The benefits of the mapping ESIA mapping was developed by the NCEA in 2005, to be applied in its cooperation with different countries. The mapping workshop provides insight into what works well in ESIA, and what are the priorities for improvement. Using a country or provincial ESIA map, the NCEA and its partners can jointly identify cooperation activities. ESIA mapping can also be used to track the development of the ESIA system of a particular jurisdiction. For example, in a number of central African countries, a series of mappings was undertaken in 2005/06 and then again in 2013. Comparison of the results revealed a proportionally significant evolution, in terms both of the legislative framework for ESIA and of practice. For example, there were improvements in the production and approval of the ESIA reports as well as in environmental authorisation.1 How does ESIA mapping work? At the heart of the ESIA map is a questionnaire that addresses key elements of the ESIA system of that jurisdiction. It explores the regulatory requirements for ESIA, but also looks at practice. It considers the ESIA steps taken prior to project approval, but also looks at what happens afterwards: in decision making and during project implementation. The mapping questionnaire is presented in an Excel workbook of interlinked spreadsheets. When completed, the ESIA map consists of statistics, and the stakeholders’ expert judgement scores on ESIA performance, all presented in a series of graphs. 11 Evolution of Environmental Impact Assessment Systems in Central Africa: The role of national professional associations. By D.Bitondo, R. Post, G. van Boven, 2014. ISBN: 9789042139862 34 The NCEA’s Views and Experiences 2018
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