Auditing refers to the examination and assessment of a certain type of performance. In the case of an EIA, an audit assess the actual environmental impact, the accuracy of prediction, the effectiveness of environmental impact mitigation and enhancement measures, and the functioning of monitoring mechanisms. The audit should be undertaken upon a project run in operation, for some time, and is usually performed once or twice in the entire project cycle. The following types of audit that are recommended to be implemented in different phases of the EIA process
Types of Audit
Decision Point Audit examines the effectiveness of EIA as a decision! making tool
Implementation Audit
Performance Audit
examines the accuracy and utility of predictive techni"ues by comparing actual against predicted environmental effects
critically examines the methods and approach adopted during the EIA study
#ot all the audit types mentioned above are re"uired to be implemented in EIA process. $owever, at the project approval stage, both project proponent and authori%ing agency should considered whether an application of a particular audit techni"ue is likely to result in new information or an improvement in management practices. &articular
attention should be given to the project cost!effectiveness of any proposed audit and to technical difficulties likely to be encountered. 'ince the EIA concept is a relatively recent, the use of environmental audits will play a significant role in evolving a systematic approach of the application of EIA. Environmental auditing should compare monitoring results with information generated during the pre!project period. (omparisons can be made with similar projects or against standard norms. )elating actual impacts with predicted impacts, help in evaluating the accuracy and ade"uacy of EIA predictions.