Developing and evaluating environmental impact assessment systems for small developing countries

This paper categorizes and reviews different approaches to environmental impact assessment (EIA) system evaluation. It then describes the application of Wood's (1995) ‘ideal’ EIA system evaluation criteria to the Republic of Maldives. Few of the criteria are actually met. Is the Maldivian EIA system therefore fundamentally flawed or deficient? Field observations suggest that this is not so and, while many improvements can be made, the system is quite locally appropriate. It is concluded that there are a number of factors contributing to the positive development of the Maldavian EIA system, and these should be added on to Wood's list as supplementary criteria appropriate to small developing countries.