Associate Professor Salim Momtaz

"Evaluating Environmental and Social Impact Assessment in Developing Countries" is" "a valuable reference book for practitioners and researchers conducting research in and developing studies on environmental science and management and environmental and social impact assessment. The book s authors have developed and tested a new framework to evaluate environmental impact assessment (EIA) systems that may be adopted by most developing countries with EIA experience. Application of this framework will help determine if the EIA is achieving its intended goal of sustainable development in these countries. It also explains the reasons behind the strengths and weaknesses from which the development practitioners and international development partners can take lessons. This book will help the reader answer such questions as "What are the best forms of public participation?" and "How do we measure contributions to EIA procedure?" since it is based on direct experiences from a developing country that is struggling with many of these issues. "Evaluating Environmental and Social Impact Assessment in Developing Countries" provides further understanding of appropriate tools to evaluate environmental and social impacts of development initiatives especially in developing countries. - Demonstrates the development of an integrated holistic method that presents new research in the field - Offers a thorough analytical assessment of an EIA system in a developing country - Presents valuable insights into how developing countries are coping with the new phenomenon of public participation and involvement in environmental decision making and what methods and techniques have been successful - Includes a chapter on social impact assessment in developing countries with special focus on Bangladesh, providing valuable information applicable to developing countries. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2016 Elsevier LtdThis study assessed the acceptance and awareness of an Australian MPA (Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park) post implementation by recreational fishers using the MPA, and identified factors that influenced the perception of this group towards the MPA. Recreational fishers were interviewed in a multiple-use MPA to investigate their perceptions, attitudes, and support towards the MPA six years after implementation. Almost two thirds of recreational fishers supported the MPA and had positive attitudes towards the concept of MPAs. This is a key result since a similar pre-implementation survey of recreational fishers found only 12% would support the creation of PSGLMP due to fears the MPA would negatively impact their fishing activities and ability to catch fish. However, there was a sub-group of fishers who opposed the MPA and were more inclined to have negative attitudes towards the rationale behind MPAs, despite the common perception that no-take zones were for fisheries management purposes and could increase fish stocks in the MPA. More experienced fishers were inclined to oppose the MPA, as well as fishers who believed management zones did not provide clear rules for activities, penalties for non-compliance were too harsh, or that no-take zones did not increase fish stocks. An important perceived threat to the MPA was from commercial fishing due to perceptions of over-exploitation and issues of non-compliance. In contrast, the majority of recreational fishers did not believe the collective actions of recreational fishers negatively impacted the marine environment and fish stocks, or the number of fish available for capture in the future. An improved understanding of these social aspects is important to target ongoing management in order to increase acceptance, success and long-term existence of MPAs.

© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. In-situ signage is a cost effective environmental education tool used in marine protected area (MPA) management, and the design and location of signage is crucial to attract the attention of targeted audiences. The implementation of multiple-use MPAs increases the challenges of communicating awareness of MPA boundaries and permitted activities. Currently, little is known about how effective signage in multiple-use MPAs is in communicating information to stakeholders that will promote supportive attitudes and behaviours towards MPAs. This study evaluated the usefulness of in-situ signage in an existing multiple-use MPA, to determine if signs pertaining to the MPA captured the attention of recreational users, and provided adequate information. Structured interviews with recreational fishers, divers, and other users, were used to determine users' awareness of being in an MPA, their awareness of management objectives and associated zoning scheme, together with levels of agreement or disagreement on whether or not current in-situ signage adequately communicates information about the MPA. It was evident that the types and accessibility of in-situ signs in the MPA may not be effective at capturing the attention of intended audiences and providing relevant information, with the exception of signs located at the dive site, due to their design, size, and placement. Awareness differed among the three user groups, together with their views on the effectiveness of signage. Many recreational fishers believed existing signage was inadequate and unclear, and expressed frustrations with the complexity of zoning rules and location of their boundaries. Based on this study, recommendations about the presentation, content, and placement of signage relative to access points, and information required by MPA users, is provided.

© 2014 Elsevier Ltd. The coastal area of Bangladesh has been a focus of climate change and hazard research due to its extreme vulnerability to tropical cyclones, often leading to disaster. While there have been recent studies on the nature of these disasters, people's vulnerability and responses, little is known about how other key stresses, interacting with these extreme weather events, impact natural resources and the flow of ecosystem services that sustain local livelihoods. In this paper, we explore the process by which major stresses and hazards shape the vulnerability of people's livelihoods in dynamic social-ecological environments in the southwest coastal region of Bangladesh. Drawing on qualitative and quantitative data from a case study, we identify the key drivers of change in social-ecological systems and evaluate whether these drivers have affected livelihood outcomes and various components of human wellbeing. This analysis suggests that increasing salinity intrusion, tropical cyclone and land-use change (directly and through changes in ecosystem services) affect the access to livelihood assets at household scale. This undermines social wellbeing by seriously impacting food and water security. Through identification of key stresses and their interactions, and the consequent impacts on ecosystems services and household capitals, the current study proposes a conceptual framework to understand the present day vulnerability to multiple stressors in the context of the coastal region of Bangladesh.

© 2013, © 2013 University of Newcastle upon Tyne. This paper assesses the overall quality of the EISs of four major sectors and the variation in quality of the EISs among the four sectors in Bangladesh. While there are ample studies on the overall quality of EISs irrespective of sectors, there is a lack of research focus in Bangladesh or elsewhere on how the quality of EISs varies by sectors. This study reviews 40 EISs of four major sectors in Bangladesh by using the Lee-Colley method. The review findings indicate that, in general, the quality of EISs in Bangladesh is satisfactory. However, there is a variation in the quality of EISs by sectors where EISs for two sectors are found to be below the satisfactory level. The reasons behind the variation in the quality of EISs by sector are analysed. Furthermore, this paper analyses the factors influencing the overall quality of EISs in Bangladesh as 35% of EISs are still poorly prepared. The factors responsible for the poor performance of EISs include inadequate study time, the lack of baseline data, weak EIA teams, the lack of EIA experts, inadequate funds and weak Terms of Reference.