Towards understanding geographic information competencies : the case of decision-making in environmental impact assessments in South Africa

Abstract

Concerns have been raised about the competent use of geographic information for decisionmaking in environmental impact assessments (EIAs). However, such competencies have not been categorised, nor have they been assessed before. Effectiveness studies on the quality of environmental assessments have also not been undertaken on the geographic information competencies for review of the EIA report submitted for decision making. This is a poorly researched topic on the boundaries of EIA and geographic information systems (GIS) and therefore worthy of research. This study describes and categorises the geographic information competencies required for reviewing EIAs. As a first step, literature was reviewed to understand the use and value of geographic information for environmental management, as well as related work on geographic information competencies, competency management, and the use of taxonomies to categorise or classify information. Next, surveys and semi-structured interviews, based on a taxonomy of the use of geographic information, were conducted with officials who review EIAs from all the provincial environmental departments across South Africa as well as the national environmental department. Analysis of the responses confirmed the invaluable contribution of geographic information in decision-making for EIA. EIA officials understood the importance of geographic information competencies. However, optimal use has been affected by a number of factors such as a lack of access to up-to-date geographic information required for the reviews, the costs of associated resources, and that some EIA officials lack technical expertise in GIS. These results informed the development of another taxonomy for geographic information competencies. It categorises and structures competencies into different domains of competence: geography, environmental science, GIS software knowledge, field work expertise, critical thinking, and related courses. The description of competencies in the GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION COMPETENCIES: DECISION-MAKING IN IMPACT ASSESSMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA v taxonomy was based on the EIA review work as specified by the participants, and its structure was guided by the literature. The element of subjectivity in the taxonomy approach was countered through the rigorous application of a mixed-methods approach. It is recommended that the taxonomy guides capacity-building efforts to facilitate optimal use of geographic information for decision-making in environmental impact assessment. This thesis has contributed by categorising and assessing the geographic information competencies required in EIA reviews. The results of this research can guide curriculum development, even beyond the borders of South Africa. As geospatial information technologies evolve in future, there will be a need to reassess and possibly revise the taxonomy.