As some of you will know from messages posted earlier to this list, the
Benfield Greig Hazard Research Centre and CARE International have initiated
a project to develop a Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment (REA)
methodology for use by field personnel and disaster victims during
disasters.
Accurate assessments are key to effective disaster response. Identifying,
evaluating and responding to the environmental impacts of disasters is
required for effective disaster relief and recovery operations. However,
standard environmental impact assessment procedures are unsuited to relief
operations. The project will use applied research and development to
establish and field test a practical REA methodology, and develop a
training syllabus to allow the adoption REA as a best practice for relief
operations.
The second field test of the REA methodology recently took place in
Ethiopia. A detailed report is now available from the Benfield Greig
Hazard Research Centre's website (http://www.bghrc.com - click on disaster
studies and look there under projects). The website also contains the draft
REA guidelines (currently being updated in the light of the Ethiopian
test), a report on the first field test in Afghanistan and other
information on the project.
Comments on the project and its outputs are very welcome: they should be
sent to the lead researcher, Charles Kelly ([log in to unmask]).
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