**4. Legal framework**

Ethiopia has signed/or ratified a number of multilateral and international agreements that aim to protect the environment. In light of these agreements, the following paragraphs summarize the local proclamations and policies to laws.

The Provisions 1995 Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia provides a perfect basic framework on which detailed laws shall be developed for various sectors. It contains provisions that support the enactment of EIA legislation. Thereof, it stipulates that the design and implementation of development programs and projects in the country should not damage or destroy the environment. It makes sure that the right of the people to be consulted and express their views on the planning and implementation of environmental policies and projects that affect them. It also states citizens have the right to live in a clean environment and, where displaced or livelihood has been adversely affected by the development projects undertaken by the government, the rights to get commensurate monetary or Overview of EIA in Ethiopia alternative compensation, including relocation with adequate state assistance [14, 17].

The 299/2002 Article 5 Environmental Impact Assessment Proclamation defines any projects that are likely to have a negative impact on the environment and requires an EIA process for any planned development project or public policy. With regard to development projects, the proclamation stipulates that no person shall commence implementation of proposed project identified by directive as requiring EIA without first passing through environmental impact assessment process and obtaining authorization from the competent environmental agency [18]. Additionally **Table 2** states the local policies and proclamations which aim to legally mitigate and control environmental impacts [19].

As per the classification of the above proclamation, aggregate quarries fails under the category of project that can likely to have a negative impact on the environment, and as per the directives given, the environmental impact assessment


**75**

**Author details**

Gashaw Assefa1

Hawassa, Ethiopia

\* and Aklilu Gebregziabher2

\*Address all correspondence to: onethiopia@gmail.com

provided the original work is properly cited.

1 Construction Technology and Management Department, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Built Environment, Hawassa University Institute of Technology,

2 Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Built Environment, Hawassa University Institute of Technology, Hawassa, Ethiopia

© 2020 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,

*Environmental Impact and Sustainability of Aggregate Production in Ethiopia*

study must be prepared before the aggregate production plant is established. Moreover, the proclamation imposes a fine of between 50,000 and 100,000 Birr on any project owner who commences implementation of a project without obtaining authorization from environmental agencies or who makes false presentation in the environmental impact assessment study report [18]. In addition, the proclamations clearly state that the public particularly the communities that are likely be affected by the project should comment on the environmental impact assessment study and

The need for increased infrastructural and housing requirements due to the growing rate of urbanization has led to an ever-increasing demand for both fine and coarse aggregate. This increase in an unregulated system is raising the environment concern to a level that immediate intervention is required. Locally quarry activity has created several environmental and social problems. These problems include change of landscapes and loss of aesthetic value, contamination of soil, erosion and sedimentation, air and water pollution, loss of biodiversity, and health problems on the workers and local residents. Even if there are relatively sufficient laws and proclamations for the protection of the environment, quarry sites are not regularly inspected of by the authorized bodies while they are operational or after they have been closed for reclamation purposes. Most quarry sites are just left abandoned. The only environmental mitigation practices in few quarry sites are planting of trees and

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90845*

their concern must be addressed.

collection of waste [6, 12, 14].

**5. Conclusion**

#### **Table 2.**

*Local proclamations and policies related to environment protection.*

*Environmental Impact and Sustainability of Aggregate Production in Ethiopia DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90845*

study must be prepared before the aggregate production plant is established. Moreover, the proclamation imposes a fine of between 50,000 and 100,000 Birr on any project owner who commences implementation of a project without obtaining authorization from environmental agencies or who makes false presentation in the environmental impact assessment study report [18]. In addition, the proclamations clearly state that the public particularly the communities that are likely be affected by the project should comment on the environmental impact assessment study and their concern must be addressed.
