Environmental Assessment of Coastal Sand Mining Using Proposed DPSIR Criteria: A Case of Hai Phong

Abstract

The environmental impact of coastal sand mining activities in Hai Phong city was assessed using ten proposed sustainable criteria for socioeconomic development, and ecological and environmental protection. These ten criteria were developed by the analysis of the DynamicsPressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework, including one driver and pressure criterion (D and P), seven status and impact criteria (S and I), and two response criteria (R). Each criterion is quantified according to five specific evaluation criteria corresponding to the evaluation score from 1 to 5. The results of the ten criterion application for environmental impact assessment of coastal mining Hai Phong by weighting show that the areas with economic activities, benthic biodiversity, and coastal ecosystems are most negatively impacted (score 4/5 and 3.5/5). Other subjects suffer low to moderate impacts (score 1/5 to 3/5). The environmental impact of sand mining (2015-2020) is generally moderate (score ranging from 2/5 to 3/5). The set of adjusted criteria can be applied to similar activities in coastal provinces and cities in Vietnam