces/minimizes dangers by

inputs and outputs not hazardous reduction of intrinsic hazards.
(b) Reduce exposure.

2. Waste minimization over waste Good design is creative about Lowers expenses in purchasing
management. use of by-products. and disposal.

3. Design for easy separation and Plan for recycle and reuse. Easy separation/purification =
purification. easy waste management.

4. All components must be designed Smaller is generally better. Lowers expenses.

for maximum mass, energy, and
temporal efficiency.

5. Avoid unnecessary consumption of Production must respond to Minimization of overproduction.

mass/energy versus. real-time demands.

6. Use entropy and complexity as Not all products should Disposal solutions can no longer
guidelines to decide end-of-cycle. receive the same end-of cycle be seen as one-size-fits-all.
treatment.

7. A product must not outlast its uses. Over-design is a design flaw. Decrease accumulation of high-
tech waste.

8. A product must not have Design for realistic uses and Reduces/eliminates the use of
unnecessary capabilities/capacities. conditions. components needed.

9. Minimize material diversity. Minimize the use of different Simplify waste management.
materials, esp. adhesives,
sealants, coating.

10. Product creation is only one part of Take into account methods of Minimize environmental impact
the cycle. extraction of needed of related life-cycle steps.
resources and transport.

11. Evaluate products based on life- Take into account methods of Minimize environmental impact
cycle analysis. extraction of needed of related life-cycle steps.
resources and transport.

12.Prioritize the use of renewable and Avoid using non-renewables, Minimize the overall impact of
readily available resources. except when using resource use.

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

Principles of Sustainable Engineering. Modified from Sustainability Science and Engineering.

Principle Approach Importance

renewables may be more

damaging.

OMY (LCE)
Tools for sustainable Assessment:

Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a set of processes and practices that enable
an organization to reduce its environmental impacts and increase its operating efficiency.
This site provides information and resources related to establishing an EMS for small
businesses and private industry, as well as local, state and federal agencies. The EPA
continues with its progress in developing and maintaining an environmental management
system at each of its offices, laboratories, and other facility operations, focusing on the
reduction of the agency's environmental footprint.

What is an EMS?

An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a framework that helps an organization

achieve its environmental goals through consistent review, evaluation, and improvement
of its environmental performance. The assumption is that this consistent review and
evaluation will identify opportunities for improving and implementing the environmental
performance of the organization. The EMS itself does not dictate a level of environmental
performance that must be achieved; each organization's EMS is tailored to its own individual
objectives and targets.

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

Basic EMS
An EMS helps an organization address its regulatory requirements in a systematic and cost-
effective manner. This proactive approach can help reduce the risk of non-compliance and
improve health and safety practices for employees and the public. An EMS can also help
address non-regulated issues, such as energy conservation, and can promote stronger
operational control and employee stewardship. Basic Elements of an EMS include the
following:

• Reviewing the organization's environmental goals;

• Analyzing its environmental impacts and compliance obligations (or legal and other
requirements);
• Setting environmental objectives and targets to reduce environmental impacts and
conform with compliance obligations;
• Establishing programs to meet these objectives and targets;
• Monitoring and measuring progress in achieving the objectives;
• Ensuring employees' environmental awareness and competence; and,
• Reviewing progress of the EMS and achieving improvements.

Costs and Benefits of an EMS

Internal

• Staff/manager time (represents the bulk of EMS resources expended by most

organizations)
• Other employee time

External

• Potential consulting assistance

• Outside training of personnel

Potential Benefits

• Improved environmental performance

• Enhanced compliance
• Pollution prevention
• Resource conservation
• New customers/markets
• Increased efficiency/reduced costs
• Enhanced employee morale
• Enhanced image with public, regulators, lenders, investors
• Employee awareness of environmental issues and responsibilities
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.
22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

EMS under ISO 14001

Figure 1: The continuous improvement cycle.

An EMS encourages an organization to continuously improve its environmental performance.
The system follows a repeating cycle (see figure 1). The organization first commits to an
environmental policy, then uses its policy as a basis for establishing a plan, which sets
objectives and targets for improving environmental performance. The next step is
implementation. After that, the organization evaluates its environmental performance to see
whether the objectives and targets are being met. If targets are not being met, corrective action
is taken. The results of this evaluation are then reviewed by top management to see if the EMS
is working. Management revisits the environmental policy and sets new targets in a revised
plan. The company then implements the revised plan. The cycle repeats, and continuous
improvement occurs.

The most commonly used framework for an EMS is the one developed by the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) for the ISO 14001 standard . Established in 1996, this
framework is the official international standard for an EMS which is based on the Plan-Do-
Check-Act methodology. The five main stages of an EMS, as defined by the ISO 14001
standard , are described below:

1. Commitment and Policy - Top management commits to environmental improvement and

establishes the organization's environmental policy. The policy is the foundation of the EMS.

2. Planning - An organization first identifies environmental aspects of its operations.

Environmental aspects are those items, such as air pollutants or hazardous waste, that can have
negative impacts on people and/or the environment. An organization then determines which
aspects are significant by choosing criteria considered most important by the organization. For
example, an organization may choose worker health and safety, environmental compliance,
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.
22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

and cost as its criteria. Once significant environmental aspects are determined, an
organization sets objectives and targets. An objective is an overall environmental goal (e.g.,
minimize use of chemical X). A target is a detailed, quantified requirement that arises from the
objectives (e.g., reduce use of chemical X by 25% by September 2030). The final part of the
planning stage is devising an action plan for meeting the targets. This includes designating
responsibilities, establishing a schedule, and outlining clearly defined steps to meet the targets.

3. Implementation - A organization follows through with the action plan using the necessary
resources (human, financial, etc.). An important component is employee training and
awareness for all employees (including interns, contractors, etc.). Other steps in the
implementation stage include documentation, following operating procedures, and setting up
internal and external communication lines.

4. Evaluation - A company monitors its operations to evaluate whether objectives and targets
are being met. If not, the company takes corrective action.

5. Review - Top management reviews the results of the evaluation to see if the EMS is working.
Management determines whether the original environmental policy is consistent with the
organization's values. The plan is then revised to optimize the effectiveness of the EMS. The
review stage creates a loop of continuous improvement for a company.

What is the Process for an Environmental Audit?

An environmental Audit provides an assessment of the environmental performance of a

business or organization. The audit reveals details about the activities of a company and its
compliance with environmental regulations. Audit information is presented to the management
team and employees.

An environmental audit evaluates and quantifies the environmental performance. It identifies

compliance problems or management system implementation issues.
Different Types of Environmental Audits

There are three main types of environmental audits:

▪ Environmental compliance audits
▪ Environmental management audits
▪ Functional environmental audits

The environmental compliance audit reviews the company’s or site’s legal compliance status.

The environmental management audit helps the organization or company understand how it is
performing on its own environmental performance standards.

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

A functional environmental audit measures the effects of a particular issue or activity. It

investigates specific areas of concern such as air quality monitoring, materials management, or
wastewater management. The functional environmental audit is less common and may be
included in an environmental compliance audit or an environmental management audit.
Environmental Audit Steps

The environmental audit process includes the following steps as a minimum:

1. Planning the audit, including activities to be conducted and responsibilities for each
activity
2. Review the company’s environmental protection policy and the applicable
requirements, federal, state, and local requirements.
3. Assessment of the organization, it’s management, and equipment
4. Gather data and relevant information
5. Evaluate overall performance
6. Identify areas needing improvement
7. Report findings to management
When an Environmental Audit is Necessary?

Environmental audits are an important part of a company’s environmental policy and

performance. However, many companies either don’t do them or do them improperly.

There are many, many environmental rules and regulations that apply to every business. Is your
business in compliance with all of them? Do you have all the permits you need and are you
fully compliant with all the details of each? You don’t know unless you have done an audit
done by an independent environmental auditor.

If you are not an expert on environmental compliance and regulations, you need an
environmental audit. When an inspector arrives at your work site, you’ll know that you are in
compliance and be able to provide documentation that outlines everything you are doing to
stay in compliance.
How to Conduct an Environmental Audit

There are three main Environmental Audit Stages or Phases:

▪ Pre-Audit
▪ Audit
▪ Post-Audit

Phase 1: The Pre-Audit

▪ Create the Audit Team, including a mixture of skills, talents and perspectives
▪ Create an Audit Plan
▪ Request and review documents, including:
▪ Permits or permit applications

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

▪ Production Records
▪ Reports
▪ Previous Audits including corrective actions and status of prior audit items
▪ Prepare a list of questions that regulators would ask, follow-up questions on prior
audits, and requests for additional materials needed
▪ Begin to fill-in the Disclosure of Violation Table as issues are identified

Phase 2: The Audit

▪ Set the ground rules
▪ Determine what happens which issues are identified
▪ Conduct daily meetings to keep every informed
▪ Perform a document review:
▪ Policies
▪ Compliance
▪ Training
▪ Air/Water/Waste/Noise controls, monitoring and records
▪ Emergency Response Procedures
▪ Response to Complaints
▪ Check documents for completeness, consistency, legal compliance, and whether
it’s up to date
▪ Conduct a Site Inspection
▪ Evaluate Operations for Compliance
▪ Take samples if needed
▪ Interview EHS personnel, operations, management, maintenance, to see if policies are
understood and consistently handled.
▪ Discover issues of concern
▪ Conduct a Closing Meeting listing and discussing of all issues, develop corrective
actions for each issue

Phase 3: Post-Audit
▪ Preparing the Environmental Audit Report and Disclosure of Violations form
▪ List confirmed issues and Areas of Concern
▪ List Action Items and required follow-up

What Documents do I Need to Conduct an Environmental Audit?

Cleaner Production Assessment (CPA)

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) defines Cleaner Production as the

continuous, application of an integrated preventive environmental strategy applied to
processes, products and services in order to increase efficiency and reduce risks to humans and
the environment.  For production processes cleaner production includes conserving raw
materials and energy, eliminating toxic raw materials, and reducing the quantity and toxicity
of all emissions and wastes;  For products cleaner production includes the reduction of
negative impacts along the life cycle of a product, from raw material extraction to its ultimate
disposal; and  For services cleaner production is to incorporate environmental concerns into
designing and delivering services. Traditional environmental thinking focuses on what to do
with wastes and emissions after they have been created. Cleaner Production avoids or
minimizes waste and pollution even before it is generated! The key difference between
pollution control and cleaner production is one of timing. Pollution control is after-the-event,
“react and treat” approach; Cleaner Production is a proactive, “anticipate and prevent
philosophy”. Prevention is always better than cure. Cleaner Production is not simply a question
of changing equipment: “Cleaner Production is a matter of changing attitudes”. The objective
of Cleaner Production implementation is to make companies more efficient and less polluting.

Cleaner Production is the continuous improvement of industrial processes, products and

services to reduce the use of natural resources, prevent pollution and reduce waste generation
at the source in order to minimise risks to human population and the environment. Therefore,
the purpose of Cleaner Production Assessment (CPA) is to identify options for preventing or
reducing production impacts at their
origin.

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

CPA means a permanent process and requires the integration into a company's procedures.
Undertaking a CPA requires passing different stages, namely analysing process steps,
generating Cleaner Production (CP) Options, assessing and selecting CP solutions and finally
implementing and sustaining them.

What are Cleaner Production tools ?

So what is cleaner production in practice? What kind of changes required transforming the
production to a cleaner and more efficient production?
The changes, so-called “Cleaner Production Tools” can be grouped into:
 Waste reduction at source;
 Recycling; and
 Product modifications

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

Benefits of Cleaner Production

Cleaner Production is relevant to all industries, whether they are small or big, or
whether they have a low or high consumption of raw materials, energy and water. For far the
most companies, there is a potential of reduction the resource consumption with 10-15%
without any big investments!
Overview of benefits:
 Improved production efficiency;
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.
22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

 More efficient utilization of raw materials, water and energy;

 Recovery of valuable by-products;
 Less pollution;
 Lower costs of waste disposal and waste water treatment;
 Improved image; and
 Improved occupational health and safety
Other benefits…..
i) Less use of raw materials and energy The most convincing benefit of cleaner
production is its ability to reduce the consumption of resource and materials.
Savings in energy and materials bring direct reductions in production costs,
which again make the company more competitive. With increasing cost of
raw materials, energy and water, no company can afford to lose these
resources in the form of waste.
ii) New and improved market opportunities Increasing consumer awareness of
environmental issues has led to a spurt in demand of green products in the
international market. Consequently if you put in conscious efforts towards
cleaner production, you open up new market opportunities and produce
better quality products, saleable at a higher price.
iii) Better access to finances Investment proposals based on cleaner production
contain detailed information on the economic, technical and environmental
feasibility of the planned investment. This gives a very solid basis for
achieving financial support from banks or environmental funds. On the
international market, financial institutions are awakening to the problems of
environmental degradation, and are now scrutinizing applications for loans
from an environmental angle.
iv) ISO 14000 & ISO 50001 Cleaner production will make it much easier to
implement an environmental management system such as ISO 14000 and
energy management system ISO 50001, because most of the initial work
already has been carried out through the cleaner production assessment.
v) Better working environment Apart from improving the economical and
environmental performance, cleaner production can also improve the
occupational health and safety conditions for the employees. Favorable
working conditions can boost the morale of staff and at the same time foster
a concern for controlling waste. Such actions will help your company gain
a competitive edge.
vi) Better compliance with environmental regulations Meeting the regulatory
standards for discharge of wastes (liquid, solid and gaseous) requires often
installation of expensive and complex pollution control systems like
wastewater treatment plants. With cleaner production the treatment of
residual effluents normally becomes easier and cheaper. This is because
cleaner production leads to an all round reduction in wastes: volume-wise;
load-wise; and even toxicity-wise!
Requires…
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.
22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

i) Management commitment A successful cleaner production

assessment demands a strong commitment from the manager. It
requires the direct involvement and supervision, and the seriousness
has to be reflected in actions, not only in words.
ii) Operator’s Involvement Supervisors and operators should be
actively involved right from the beginning of a cleaner production
assessment. The shop floor staff is of great help in identifying and
implementing measures for cleaner production.
iii) Systematic approach For cleaner production to be effective and
sustainable, it is essential to formulate and adopt a systematic
approach. Initially, it may be alluring to work on a piecemeal basis
as the immediate benefits might be more appealing. However, the
interest soon drops if long-term sustainable benefits are not realized.
How to obtain management commitment?
 Estimate the value of resources lost as waste;
 Highlight the environmental (and legal) consequences of this waste generation; and
 Emphasize how cleaner production can improve the current situation.

To be able to identify cleaner production options, it is necessary to carry out a cleaner

production assessment.
The cleaner production assessment focuses on:
 WHERE waste and emissions are generated;
 WHY waste and emissions are generated; and
 HOW waste and emissions can be minimized in your company. Cleaner Production
assessment is a useful tool to systematically investigate the existing production and to identify
opportunities for improving the production or the products.

Six steps towards cleaner production

The cleaner production assessment is carried out in the following six steps:

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

Cleaner production is an ongoing process. Once finished with one cleaner production
assessment, the next should be started to improve even more or to continue with another focus
area.
Environmental Impact Assessment

Introduction
▪ Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process of evaluating
the likely environmental impacts of a proposed project or
development, taking into account inter-related socio-economic,
cultural and human-health impacts, both beneficial and adverse.
▪ UNEP defines Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as a tool
used to identify the environmental, social and economic impacts of
a project prior to decision-making. It aims to predict environmental
impacts at an early stage in project planning and design, find ways
and means to reduce adverse impacts, shape projects to suit the local
environment and present the predictions and options to decision-
makers.
▪ Environment Impact Assessment in India is statutorily backed
by the Environment Protection Act, 1986 which contains various
provisions on EIA methodology and process.
History of EIA in India
▪ The Indian experience with Environmental Impact Assessment
began over 20 years back. It started in 1976-77 when the Planning
Commission asked the Department of Science and Technology to
examine the river-valley projects from an environmental angle.
▪ Till 1994, environmental clearance from the Central Government
was an administrative decision and lacked legislative support.
▪ On 27 January 1994, the then Union Ministry of Environment and
Forests, under the Environmental (Protection) Act 1986,
promulgated an EIA notification making Environmental Clearance
(EC) mandatory for expansion or modernisation of any activity or
for setting up new projects listed in Schedule 1 of the notification.

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

▪ The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change

(MoEFCC) notified new EIA legislation in September 2006.

o The notification makes it mandatory for various

projects such as mining, thermal power plants, river
valley, infrastructure (road, highway, ports, harbours and
airports) and industries including very small
electroplating or foundry units to get environment
clearance.
o However, unlike the EIA Notification of 1994, the new
legislation has put the onus of clearing projects on the
state government depending on the size/capacity of the
project.
The EIA Process
EIA involves the steps mentioned below. However, the EIA process is cyclical with
interaction between the various steps.

▪ Screening: The project plan is screened for scale of investment,

location and type of development and if the project needs statutory
clearance.
▪ Scoping: The project’s potential impacts, zone of impacts,
mitigation possibilities and need for monitoring.
▪ Collection of baseline data: Baseline data is the environmental
status of study area.
▪ Impact prediction: Positive and negative, reversible and
irreversible and temporary and permanent impacts need to be
predicted which presupposes a good understanding of the project by
the assessment agency.
▪ Mitigation measures and EIA report: The EIA report should
include the actions and steps for preventing, minimizing or by
passing the impacts or else the level of compensation for probable
environmental damage or loss.

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

▪ Public hearing: On completion of the EIA report, public and

environmental groups living close to project site may be informed
and consulted.
▪ Decision making: Impact Assessment Authority along with the
experts consult the project-in-charge along with consultant to take
the final decision, keeping in mind EIA and EMP (Environment
Management Plan).
▪ Monitoring and implementation of environmental management
plan: The various phases of implementation of the project are
monitored.
▪ Assessment of Alternatives, Delineation of Mitigation Measures
and Environmental Impact Assessment Report: For every
project, possible alternatives should be identified, and
environmental attributes compared. Alternatives should cover both
project location and process technologies.

o Once alternatives have been reviewed, a mitigation plan

should be drawn up for the selected option and is
supplemented with an Environmental Management Plan
(EMP) to guide the proponent towards environmental
improvements.
▪ Risk assessment: Inventory analysis and hazard probability and
index also form part of EIA procedures.

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

Stakeholders in the EIA Process

▪ Those who propose the project
▪ The environmental consultant who prepare EIA on behalf of project
proponent
▪ Pollution Control Board (State or National)
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.
22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

▪ Public has the right to express their opinion

▪ The Impact Assessment Agency
▪ Regional centre of the MoEFCC
Salient Features of 2006 Amendments to EIA Notification
▪ Environment Impact Assessment Notification of 2006 has
decentralized the environmental clearance projects by categorizing
the developmental projects in two categories, i.e., Category A
(national level appraisal) and Category B (state level appraisal).

o Category A projects are appraised at national level by

Impact Assessment Agency (IAA) and the Expert
Appraisal Committee (EAC) and Category B projects are
apprised at state level.
o State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority
(SEIAA) and State Level Expert Appraisal Committee
(SEAC) are constituted to provide clearance to Category
B process.
▪ After 2006 Amendment the EIA cycle comprises of four stages:

o Screening
o Scoping
o Public hearing
o Appraisal
▪ Category A projects require mandatory environmental clearance
and thus they do not undergo the screening process.
▪ Category B projects undergoes screening process and they are
classified into two types.

o Category B1 projects (Mandatorily requires EIA).

o Category B2 projects (Do not require EIA).
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.
22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

▪ Thus, Category A projects and Category B, projects undergo the

complete EIA process whereas Category B2 projects are excluded
from complete EIA process.
Importance of EIA
▪ EIA links environment with development for environmentally safe
and sustainable development.
▪ EIA provides a cost effective method to eliminate or minimize the
adverse impact of developmental projects.
▪ EIA enables the decision makers to analyse the effect of
developmental activities on the environment well before the
developmental project is implemented.
▪ EIA encourages the adaptation of mitigation strategies in the
developmental plan.
▪ EIA makes sure that the developmental plan is environmentally
sound and within the limits of the capacity of assimilation and
regeneration of the ecosystem.
Shortcomings of EIA Process
▪ Applicability: There are several projects with significant
environmental impacts that are exempted from the notification
either because they are not listed in schedule I, or their investments
are less than what is provided for in the notification.
▪ Composition of expert committees and standards: It has been
found that the team formed for conducting EIA studies is lacking
the expertise in various fields such as environmentalists, wildlife
experts, Anthropologists and Social Scientists.
▪ Public-hearing:

o Public comments are not considered at an early stage,

which often leads to conflict at a later stage of project
clearance.

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

o A number of projects with significant environmental and

social impacts have been excluded from the mandatory
public hearing process.
o The data collectors do not pay respect to the indigenous
knowledge of local people.
▪ Quality-of-EIA: One of the biggest concerns with the
environmental clearance process is related to the quality of EIA
report that are being carried out.
▪ Lack of Credibility: There are so many cases of fraudulent EIA
studies where erroneous data has been used, same facts used for
two totally different places etc.
▪ Often, and more so for strategic industries such as nuclear energy
projects, the EMPs are kept confidential for political and
administrative reasons.

o Details regarding the effectiveness and implementation

of mitigation measures are often not provided.
o Emergency preparedness plans are not discussed in
sufficient details and the information not disseminated to
the communities.
Way Forward
▪ Independent-EIA-Authority.

o Sector wide EIAs needed.

o Creation of a centralized baseline data bank.
▪ Dissemination of all information related to projects from
notification to clearance to local communities and the general
public.
▪ Applicability: All those projects where there is likely to be a
significant alteration of ecosystems need to go through the process
of environmental clearance, without exception.
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.
22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

▪ No industrial developmental activity should be permitted in

ecologically sensitive areas.
▪ Public hearing: Public hearings should be applicable to all hitherto
exempt categories of projects which have environmental impacts.
▪ The focus of EIA needs to shift from utilization and exploitation of
natural resources to conservation of natural resources.
▪ It is critical that the preparation of an EIA is completely independent
of the project proponent.
▪ Grant of clearance: The notification needs to make it clear that the
provision for site clearance does not imply any commitment on the
part of the impact Assessment agency to grant full environmental
clearance.
▪ Composition of expert committees: The present executive
committees should be replaced by expert people from various
stakeholder groups, who are reputed in environmental and other
relevant fields.
▪ Monitoring, compliance and institutional arrangements:

o The EIA notification needs to build within it

an automatic withdrawal of clearance if the
conditions of clearance are being violated and
introduce more stringent punishment for
noncompliance. At present the EIA notification limits
itself to the stage when environmental clearance is
granted.
o The composition of the NGT needs to be changed to
include more judicial persons from the field of
environment.
o Citizen should be able to access the authority for
redressal of all violation of the EIA notification as well
as issues relating to non-compliance.

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.

22ETC15D Introduction to sustainable Engineering

▪ Capacity building: NGOs, civil society groups and local

communities need to build their capacities to use the EIA
notification towards better decision making on projects.

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, DSATM, Bangalore.