Environmental Quality Monitoring (EQM)
Understand, assess and analyse the quality of environmental parameters in the preparation of environmental impact assessments and develop information for reporting to national policymakers, international forums and the public
Type
Domain
Competency Area
Environmental Impact Management
Levels
Basic components used in EQM
Defines the role of environmental monitoring within the framework of broader environmental impact assessment
Identifies the source and effects of pollutants on various parameters of the environment (air, water, soil, biodiversity, waste, etc.)
Aware of data collection techniques to collect observations and measurements of quality of each environment parameter (eg: biomonitoring for air quality monitoring, remote sensing for soil salinity monitoring, etc.)
Gathers information on monitoring equipment and systems chosen based on accuracy requirements, budget and whether or not remote monitoring is required.
Lists four basic objectives of reporting of EQM, namely assessing environmental conditions and trends, supporting environmental policy, reporting to international forums, and providing information to the public
Assesses the existing environment systems
Differentiates monitoring strategies and programs to establish the current status of an environment or to establish trends in environmental parameters
Conducts screening of environmental parameters to ensure quality assurance and quality control
Incorporates the use of specialized observation tools for environmental data collection (eg: remote sensing, GIS, and electromagnetic induction, etc.
Establishes the importance of using automated monitoring systems using machine learning and the internet of things techniques.
Collates basic monitoring guidelines for preparing and communicating the results from the environmental quality monitoring
Administers the use of tools and softwares in EQM
Presents the reviewed and statistically analyzed results of the monitoring strategies to inform the quality of impact assessment
Investigates the gaps in monitoring of complex environmental parameters (eg: urban air quality, soil contamination, solid and hazardous waste management, etc.)
Evaluates tools in statistics to analyse and interpret data collected on quality paraments of the environment
Streamlines the use of environmental monitoring products and environmental monitoring software, such as Environmental Data Management Systems (EDMS) across parameters of the environment
Prioritises the use of tools such as state-of-the-environment (SoE) reports communicating data and information from monitoring systems
Promotes compliance EQM to national policies
Cultivate continuous mapping of the goals of EQM with national policy, institutional frameworks and funding mechanisms.
Predicts futuristic parameters for monitoring environmental quality based on continuous evaluation of changes in the environment
Promotes harmonizing data collected and outcomes assessed on parameters of quality of the environment at the national level
Oversees validity of monitored data, overall objectives, specific strategies, proposed sampling methods, projects within each strategy, and time frames
Administers the use of environmental information systems to develop “information” on monitoring for reporting to end-users, such as policymakers and the public