Project management and the Environment: integration of environmental concerns into a project cycle for sustainable development

Rapid population growth has resulted in increased demands on the earth's resources, which has accelerated environmental degradation and potentially serious global climatic changes. The human impacts are manifested overwhelmingly through projects. The question of the overall objective of a project should be "sustainability" or "sustainable use". The question then is "how can projects and the environment be interrelated to make their development environmentally sustainable?" A research done on the problem established that one of the basic prerequisite for integrating environmental concerns in a project planning process and in the whole project cycle is the degree to which legal, institutional structures and arrangements support it. The research found out significant flaws and inadequacies in the institutional and legal frameworks currently in use in Tanzania. It has further been established through this study that for sustainable development protection of environmental and social impacts arising from project activities is the basis for environmental assessment, thus striking a balance between project objectives (economic, social, environmental and other criteria). It has therefore been recommended that the use of 'Integrated Environmental Project management Framework', formulated during the study, should enable all key players (project sponsors, proponents and managers) in project development undertake projects with full consideration of environmental concerns without the necessity for law compliance and despite of the absence of environmental data and standards.