Both “Environment Impact Assessment” (EIA) and the “Environmental Audit” exercises have received international recognition as vital tools for establishing, appraising and measuring
both the merits and demerits of proposed and ongoing projects, plans, policies and programs the world over (Lohani, 1986). These techniques form key tools and instruments for ensuring sustainability of the projects when utilized during planning and management of the project activities and operations during decision-making. They hence form major components towards enhancing conscientious environmental management and conservation (World Bank, 1993; World Bank, 1999; UNEP, 1998). This important benefit affiliated to the two has been identified worldwide as a key component in new project implementation, not excluding routine monitoring, review and evaluation to ensure sustainability and commitment to sustainable development in the project cycle/life-span (IFC, 1998). Locally, Kenya has established and gazetted various regulatory legislations and provisions
that necessitate certain projects and development plans/programs to undergo either an Environmental Impacts Assessment (EIA) or Environmental Audit (EA) in course of the
project initiation and implementation phases, depending on the project status and type (Tole, 1997). EIA is recommended for all new projects with the potential to pose environmental impacts/risks at the onset, while EA is for the ongoing projects, which have either undergone an environmental impacts assessment before or during inception, or those
projects, which have been operating, and an Initial Environmental Evaluation (IEE) has been conducted (Ahmed and Sammy, 1985).
Environment Assessment (EA) as a tool for environmental conservation has been identified worldwide as a key component in project implementation. Major international financial institutions including the World Bank, FAO, European Union, ADB, IFAD, UNDP and main donor agencies (SIDA, ODA, USAID etc.) have also adopted EIA as one of their funding
criteria. In this regard appropriate guidelines have been developed for EIA executions on projects under their respective funding programs.
At the national level, Kenya has put in place necessary legislation that requires EIA/EA be carried out on every new and existing project. The Environmental Management and
Coordination Act, 1999, direct that the proponent of a project undertake an EIA/EA study and prepare a report thereof for presentation to the National Environmental Management
Authority (NEMA). To facilitate these regulations on EIA and audits have also been established under the Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 56 of 13 th June 2003 [The Environmental (Impact Assessment and Audit) Regulations, 2003]. Absolute has trained and experienced experts to carry out environmental impact assessments and audits.