Decision-making in the planning process and the contribution of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) : a case study based [on] comparative analysis of major sports events in Brazil and England
Tourist events, including major sports events and related infrastructure, comprise one of the fastest growing segments of the world tourism market. Despite the growth and popularity of tourist events, one specific aspect of them that has received limited attention from researchers is the subject of environmental impacts. For this reason, the present research investigates the decision-making in the planning process and the contribution of EIA in the context of major sports events and related infrastructure in Brazil and England. In order to achieve such an aim, the research process firstly involved the establishment of a theoretical framework which draws upon strands of theories related to the fields of EIA, decision-making and public participation in environmental assessment with the purpose of informing the data collection and data analysis. Secondly, the systems of planning and environmental impact assessment (EIA) in England and Brazil were examined. Thirdly, fieldwork was conducted in both countries, where semi-structured interviews and document analysis were applied in the context of the case studies: Rio 2007 Pan American Games and London 2012 Olympic Games. The results of the research have demonstrated that EIA and other environmental assessment tools still have a long way to go in terms of being fully considered planning and decision-making tools in the context of major sports events. In addition, the results from the case studies also show that decision-makers do not perceive the real potential of EIA and other assessment procedures either as planning and decision-making tools or as vehicles for social learning and sustainable development. Therefore the lessons learnt from the Rio 2007 Pan American Games and from other experiences elsewhere, such as from London 2012, are vital to improve the planning process and the environmental sustainability of the forthcoming major sports events held in Brazil (the Football World Cup in 2014 and the Rio Summer Olympic Games in 2016).
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