J48716 Willend EIA ResearchReport V4 FINAL - Flipbook - Page 5
Figure 1.1: Examples of the application of Digital EIA across the globe in 2021
(After: Fothergill and Murphy 2021)1
North America:
Europe:
Asia:
- Canada, Environmental database
management system
- IFC, Artificial Intelligence, and
data innovation for social license
- Iceland, Early example of the
potential of digital EIS
- Netherlands, Digital EIS, diagnostic
tool country ESIA systems
-Serbia, Envigo digital IA platform
- China (Hong Kong), Virtual and hybrid
reality systems
- Singapore, Autonomous vehicles +
automated decision support systems
- Nepal, drones + digital air quality
devices
South America
Africa:
Australasia:
- Chile, Remote sensing and live
database EIA follow - up
- Guyana, Imagery + GIS to map
coastal ecosystem services, with
in-field verification.
- Kenya, Drones surveys
- Nigeria, Developing digital EIA project
+ drone surveys
- South Africa, digital screening
platform
- Australia, digital EIA studies, reports
and monitoring system.
The 2021 IAIA study included engagement with
EIA professionals from around the world, including
across Africa, with four of the nineteen IA experts
interviewed as part of the study having experience
of Nigerian EIA. One of the IA experts interviewed
was Etia Ndarake – the Founder and Managing
Director of Willend Associates (Willend), who
identified how drones technology was helping
advance EIA practice and was enthused with
clear energy and enthusiasm about the potential
for other advances in digital technologies to
further enhance practice in the country.
webinar was presented through the respected
global sustainability professional body IEMA – the
Institute for Environmental Management and
Assessment. The webinar included presentations
by FMEnv, Willend and the Netherlands
Commission for Environmental Assessment
(NCEA) – a Government funded institution that
supports the development of IA practice around
the globe. The webinar - Digital Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA): Benefits, Opportunities
and Challenges for Nigeria - attracted significant
interest with over 500 people seeking to attend.
In the first half of 2022, Etia further developed
connections with representatives at the
Environmental Assessment Department at
the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Environment
(FMEnv) to deliver a webinar on the potential of
Digital EIA in Nigeria. Held on the 1st June the
Having demonstrated the keen interest
in and potential for digital EIA in Nigeria,
Willend sought to catalyse this opportunity
by commissioning initial market research
through the second half of 2022.
Willend Associates and FothergillTC Ltd – Research: Enabling Digital EIA in Nigeria
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