accreditation of environmental consultants · the eia was introduced as a legal requirement in...

Accreditation ofEnvironmental Consultants

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Published by:IUCN Pakistan (National Impact Assessment Programme)

Copyright:© 2014 Government of Pakistan and International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

Accreditation for EIA Consultants was prepared under the National Impact Assessment Programme(NIAP), a joint initiative of the Government of Pakistan and IUCN Pakistan, with the financial support ofthe Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN).

Citation is encouraged. Reproduction and/or translation of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorised without prior written permission from IUCN Pakistan, provided thesource is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes isprohibited without prior written permission from IUCN Pakistan.

The opinions expressed in this document do not constitute an endorsement by the EKN.

Citation:Hagler Bailly Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd. 2104. Accreditation for EIA Consultants. Islamabad: IUCN Pakistan. 24 pp.

ISBN 978-969-643-004-9

Author:Hagler Bailly Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd

Editor:Shadmeena Khanum

Technical Support:Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment (NCEA)

Facilitation:Ahmad SaeedArfa Zaheer Azmat

Design:Azhar Saeed

Cover Photographs:IUCN Pakistan

Printed by:Wasa Printers (Pvt) Limited

Available from:IUCN PakistanNational Impact Assessment ProgrammeHouse No. 2, Street 83Embassy Road, G-6/4, IslamabadTel: +92 (51) 2271027-34Fax: +92 (51) 2271017www.niap.pk

1Accreditation of Environmental Consultants

1. Introduction 2

1.1 Objectives of the Study 31.2 Organisation of the Report 3

2. The Context 4

2.1 The Need for Accreditation 42.2 Objective of the Accreditation Mechanism 5

3. Examples of Accreditation Systems 6

3.1 Institute of Professional Environmental Practice 63.2 Academy of Board Certified Environmental Professionals 73.3 Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment 83.4 Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society 93.5 National Accreditation Board for Education and Training, India 10

4. Options for Accreditation Systems 13

4.1 Possible Accreditation Organisations 134.2 Accreditation Types 14

5. Proposed Accreditation Systems 17

5.1 General Concept 175.2 Preliminary Scheme for Certification of EIA Experts 18

6. Preliminary Scheme for Accredition of Consulting Firms 21

6.1 Further Work 236.2 Recommended Organisations 24

Table of Contents

2 Accreditation of Environmental Consultants

The National Impact Assessment Programme (NIAP) was initiated as apartnership between the Government of Pakistan (GoP) and the InternationalUnion for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), to contribute to sustainabledevelopment in Pakistan through the strengthening of the EnvironmentalImpact Assessment (EIA) process and introduction of Strategic EnvironmentalAssessment (SEA) in planning processes at the federal and provincial levels.Implementation partners include the Environmental Protection Agencies(Federal, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan, Azad Jammu andKashmir, and Gilgit Baltistan), the Environment Wing (EW) of the Ministry ofClimate Change (MoCC), the Planning Commission of Pakistan (PC) and IUCNPakistan. The Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment (NCEA)provides technical guidance and support to the project. The funding for theproject has been provided by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The EIA was introduced as a legal requirement in Pakistan in 1983 with thepromulgation of Pakistan Environmental Protection Ordinance 1983. Thisordinance, however, lacked implementation mechanism and largely remainedunenforced. The use of the EIA as a serious planning tool started with theenactment of Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 (“PEPA 1997” or the“Act”). The Act made it mandatory to undertake environmental assessment ofdevelopment projects and proposed penalties for failing to meet therequirements. The implementation mechanism and procedure was defined firstthrough guidelines1 and subsequently by the Pakistan EnvironmentalProtection Agency Review of Initial Environmental Examination andEnvironmental Impact Assessment Regulations 2000 (“IEE-EIA Regulations”).

As is the practice worldwide, the EIA reports are being prepared by consultingfirms. Starting from a handful of individual consultants, the National Directoryof Environmental Consultants, 20042 listed 38 consulting firms located mainlyin Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad. The qualification and experience of thestaff undertaking the environmental assessment and quality of the consultingfirms vary considerably. It is widely recognised as a key weakness in the EIAsystem of the country.

1. INTRODUCTION

1 Policy and procedures for the filing, review and approval of environmental assessments, November 19972 Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.environment.gov.pk/new-pdf/DEC.pdf, Accessed

January 2013


It is one of the objectives of the NIAP to changethis by facilitating the creation of a nationalaccreditation system for the EIA consultants, andmaking this information available to anyorganisation requiring an EIA. To accomplish this,a study was commissioned by the IUCN toexplore the status of Pakistan’s EIA reviewprocess. The terms of reference are included asAppendix A.

A draft report was prepared earlier3 which wasfollowed by a consultative workshop inIslamabad on April 16th, 2013. The minutes of theworkshop are included as Appendix B. A secondmeeting was held on September 5th, 2013. Theminutes of this meeting are included asAppendix C. This document presents the revisedreport of the study prepared in the light of thecomments received from the participants of theconsultative work.

1.1 Objectives of the StudyThe objectives of this study are to:l Explore relevant accreditation practices

globally (e.g. India and USA) in environmentand other disciplines;

l Set out key options for accreditationsystems, pros and cons of each, andconditions needed for such systems tofunction;

l Present key options at a suitable discussionforum (to be decided), facilitate discussionand decision on the most promising andsuitable certification approach for Pakistan;and

l Develop a more detailed proposal for theestablishment of an accreditation system forthe EIA consultants in Pakistan, based on theapproach chosen at discussion, includingrecommendations on housing options for theaccreditation system.

1.2 Organisation of the ReportThe report is organised in five sections. Followingthis section, the context of the review isdiscussed in Section 2. This is followed byexamples of accreditation systems in Section 3.Options for accreditation schemes are discussedin Section 4. Based on these reviews therecommendations are provided in Section 5.

3 National Impact Assessment Programme: Accreditation of Environmental Consultants, First Draft, HBP Ref: D3A01RAE, February 19, 2013.

Bobbi Schijf, NCEA speaking at the consultation, April 2014.


2.1 The Need for Accreditation

In the EIA related activities undertaken by NIAP, the lack of a formalaccreditation system for EIA consultants has been identified several times atdifferent forums as a key weakness in the Pakistani EIA system. The issue ofthe quality of EIA consultants has been mentioned in almost all EIA mappingworkshops—national and provincial, as a hindrance in the effectiveimplementation of the EIA system in the country. As currently there is noprocedure in place to ensure appropriate qualifications of an EIA consultant,this is identified as one of the reasons for sub-standard EIA reports producedin Pakistan.

Environmental Impact Assessment4 is a systematic process that examines thepotential impacts of development projects in the environment. It is a planningtool designed to incorporate the concept of sustainable development into themainstream decision-making process. It is formally defined as “the process ofidentifying, predicting, evaluating and mitigating the biophysical, social, andother relevant effects of development proposals prior to major decisions beingtaken and commitments made.”5

For the EIA to meet its objectives and contribute towards effective decision-making there are three main steps:1. Development of an EIA which meets the requirements;

2. Establishment of an effective review mechanism to ensure that the EIAmeets its objectives; and

3. Setting up a systematic follow-up programme to ensure that the proposedmeasures in the EIA are implemented.

The scope of this document is limited to Step 1. Development of a quality EIA- an EIA that meets the requirements - entails a certain level of expertise within

2. THE CONTEXT

4 Various organisations and regulatory agencies apply different names to the EIA process and report. Theseinclude, for example, Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, Environmental Assessment, andEnvironmental Impact Statement. While the name may differ the broad objectives of these are similar.

5 International Association for Impact Assessment. Principles of Environmental Impact Assessment Bestpractice. Jan 1999.


the EIA team. A quality EIA can only happen if theconsulting firms have professionals of therequired expertise and with the necessaryqualifications.

As it happens in most of the developed countries,market forces ensure the production of qualityEIAs. There is a demand for quality EIAs; thestakeholders are aware of the requirements; andthe regulatory authorities have the necessaryresources to effectively review the documents. Ifthe consulting firm does not have the requiredprofessional staff and the EIAs are, hence,substandard, the business of the firm is affected.

In developing countries like Pakistan, marketforces do play a role but they are not sufficient toensure the production of quality EIAs due to alack of awareness among stakeholders and poorEIA review mechanism. It is therefore sensible toset minimum standards for the consulting firmsand have a mechanism to enforce these. Indeed,this will not be the only measure and othermeasures such as public awareness,strengthening of the regulatory regime, andimprovement in the EIA review mechanism will berequired. These are, however, beyond the scopeof this document.

There are various other possible options availablein this regard both in the public and private sectorfor accrediting or registering EIA consultants.These will be further discussed during theaccreditation system development.

2.2 Objective of the AccreditationMechanismThe objectives of the having an accreditingmechanism may be as follows:1. Set a minimum qualification for the team or

individuals who are to undertake the EIA in

order to bring uniformity and consistency inEIA reports and hence improve their qualities;

2. Help the project proponents in selectingconsultants with appropriate qualification-

The client should study the proposedproject and its engineering needs so thatit is known what is required from andexpected of the consulting engineer.Selection of a consulting engineering firmshould be guided by one primaryconsideration—the qualifications of theconsulting staff for the project to beundertaken....The client should approachthe selection of a consulting engineer withthe same attitude that would apply to thechoice of a doctor or lawyer. Skill,availability, reputation and experience areall factors to consider....

—Wisconsin Association of Consulting Engineers1991-1992 Directory

As described in the above quote,selection of the consulting firm requiresmore than a mere directory of consultingfirms. One way of providing the additionalinformation on the consulting firms andindividual consultants is an accreditationsystem that directly or indirectly providesinformation on the qualifications of theconsulting staff; and

3. Differentiate between standard and sub-standard consulting firms and hence give thebetter firms a marketing edge.


There are various types of accreditation systems for professional organisationsworldwide. The differences in these systems are manifested in the type oforganisation - private, public, or professional association - or in beingdeveloped to meet a mandatory or voluntary requirement. In this section someexamples of such systems are provided.

3.1 Institute of Professional Environmental PracticeThe Institute of Professional Environmental Practice (IPEP)6 is a United States-based independent, not-for-profit certifying organisation for QualifiedEnvironmental Professional (QEP) and the Environmental Professional Intern(EPI) certifications. IPEP’s stated mission is to improve the practice andeducational standards of environmental professionals around the globethrough administration of these multi-disciplinary certification programmes.

3.1.1 Coverage of IPEPIPEP has a membership of over 1,000 professionals in the environmentalsciences. Six major environmental organisations also actively support IPEPand its QEP certification.

IPEP provides individual certification through a rigorous application andexamination process to demonstrate a broad understanding of theenvironment and environmental issues. In addition to knowledge, QEPcertification also emphasises in a strong commitment to excellence in appliedenvironmental science and adherence to a strict code of ethics.

3.1.2 HistoryThe Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP) certification programmeevolved out of an interest among members of the Air and Waste ManagementAssociation (AWMA) in a broad-based credential. AWMA created aCertification Steering Committee in 1990 to research existing certifications andformulate a report on its findings and recommendations. A survey wasconducted in the spring of 1992 among both AWMA and non-AWMA memberswhich indicated overwhelming support among environmental professionals fora broad-based, over-arching environmental credential. Following approval by

3. EXAMPLES OF ACCREDITION SYSTEMS

6 http://ipep.org/

the AWMA Board of Directors, in March of 1993the Steering Committee was incorporated tobecome the Institute of ProfessionalEnvironmental Practice (IPEP), an independent,not-for-profit body. The Steering Committeemembers became the initial Board of Trusteesand, following discussions with several leadingenvironmental organisations, representatives fromthose organisations also joined IPEP.

3.1.3 CredentialsQualified Environmental Professional (QEP)The QEP is a multi-media, multi-disciplinary, fullyaccredited credential that requires environmentalprofessionals to see “the big picture” and to havethe skills and knowledge to solve “real worldproblems”.

Through QEP certification, environmentalprofessionals demonstrate the depth and breadthof their knowledge and experience. They alsoagree to abide by IPEP’s Code of Ethics.

EPI CredentialThe Environmental Professional Intern (EPI)programme is an optional first step towardsobtaining QEP status for environmental studentsand professionals just beginning their careers.The EPI credential is an opportunity for studentswho anticipate entering the environmental field, orfor graduates who have entered the field withinthe last five years, to demonstrate personalknowledge of general environmental science.

EPI Mentoring ProgrammeThe EPI programme offers the availability of aQEP mentor for up to a seven-year period toprovide the EPI with professional guidance andintroduction into a network of senior, well-respected environmental professionals.

3.1.4 Certification BasisCertification is only provided to individuals on thebasis of recommendations from seniorprofessionals and examinations conductedperiodically by the IPEP.

3.2 Academy of Board CertifiedEnvironmental ProfessionalsThe Academy of Board Certified EnvironmentalProfessionals (ABCEP)7 is a United States-basedvoluntary professional association “dedicated toserving the environmental professionalcommunity.” It is the lead organisation certifyingenvironmental professionals; maintainingexemplary standards of ethics and technicalpractice; and supporting individuals, ourprofession and the public relying upon ourservices. The Academy’s primary mission is toconfer the Certified Environmental Professionalcredential to meritorious environmentalprofessionals found to meet exemplary standardsof ethics and technical practice. The processused by this Academy to certify environmentalprofessionals is accredited by the Council ofEngineering and Scientific Specialty Boards.

During the past 30 years the CertifiedEnvironmental Professional (CEP) designation hasbeen awarded to senior managers and otherqualified individuals as a way to demonstrate theirprofessional skills and high standards of conduct.The CEP designation is a national system ofexcellence and says to employers, clients,colleagues and the public that an individual is aknowledgeable, experienced, and dedicatedprofessional. The CEP is awarded after acomprehensive review of their background, theirabilities, and their knowledge. Most CEPs have atleast ten years of experience in the field.

3.2.1 EligibilityThe applicants for CEP are required to possess aBachelor’s Degree and a minimum of nine yearsof applicable professional environmentalexperience. Five of the nine years are required tobe in a position of responsible charge and/orresponsible supervision. Responsible charge isdefined as: the direction of environmental work byan environmental professional to the extent thatsuccessful completion of the work is dependenton the decisions made by the applicant withoutadvice or approval of others. Responsible


7 http://www.abcep.org/

8

supervision is defined as: the supervision ofanother professional person’s work by anenvironmental professional to the extent that theapplicant assumes the professional responsibilityfor the work. A Master’s Degree may besubstituted for one year of the nine years ofprofessional experience and a Doctorate may besubstituted for two of the nine years ofprofessional experience. No such substitution is,however, allowed to apply to the requirement forthe five years in responsible charge and/orresponsible supervision.

3.2.2 TrainingThe ABCEP also administers the CertifiedEnvironmental Professional-in-Training (CEP-IT)Programme which prepares those pursuingadvancement in the environmental profession.Those individuals awarded the CertifiedEnvironmental Professional credential may usethe designation “CEP-IT” after their name.

Each Applicant is evaluated by seven members ofthe Certification Review Board (CRB). Members ofthe CRB represent many fields of professionaleffort, e.g.: consulting, academia, private industryand government. The CRB is responsible fordetermining the qualifications of each applicantand grants or denies certification based upon theinformation provided. The Lead Reviewer willinterview the applicant to determine the extent ofthe applicant’s knowledge and experience in hisor her area of expertise and examine othermatters considered germane to certification.These are generally conducted over thetelephone.

3.2.3 Functional AreasIndividuals are certified in one of five areas:Environmental Assessment: Includes evaluation ofrisks to, or past impacts upon, the occupants ofecosystems, workplaces, or residences exertedby physical, chemical, or biological agents towhich exposure may occur, or may haveoccurred;l Environmental Documentation: Includes

preparation of reports, presentation of facts,

completion of other action to establishadministrative records demonstratingcompliance with environmental statutes,regulations, and permits;

l Environmental Operations: Includesmanagement of facilities in accordance withrequirements of environmental statutes,regulations, and permits;

l Environmental Planning: Includesarrangements for future facility construction,operation, and/or management in accordancewith anticipated requirements ofenvironmental statutes, regulations, andpermits or permit renewals;

l Environmental Research and Education:Includes conducting and reporting on originalinvestigations into the dynamics ofenvironmental phenomena, teaching aboutsuch phenomena as investigated by oneselfand/or other investigators

3.3 Institute of EnvironmentalManagement and AssessmentThe Institute of Environmental Management andAssessment (IEMA) is a United Kingdom-basedglobal organisation. Reportedly the largestenvironmental professional body in the world, itprovides environmental practitioners “with theknowledge, skills and tools to ensure soundenvironmental performance delivers real businessbenefit.” IEMA helps its members to make astrategic environmental difference by embeddingenvironment in decision-making at all levelsthrough knowledge exchange, research,conferences, training and publications. With amembership of over 15,000 individual andcorporate members based in 83 countries, IEMAis now the leading international membership-based organisation. It is dedicated to theprofessional development of individuals involvedin the environmental profession, whether they bein the public, private or non-governmentalsectors.

Accreditation of Environmental Consultants

IEMA’s mission is to:l Promote the goal of sustainable development

through the promotion of improvedenvironmental practice and performance;

l Provide recognition, through high-qualityprofessional qualifications, to thoseindividuals who are competent environmentalsustainability professionals and to berecognised as a leading organisation in thisfield;

l Raise the profile of environmentalsustainability professionals and theimportance of the work that they undertake;

l Contribute to the development of skills andcompetencies of environmental sustainabilityprofessionals through training, informationand experience exchange, and the sharing ofgood practice;

l Be recognised as a centre of excellence andto undertake, disseminate and contribute toresearch in environmental sustainability andrelated fields;

l Recognise organisations that successfullycontribute to environmental sustainability;

l Employ talented people and help them todevelop the ability to make a positivecontribution to the Institute’s vision in theirwork; and

l Manage the Institute’s resources in aneffective and efficient way.

IEMA does not provide accreditation to consultingorganisations, however, it runs programmes tocertify organisations on their EMS based on theircompliance with the ISO 14001 and similarstandards.

IEMA offers membership to individuals on variouscategories:

l Affiliate Member. This is the startingmembership that does not require any pre-requisite qualification;

l Associate Member. This is the basicprofessional membership which is achievedafter completion of Associate Entry Exam orAssociate Certificate Course;

l Full Member. Associates can become FullMembers based on experience anddemonstration of knowledge throughinterview;

l Fellow. This is the highest level ofprofessional recognition offered by the IEMA.Attaining this level of membership shows thatan individual has demonstrated substantialachievement in the environmentalmanagement and assessment field. This levelis for highly experienced environmentalprofessionals, who are committed topromoting the goal of sustainabledevelopment.

3.4 Canadian Meteorological andOceanographic SocietyCanadian Meteorological and OceanographicSociety (CMOS) provides accreditation toconsultants who meet the standards set by theAccreditation Committee of the Society. Theaccreditation is provided to consultants whocontract with clients to provide expertise whichthe client does not possess. The accreditation isdecided by a peer review committee establishedto ensure that a basic level of qualifications hasbeen achieved and recognised in meteorology orin oceanography. Accreditation is done on acalendar-year basis. An accreditation document isissued and the consultant’s name is published ina CMOS Directory of Consultants. Accreditedconsultants are allowed to write ACM (AccreditedConsultant Meteorologist) or ACO (AccreditedConsultant Oceanographer) with their names.Criteria for accreditation include:l An appropriate undergraduate degree from a

recognised university;


10

l At least one of the following types ofspecialised training: post-graduate degreefrom a recognised university in meteorologyor oceanography; post-graduate degree froma recognised university in the natural orapplied sciences or mathematics, specialisingin one or more branches of meteorology oroceanography; or three years of on-the-jobmeteorological or oceanographic experience;and

l Upon completion of the above educationaland training requirements at least two yearsof satisfactory performance, at the workinglevel, including some consulting experience.

3.5 National Accreditation Board forEducation and Training, IndiaThe National Accreditation Board for Educationand Training (NABET), India provides certification toconsultants. The main objectives of NABET are to:l Set and maintain criteria for the registration

of personnel in the practice and assessmentof Quality and Environment ManagementSystems;

l Evaluate and register auditors andprofessionals;

l Set and maintain criteria for and to endorsetraining courses for personnel engaged in theauditing of Quality and EnvironmentManagement Systems;

l Publish the list of Certified Personnel,endorsed training courses and approvedtraining organisations;

l Closely cooperate with Registration Board forCertification Bodies to get feedback andanticipate requirements on training needs;and

l Seek international recognition.

NABET has developed an Accreditation Schemefor environmental consultants. EIAs are essentially

multi-disciplinary activities where inputs arerequired from specialists having knowledge of theindustry/sector for which EIAs are to be carriedout as well as in functional areas like land use, airpollution control, air quality modeling, waterpollution control, noise and vibration, ecology andbio-diversity, socio economic aspects, risks andhazard management. Recognising this, NABETrequires that the key person in developing an EIAReport is the EIA Coordinator (EC) who shouldhave a broad knowledge about the project, aswell as the functional areas which are likely to beaffected by the activities related to the project inits construction, operation and the closurephases. It envisages the role of the coordinator toinclude but not be limited to setting-up the team,visiting the site with the team, draw up the termsof reference (TORs), organise various activities tomeet the requirements of the TORs, evolving workschedule and seeing that data are appropriatelyutilised for assessment, mitigation andmonitoring. The Scheme also recognisesFunctional Area Experts (FAEs) who are expectedto assess the impacts from the proposeddevelopment in their respective areas.

The “Scheme for the Accreditation of EIAConsultant Organisations” evolved by NABETidentifies the following basic requirements of theEIA Consultant Organisation:l Qualification and experience of ECs and

FAEs;

l Requirements for field investigations andlaboratory arrangements to ensure the qualityof the baseline data;

l Quality management systems to be followed;and

l Office facilities and other enabling factors tobe provided by an organisation.

It is mandatory for organisations that prepare EIAreports for obtaining environmental clearance, toget accredited under the Scheme.


3.5.1 ImplementationFor the implementation of the Scheme, NABET isguided by a group of eminent professionals in thefield of environmental management and alliedsubjects structured into four groups as follows:l Technical Committee – comprising 5-7 very

experienced professionals with proven trackrecords. It guides NABET in developing theScheme as well as the assessment process;

l Accreditation Committee – comprising 5-7very eminent persons. Apart from approvingaccreditation, it also issues clarifications onthe Scheme from time to time, as necessary;

l NABET Assessors – they are a group of verysenior and experienced professionals withrelevant experience, who carry out technicalassessment of the applications as well asoffice assessment including interaction withexperts (See: later); and

l NABET Secretariat – it comprises a mix ofsenior professionals and young technical staffwhich coordinates the entire process ofassessment and accreditation.

3.5.2 EligibilityOnly organisations are eligible for accreditation.These can be government, public sector orprivate organisations that could be proprietaryfirms, partnership firms or companies, bodiesregistered under Society Acts, or Companies Act,research institutes and the like, universities, labsor research-based organisations conducting theEIA.

EIA CoordinatorThe EIA Coordinator (EC) should possess thefollowing:a) Clarity in the concept of the EIA process;

b) Knowledge of the applicable Acts, Rules andRegulations;

c) Domain knowledge of the industry/sectors forwhich the EIAs are to be prepared;

d) Broad understanding of the environmentalaspects related to the industry/sector; and

e) Leadership quality in planning, selecting andguiding the EIA team.

Minimum Educational Qualification for an EC is:a) Bachelor’s (graduate) degree or equivalent in

technical subjects such as Engineering,Architecture, Environmental Planning, TownPlanning and the like from recognisedUniversity or Institution, or

b) Master’s (post-graduate) degree in Scienceand other subjects—Physical, Environmental,Life Sciences, Social Sciences, Economics,Management from a recognised University orInstitution.

Qualifications conferred by professionalinstitutions such as Institution of Engineers, theIndian Chemical Society, Indian Institute ofMetals, Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers andIndian Institute of Social Welfare and BusinessManagement (IISWBM) are also accepted.

Accreditation Committee has the power to waiveoff minimum requirements in exceptionalcircumstances.

Minimum Experience of an EC is:

Minimum seven years overall work experiencerelated to EIA preparation;

Adequate experience for the sector (s) for whichs/he is proposed by the Applicant; and

Organisation in terms of (i) having worked in thosesectors for at least two years or (ii) havingprepared a minimum of three EIA reports forprojects in those sectors or (iii) having carried outthree environmental assignments (such asenvironmental monitoring/audits, performanceaudits, etc.) in those sectors involving at least onemonth’s exposure or (iv) three in combination of(ii) and (iii)


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Functional Area ExpertsFAEs are expected to provide inputs in theirrespective areas of specialisation. They shouldhave: a) an in-depth knowledge in their respective

areas of specialisation;

b) a broad understanding of the EIA process;

c) the capability of assessing the impacts of theproject on the physical, biotic and socialenvironment, as applicable; and

d) the knowledge to suggest or vet mitigationmeasures.

In view of the above expected role, theeducational background has been given emphasisfor the FAEs.

Different EIAs will require inputs from diversefunctional areas depending on the type andmagnitude of the project and its depth and theextent of the anticipated environmental impacts.Twelve areas of expertise have been identifiedthat are required for carrying out EIAs. Theseinclude: land-use; air pollution monitoring,prevention and control; meteorology; air qualitymodeling and prediction; water pollutionmonitoring, prevention and control; ecology andbiodiversity; noise and vibration; socio-economicaspects; hydrology, groundwater and water

conservation; geology, soil conservation; risk andhazards management; and solid and hazardouswaste management.

A Bachelor’s (graduate) degree or equivalent intechnical subjects is prescribed as the minimumqualification. An expert is required to have aminimum of three years overall experience in thefunctional area(s) concerned out of which at leastone year should be in the application of thefunctional area knowledge in developing EIAreport(s) to work as an independent FAE forCategory B projects.

Any organisation to be accredited must also haveat least two in-house FAEs who, together with theabove EC, should have the required qualificationand experience covering the core functionalareas.

An expert meeting the requirements of theScheme may apply for both, EC and FAE. To dojustice to the role of an EC and a FAE asenvisaged in the Scheme, however, an expert mayopt for a maximum of five sectors as an EC andfour functional areas as a FAE.

A ‘free-lance’ expert may be shown as anempanelled expert for a maximum five applicantorganisations altogether both as an EC and FAE(at the same time s/he should meet the otherrequirements stated earlier).



In this section, the options for accreditation schemes and their pros and consare discussed. This is done in the form of a table shown in Exhibit 4.1.

4.1 Possible Accreditation OrganisationsSome of the organisations that may be involved in developing theaccreditation of consultants are discussed below.

4.1.1 Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority The Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), under theMinistry of Science and Technology, is the national standardisation body. Inperforming its duties and functions, PSQCA is governed by the PSQCA Act,1996. PSQCA became operational on December 1st, 2000, working with 81scientists/engineers and 254 supporting staff as a self-financed organisation,been given the task of not only formulation of Pakistan Standards but is alsoresponsible for promulgation thereof. PSQCA is a member of the InternationalOrganisation for Standardisation (ISO), the International Electro-technicalCommission (IEC), and the International Organisation of Legal Metrology(OIML). PSQCA has also been established to advise the Government onstandardisation policies, programmes and activities to promote industrialefficiency and development, as well as for consumer protection.

The main function of the Department is to foster and promote standards andconformity assessment as a means of advancing the national economy,promoting industrial efficiency and development, ensuring the health andsafety of the public, protecting the consumers, facilitating domestic andinternational trade and furthering international co-operation in relation tostandards and conformity assessment.

Its objectives are:l Setting up of standards on quality and dimensions, preparation and

promotion of general adoption of Pakistan Standards Specifications,operation of Certification Marks Scheme and coordination of the efforts ofmanufacturers and consumers for the improvement of standardisation andthe provision of assistance in the manufacture of quality products;

4. OPTIONS FOR ACCREDITION SYSTEMS

14

l Testing and assessment of industrial rawmaterials and finished products to establishtheir quality, grade and compositionconforming to national and internationalstandard specifications in various fields likechemical products and formulations, textiles,food items, building materials, mechanicalengineering, electrical and electronic goodsand appliances, etc. and provision ofconsultancy services to various industrialunits so as to achieve improvement of qualityof their products;

l Working on standardisation and improvementof analytical methods, procedures andconsultancy in the field of metallurgy.Inspection and testing of products andservices for their quality specifications andcharacteristics during use and for import andexport purposes;

l Grant, renewal, suspension, cancellation orwithdrawal of a license or certification inrelation to the use of any of the AuthorityMarks;

l Enforcement and implementation of qualityand environmental management systems thatis ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14000 as well asassistance to local industries to obtaincertifications for these systems;

l Coordination and Cooperation with othernational, regional and internationalorganisations, associations, societies,institutions or councils, whether incorporateor not, whose objectives are wholly or in partsimilar to those of the Authority.

4.1.2 Pakistan National Accreditation CouncilPakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC) isa national organisation that provides accreditationto laboratories under ISO 17021. Its scope is,however, not limited to ISO 17021 and, hence, it

can provide accreditation for consulting firmsprovided a standard is available.

4.1.3 Pakistan Environmental ProtectionAgencyAlthough the scope of the Federal EnvironmentalProtection Agency is now limited to IslamabadCapital Territory after the 18th Amendment to theConstitution, it is likely to retain somecoordination and policy roles. It may be entrustedwith Accreditation functions.

4.1.4 Pakistan Environmental AssessmentAssociation One attempt to address this issue was in the formof the Pakistan Environmental AssessmentAssociation (PEAA). PEAA was conceived as anational network of impact assessmentprofessionals, established in the late nineties toaddress some of the problems pertaining to EIAsystem deficiencies. Its members includedgovernment agencies, environmental consultants,and non-governmental organisations. It wasthought to be a forum through which impactassessment in Pakistan could be promoted andthe capacity developed for writing and review ofEIA. It was also considered to be a neutraltechnical body to provide advice to the EPAs onEIAs, Strategic Environmental Assessment, andother technical matters. Accreditation of the EIAconsultants was also considered to be a functionof the PEAA. For various reasons, however, thePEAA did not perform as originally envisaged.

4.1.5 Certification BodiesThese include organisations such as SGS Groupand Afnor Group (formerly AFAQ-EAQA).

4.2 Accreditation TypesThere are basically two types of accreditation -individual and organisation. A third possibility iscertifying both or the organisation on the basis ofindividual certification.


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www.

psqc

a.co

m.p

k)an

d Pa

kista

n Na

tiona

lAc

cred

itatio

n Co

uncil

(PNA

C)

Priva

te s

ecto

r cer

tifica

tion

com

panie

s

Indi

vidua

l

EPAs

hav

e lim

ited

tech

nical

capa

cities

to m

anag

e th

is ta

sk. F

urth

er, th

ere

is th

e co

nstit

utio

nal

issue

of w

heth

er th

e Fe

dera

l EPA

acc

redi

tatio

n ca

n be

app

lied

to th

e pr

ovinc

es.

The

alter

nate

is to

give

thes

e po

wers

to a

ll the

EPA

s. Th

e re

gion

al EP

As a

lso h

ave

capa

city

issue

s.Fu

rther,

sim

ilar w

ith th

e Fe

dera

l EPA

the

certi

ficat

ion

from

one

pro

vince

may

not

app

ly to

the

othe

rpr

ovinc

es. T

hus

cons

ulting

firm

s wo

uld b

e re

quire

d to

obt

ain m

ultip

le ce

rtific

atio

ns w

hich

is no

tpr

actic

al.

This

is a

poss

ibilit

y bu

t this

bod

y do

es n

ot e

xist.

To c

onst

itute

this

body

for t

his p

urpo

se, a

ndm

ake

it ef

fect

ive to

the

exte

nt th

at it

bec

omes

self

-sup

porti

ng in

term

s of

fina

nces

and

man

agem

ent

syst

ems

will t

ake

cons

ider

able

effo

rt an

d tim

e. F

urth

er, a

s th

e bo

dy w

ill ha

ve m

embe

rs fr

om th

eve

ry o

rgan

isatio

ns th

at re

quire

acc

redi

tatio

n a

pote

ntial

for c

onflic

ts o

f int

eres

t exis

ts.

PSQC

A is

an a

uton

omou

s an

d fu

nctio

nal b

ody.

It ha

s be

en in

volve

d in

deve

lopi

ng s

tand

ards

for

vario

us ty

pes

of in

dust

ry a

nd th

ere

is th

e po

ssib

ility

to in

volve

this

orga

nisat

ion

as th

eAc

cred

itatio

n Bo

dy.

The

objec

tives

of P

SQCA

inclu

des

“Enf

orce

men

t and

impl

emen

tatio

n of

qua

lity a

nd e

nviro

nmen

tal

man

agem

ent s

yste

ms,

that

is IS

O 90

01:2

000

and

ISO

1400

0 an

d as

sista

nce

to lo

cal in

dust

ries

toob

tain

certi

ficat

ions

for t

hese

sys

tem

s”. T

he fi

rst s

tep

in ac

cred

itatio

n wo

uld b

e to

dev

elop

a st

anda

rd fo

r mem

ber o

rgan

isatio

ns. T

his s

tand

ard

on th

e lin

es o

f ISO

900

1:20

00 b

ut w

ould

be

spec

ificall

y ge

ared

towa

rds

envir

onm

enta

l con

sultin

g fir

ms.

The

accr

edita

tion

to th

e co

nsult

ingfir

ms

will b

e pr

ovid

ed b

y th

e PN

AC.

Priva

te s

ecto

r cer

tifica

tion

com

panie

s un

derta

ke a

udits

of p

rivat

e an

d go

vern

men

t sec

tor f

irms

again

st m

anag

emen

t sta

ndar

ds s

uch

as IS

O 90

00 a

nd IS

O 14

001.

The

se c

ompa

nies

may

be

invol

ved

in th

is ro

le; h

owev

er, th

is wi

ll firs

t req

uire

the

deve

lopm

ent o

f sta

ndar

ds a

gains

t whic

h th

eau

dit c

an b

e un

derta

ken.

Base

d on

the

disc

ussio

n wi

th P

SQCA

, the

role

of th

ese

orga

nisat

ions

can

be

furth

er e

valua

ted.

Indi

vidua

l acc

redi

tatio

n of

con

sulta

nts

and

expe

rts is

wid

ely p

ract

iced

and

beca

use

of p

rece

denc

ean

d ex

perie

nce

is ea

sy to

impl

emen

t. Th

e eli

gibi

lity c

riter

ia ar

e ea

sy to

set

bas

ed o

n ed

ucat

iona

lqu

alific

atio

n an

d ex

perie

nce.

The

main

diff

iculty

is in

diff

eren

tiatin

g th

e co

nsult

ants

on

the

basis

of q

uality

of w

ork.

It is

pos

sible

for t

wo c

onsu

ltant

s wi

th s

imila

r exp

erien

ce a

nd q

ualifi

catio

n, o

n pa

per,

to h

ave

a wi

dely

diffe

rent


Area

Option

Discussio

n

Volu

ntar

y vs

Man

dato

ry

Orga

nisat

iona

l

Com

bina

tion

of in

divid

uals

and

orga

nisat

ions

Volun

tary

Man

dato

ry

A se

cond

pro

blem

relat

es to

the

quali

ficat

ions

of s

enio

r EIA

con

sulta

nts

in Pa

kista

n to

day.

Mos

t of

thes

e pr

ofes

siona

ls do

not

hav

e fo

rmal

quali

ficat

ions

in e

nviro

nmen

tal m

anag

emen

t. Pr

ofes

siona

lsbe

long

ing to

this

grou

p m

ay h

ave

to b

e tre

ated

diff

eren

tly o

n ind

ividu

al ba

sis.

For j

unio

r con

sulta

nts,

a sy

stem

of c

ertif

icatio

n ba

sed

on te

sts

may

be

requ

ired.

Suc

h an

ex

amina

tion

can

be in

stitu

ted

by o

rgan

isatio

ns s

uch

as A

ga K

han

Unive

rsity

-Exa

mina

tion

Boar

d,AK

U-EB

(exa

mina

tionb

oard

.aku

.edu

/Pag

es/h

ome.

aspx

)

Disc

ussio

n is

requ

ired

with

AKU

-EB

to fu

rther

ass

ess

the

feas

ibilit

y of

this.

Orga

nisat

iona

lacc

redi

tatio

n is

mos

t des

irabl

e fro

m a

n EI

A qu

ality

poi

nt o

f view

but

is d

ifficu

lt to

im

plem

ent f

or v

ario

us re

ason

s su

ch a

s:

lA

large

num

ber o

f exp

erts

are

invo

lved

from

var

ious

disc

iplin

es. T

he s

chem

e sh

all e

nsur

e th

atall

of t

hem

are

ava

ilabl

e to

the

EIA

firm

;

lFr

ee-la

nce

cons

ultan

ts a

nd e

xper

ts o

ften

mov

e be

twee

n or

ganis

atio

ns m

aking

it d

ifficu

lt to

cate

goris

eth

e co

nsult

ing fi

rm b

ased

on

their

sta

ff;

lSe

vera

l of t

he c

onsu

lting

firm

s ar

e m

ulti-d

iscip

linar

y, pr

ovid

ing s

ervic

es in

env

ironm

ent a

ndse

vera

l oth

er a

reas

. The

acc

redi

tatio

n sc

hem

e sh

ould

take

this

into

acco

unt w

hen

setti

ng th

ecr

iteria

for e

ligib

ility.

Alte

rnat

ively

the

firm

s m

ay b

e re

quire

d to

clea

rly s

epar

ate

their

envir

onm

enta

l and

EIA

bus

iness

from

the

rest

; and

lTh

ere

is no

exis

ting

mec

hanis

m to

mon

itor t

he s

taff

and

reso

urce

s of

con

sultin

g fir

ms.

With

out

such

a m

echa

nism

, whic

h m

ay ta

ke ti

me

to d

evelo

p an

d im

plem

ent,

the

accr

edita

tion

sche

me

may

not

be

effe

ctive

.

A co

mbi

natio

n of

indi

vidua

l cer

tifica

tion

and

orga

nisat

iona

lacc

redi

tatio

n m

ay b

e th

e be

st o

ptio

n.Th

is m

ay re

quire

mor

e th

an o

ne a

ccre

dita

tion-

body

, one

for o

rgan

isatio

ns a

nd o

ne fo

r ind

ividu

als.

The

main

adv

anta

ge o

f this

opt

ion

is th

at it

can

be

impl

emen

ted

in ph

ases

, sta

rting

with

indi

vidua

lce

rtific

atio

n fo

llowe

d by

org

anisa

tiona

lacc

redi

tatio

n.

This

may

be

pref

erre

d be

caus

e it

give

s fle

xibilit

y to

org

anisa

tions

and

fits

well

with

mar

ket f

orce

s.Or

ganis

atio

ns th

at d

o no

t wish

to h

ave

the

accr

edita

tion

can

still

com

pete

in th

e m

arke

t on

the

basis

of t

heir

othe

rwise

stre

ngth

and

mar

ket r

eput

atio

n.

A m

anda

tory

requ

irem

ent b

rings

unif

orm

ity a

nd e

nfor

ces

a ce

rtain

mini

mum

sta

ndar

d.


The recommendation for the accreditation scheme based on the analysis andthe feedback from the stakeholders is presented below. Where difference inopinion existed among the stakeholders all opinions are included as options.

5.1 General ConceptBased on the analysis provided earlier, it is the opinion of the author of thisreport, that the accreditation scheme shall have the following elements:

1. Both certification of individual consultants and accreditation of consultingfirm shall be considered.

2. The certification of individual consultants shall be based on a uniformcriteria; the criteria shall include:l Educational qualification;

l Experience of EIA including the roles in which they were involved andthe quality of the EIA. This may require categorisation of recent EIAsfor their quality for which separate criteria and procedure may have tobe developed;

l An examination to be conducted by a recognised organisation suchas the Aga Khan University Examination Board; and

l Interview with senior professionals. This may be only required for mid-career consultants and experts.

A preliminary scheme for certification is included and discussed in Section5.2.

3. Work on development of an accreditation scheme for consulting firms shallbe conducted separately. This would entail the following:l Development of management standards for consulting firms. An ISO

9000 type management standard may be developed. Elements ofindividual consultants’ certification are to be incorporated in thisscheme;

5. PROPOSED ACCREDITION SYSTEMS

18

l Agreement with Pakistan Standards andQuality Control Authority (PSQCA) tonotify and implement the standards;

l Development of management systems inthe consulting firms;

l Training for auditing firms to conductaudits for these standards; and

l Accreditation by Pakistan NationalAccreditation Council (PNAC) onsuccessful completion of the audit.

Preliminary criteria for accreditation ofconsulting firms are discussed in Section 5.3.

4. The decision on mandatory or voluntarystandard shall be taken after the details of theproposed scheme are worked out. Thedecision shall involve feedback from theconsulting firms.

5.2 Preliminary Scheme forCertification of EIA Experts

5.2.1 Objectives of CertificationThe objective of individual certification is to set aminimum qualification for the individuals who areto undertake the Environmental Assessment (EA).This is to be done in order to bring uniformity andconsistency in EA reports and hence improvetheir qualities.

5.2.2 EA ProfessionalsBroadly, three types of professionals are involvedin the development of an EnvironmentalAssessment (EA). These can be categorised asfollows:

1. Environmental assessment experts are peoplewho are at the centre of the EA process.Generally, they are expected to have anunderstanding of the EA process; knowregulatory requirements and international bestpractices; are aware of the developments inenvironmental science and technology; and

have an understanding of the environmentalissues faced by the country. These are also thepeople who are qualified to manage the EAprocess by ensuring that all legal requirementsat various stages are met; interacting at theprofessional level with the subject specialist,and integrating the inputs from various expertsinto the EA report; and ensuring the quality ofthe product. Typically, the EA experts haveeducational qualification in environment orrelated natural or social sciences andexperience of working in the area.

2. Subject Specialists are people from variousdisciplines related to environment such asecology, chemistry, sociology, hydrology, andsoil science, who contribute to specific issuesin the EA process. Their core qualificationsare in their respective fields but they alsoneed an understanding of the environmentalissues and the EA process. The corecompetence and professional engagement ofthe subject specialists are in their respectivesubjects. They typically include universityprofessors and researchers in variousresearch organisations such as the NationalAgricultural Research Council and thePakistan Museum of Natural History.

3. Other professionals not associated withconducting the EA but contribute to it in theirprofessional capacity as regulators orreviewers.

5.2.3 CategoriesThe following categories of certifications areproposed:

1. Associate EA Professional (AEAP): Freshenvironmental graduates and otherprofessionals associated with the EA processwill receive this certification; hence, theeligibility criteria for this category will beminimal.

2. Qualified EA Professional (QEAP): Individualenvironmental consultants conducting EIA


and IEE and meeting the eligibility criteria willreceive this certification. This will be the maincertification for EA professionals.

3. Lead EA Professional (LEAP): This is a higherlevel qualification for QEAP. Selected QEAPwho meet the eligibility criteria qualify tobecome LEAP.

4. Qualified EA Subject Specialists (QESS):Individual subject specialists working inspecific areas of EA and meeting the eligibilitycriteria will receive this certification. This willbe the main certification for subjectspecialists. The subject specialist may alsoopt to work as a full-time member of the EAteam and opt to become a full-time EAExpert.

5. Fellow EA Professional (FEAP): AEAPassociated with the EA in functions other thanconducting EA and meeting the eligibilitycriteria will qualify for this certification.

The conceptual progression of the proposedcategories is shown in Exhibit 5.1.

5.2.4 Eligibility CriteriaThe proposed eligibility criteria for the proposedcategories are presented in Exhibit 5.2.

The proposed scheme is essentially for futurecertification. It may be required that seniorprofessionals who are currently part of thepracticing community be given QEAP and FEAPcertification. This will be done on the basis ofinterviews and known professional status withouthaving to go through the examination process.


Exhibit 5.1: Conceptual Scheme for Certification of EA Professionals

Fresh Graduates and other professionals associatedwith EA process arecertificed as Associate EAProfessionals

Associate EA Professionalsfrom disciplines related toenvironment after completingthe minimum criteria, qualify tobecom Qualified EA SubjectSpecialists

Associate EA Professionals working as EA Consultants,after completing the minimumcriteria, qualify to become Qualifed EA Professionals

Associate EA Profssionals associated with EA in functionsother than conducting EA aftercompleting the eligibilitycriteria, qualify to become Fellow EA Professionals

Qualified EAProfessionals meeting the eligibilitycriteria, qualify tobecome Lead EAProfessionals


Exhibit 5

.2: P

ropo

sed Eligibility Criteria fo

r Env

ironm

ental P

rofessiona

l

Category

6. C

riter

iaTypical E

ligibility

Note

s: 1.

“Mas

ter’s

deg

ree

(or e

quiva

lent)

refe

rs to

16

year

s of s

choo

ling,

i.e.,

four

year

s of t

ertia

ry le

vel e

duca

tion

afte

r hig

h sc

hool

. 2. “

Seve

ral”

may

be

defin

ed a

s, fo

r exa

mpl

e, 5

to 7

and

“som

e” m

ay b

ede

fined

as 3

to 5

. The

se n

umbe

rs a

re su

bjec

tive

and

may

be

decid

ed w

hen

the

sche

me

is de

velo

ped.

3. “

Inte

rnat

iona

l bes

t pra

ctice

guid

eline

s” g

ener

ally m

eans

guid

eline

s suc

h as

that

of t

he W

orld

Ban

k Gr

oup

and

Asian

Dev

elopm

ent B

ank.

lPr

ofes

siona

l deg

ree

in en

viron

men

t or r

elate

d fie

lds

lAs

socia

tion

with

the

EA p

roce

ss in

any

cap

acity

lMaster’s Deg

ree (or e

quiva

lent)1

in en

viron

men

t or r

elate

d fie

lds

lTh

ree

year

s of

Exp

erien

ce in

EA

prof

essio

n

lIn

volve

men

t in some2

large

EIA

repo

rts, p

ract

ice a

nd k

nowl

edge

of w

orkin

g in

natio

nal a

nd in

tern

atio

nal

majo

r pro

jects

, inc

luding

thos

e pr

oduc

ed u

nder

internationa

l best p

ractice

guid

eline

s3

lKn

owled

ge o

f EA

proc

ess,

regu

lator

y re

quire

men

ts, i

nter

natio

nal b

est p

ract

ices,

deve

lopm

ent s

ecto

ren

viron

men

tal a

spec

ts, a

nd c

urre

nt e

nviro

nmen

tal is

sues

dem

onst

rate

d th

roug

h an

exa

mina

tion.

lMaster’s Deg

ree (or e

quiva

lent)1

in en

viron

men

t or r

elate

d fie

lds

lse

ven

year

s of

Exp

erien

ce in

EA

prof

essio

n

lIn

volve

men

t in

com

pilat

ion

of several2

large

EIA

repo

rts, p

ract

ice a

nd k

nowl

edge

of w

orkin

g in

natio

nal

and

inter

natio

nal m

ajor p

rojec

ts, i

nclud

ing th

ose

prod

uced

und

er in

ternationa

l best p

ractice

guid

eline

s3an

d so

me

as te

am le

ader

lKn

owled

ge o

f the

EA

proc

ess,

regu

lator

y re

quire

men

ts, i

nter

natio

nal b

est p

ract

ices,

deve

lopm

ent s

ecto

ren

viron

men

tal a

spec

ts, a

nd c

urre

nt e

nviro

nmen

tal is

sues

dem

onst

rate

d th

roug

h an

exa

mina

tion.

lM

aste

r’s D

egre

e in

relev

ant f

ield

lIn

volve

men

t in

com

pilin

g so

me2

EA re

ports

lPr

ofes

siona

l (an

d ap

prov

ed) t

raini

ng in

the

EIA

proc

ess

with

in th

e las

t five

yea

rs

Asso

ciate

Env

ironm

ent

Asse

ssm

ent P

rofe

ssio

nal (

AEAP

)

Quali

fied

Envir

onm

ent

Asse

ssm

ent P

rofe

ssio

nal (

QEAP

)

Lead

Env

ironm

ent A

sses

smen

tPr

ofes

siona

l (LE

AP)

Quali

fied

Envir

onm

enta

l As

sess

men

t Sub

ject S

pecia

list

(QES

S)

Fello

w En

viron

men

tal A

sses

smen

tPr

ofes

siona

l (FEA

P)

Educ

atio

n

Expe

rienc

e

Educ

atio

n

Expe

rienc

e

Dem

onst

rate

dKn

owled

ge

Educ

atio

n

Expe

rienc

e

Dem

onst

rate

dKn

owled

ge

Educ

atio

n

Expe

rienc

e

Know

ledge

Expe

rienc

e


6.1.1 Purpose of AccreditationThe purpose of the Accreditation Scheme is to define the minimumrequirements that an organisation shall meet to undertake environmentalassessment of development projects in Pakistan.

6.1.2 The ConceptFor an organisation to follow the EA best practice and produce a good EIA orIEE, certain qualities are needed that stem from the desired qualities of the EIAas discussed in the main report. In particular, the organisation must have:

l A number of experts who are well-versed in the Science of EIA and havesufficient experience to identify potential issues;

l Access to experts from various fields who can undertake specific studiesrelated to their specialties;

l The means to undertake baseline surveys;

l The ability to manage a multi-disciplinary team; and

l The tools to ensure quality of the process and products.

The scheme proposed here defines the minimum requirements that a firm shallhave to function as a consulting firm for EIAs. As it is possible that all firmsmay not have all the abilities, the firms may be categorised into two or threecategories. The firms meeting all the criteria, classed as Category A, will beallowed to take all kinds of EIAs including those of major projects. Category B,and possibly Category C, firms will only be allowed to undertake relativelysmall and simple environmental assessments.

6.1.3 Key Requirements for the OrganisationIn order to obtain accreditation, a consulting firm must meet the followingcriteria to qualify as Category A consulting firm:

6. PRELIMINARY SCHEME FOR ACCREDITION OF CONSULTING FIRMS

22

1. Qualified Environmental Professionalsl The firm must have at least five (5) QEAP

including one LEAP. These terms havebeen explained earlier.

l The QEAP and LEAP must be full-timeemployees of the firm for at least sixmonths in the year prior to accreditation.

2. Subject Specialistsl The firm must have access to QESS as

per the following list:

l Environmental Engineer;

l Air Quality Modeling Expert;

l Water Pollution Modeling Experts;

l Ecologist (mammalogist, botanist,herpetologist, ichthyologist, ornithologist);

l Noise Modeling Expert;

l Socio-economist;

l Hydrologist and/or Hydro-geologist;

l Soil Scientist;

l Environmental Legal Expert;

l GIS Expert;

l Marine Scientist;

l Environmental Geologist; and

l Chemical Engineer or Chemist

l A Category A firm must have at least twoof the above QESS as full-timeemployees and have memorandum ofassociation with at least three otherexperts.

3. EquipmentTo undertake surveys, a Category A firm musthave access to field equipment such as GPSreceivers, compasses, digital camera, andfield kits for water analysis.


Stakeholder consultation on Accreditation Mechanism in Islamabad, September 2013.

4. LaboratoryA Category A consulting firm must have itsown laboratory or, alternately, have amemorandum(s) of association with firms (s)to carry out the following types of surveys:l Ambient air quality;

l Stack emission;

l Soil;

l Waste-water;

l Noise; and

l Ground-water sampling.

5. A Category A consulting firm must have amanagement system to ensure quality of itsproducts. The management system may bebased on ISO 9000 and must include thefollowing:l Quality policy;

l Management responsibility;

l EIA manual;

l Document and data controlsystem/archive;

l Information management system;

l EIA process control;

l EIA peer review mechanism;

l EIA editing and quality check manual;

l Sampling and analysis quality assurancesystem;

l Testing equipment inspection andcalibration system;

l Control of non-conforming reports;

l Corrective and preventive action plan;

l Training programme; and

l Continual improvement plan.

6.1 Further WorkBased on the recommendation provided earlier,further work for NIAP is envisaged to include thefollowing:1. Discussion with the following organisations to

assess the possibility of implementation ofthe proposed scheme:l Pakistan Standards and Quality Control

Authority (PSQCA);

l Aga Khan University Examination Board;and

l Auditing firms such as SGS.

2. Development of a final document onaccreditation options and conditions neededfor the proposed system to function. This willinclude, but not be limited to, the topicsbelow: l Duration and grades for accreditation;

l The role of training in accreditation, andhow such training would relate to otherEIA training that is offered;

l Mechanism to ensure transparency andaccountability of the System;

l Quality control system; and

l Administrative system and fee structures.

3. Development of a framework for themanagement system for a consulting firm.

4. Development of a multi-year action plan forintroduction and establishment of theaccreditation system proposed, including anytesting strategy for accreditation elementsthat need to be trialed and perfected beforethey can be instituted.


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6.2 Recommended OrganisationsThe preferred certification and accreditation bodyis PEAA. As this organisation is currently notfunctional, it is recommended that the body maybe activated on a priority basis. In the interimperiod, the responsibility may be handled by acommittee comprising representatives from theenvironmental protection agency and the privatesector. The recommended examination body isthe Aga Khan University Examination Board.


Produced with the financial support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN).

accreditation of environmental consultants · the eia was introduced as a legal requirement in...

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