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Despite their alleged comprehensiveness and the many linkages between poverty and environment, most poverty reduction strategy papers have until now insufficiently acknowledged the importance of environmental sustainability. To tackle this shortcoming, participative processes were initiated to 'green' PRSPs (meaning the integration of environmental sustainability as a cross-cutting issue). This supposes a process approach to decision-making and implies opening up the policy process to a wide range of societal actors. This approach is conceptualised as a sustainability assessment. A descriptive analysis of the Benin PRSP-greening initiative is presented, based on interviews and on literature research. Subsequently, issues of importance in appreciating the wider impact of PRSP-greening are suggested. Besides the quality improvements of the PRSP, greening contributes to a gradual change in the way decision-making is perceived and contributes to social learning. Furthermore, it is a promising approach that contributes to the institutionalisation of environmental sustainability in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategic environmental assessment is often referred to as a tool for predicting the consequences of planned development. The assumption of predictability of outcomes is inconsistent with reality which is characterised by uncertainty and complexity. Furthermore, the capacity of our life support systems to absorb disturbance and re-organise without changing into undesirable states appears to be of critical importance. Resilience thinking provides a structured way of looking at complexity, uncertainty and interrelatedness of systems and processes, and above all, provides us with new ways of dealing with planning and more effective use of SEA. Resilience thinking provides inspiration for those who want to extend their thinking about sustainability, but it also challenges some ideas underpinning the impact assessment profession (the future is unpredictable; change is inevitable; increasing stability leads to vulnerability). This paper is the result of a lively and well-visited workshop on resilience thinking and SEA at the 2010 IAIA conference in Geneva. It introduces the basic concepts of resilience thinking, and develops ideas for its integration within SEA practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) are a central instrument in international development cooperation and of key importance in guiding donors' policies towards southern recipients. However, many aspects of the PRSP have been criticised by a variety of development stakeholders. A checklist of 85 questions has been developed to analyse the inclusion of aspects of sustainable development in PRSPs and to point to sustainability challenges and opportunities. It thus facilitates targeted advice and quality improvements. The checklist was applied to a selection of 12 PRSPs of developing countries. The results reveal an insufficient integration of the ecosystem services concept, of biodiversity and of climate issues. Property rights, gender issues, water and energy are as a rule well elaborated. PRSPs show significant variation in the integration of environmental sustainability issues. Sustainability assessments can contribute to significant improvements between first and second generation PRSPs provided the assessments are supported by a strong institutional framework and a dedicated political commitment towards sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analysed 40 planning applications in the East of England to investigate the practice of translating paper recommendations in the environmental statement (ES) into legal conditions and obligations. A high proportion (50%) of suggested mitigation measures were not translated into planning conditions or obligations. However, a significant number of additional conditions or obligations, not directly based on the ES, were imposed on developers. The research suggests a mismatch between the practice of those producing ESs and the expectations of planning authorities, leading to inefficiency and, possibly, emasculation of environmental impact assessment through a failure to implement mitigation. Several recommendations are made to increase the effectiveness of the implementation and integration of mitigation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qualitative methods for impact assessment (IA) represent a broad spectrum of approaches that are important for realising effective IA practice. The purpose of this paper is to identify and promote qualitative methods that are available for use in contemporary and future (next-generation) IA processes. From an extensive literature review, an international survey (145 responses), expert interviews (48 interviewees), and a workshop attended by 27 IA practitioners, 17 qualitative method categories were identified. These were further subdivided into three classes: conventional qualitative methods, highly participatory methods, and mixed methods. Each method is described, and an indication given of how each can be used in IA practice, including the specific stage of the IA process to which they might be applied. Whilst this paper seeks to stimulate practitioners to apply qualitative methods to enrich IA practices, the research also identifies a lack of expertise with social science methods as a significant barrier to the effective use of qualitative methods in IA practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impact assessment (IA) follow-up is necessary to determine the environmental effects of a project or plan to inform ongoing management. No previous research confirms if visitor surveys may be used to this extent for developments within a protected. This paper explores if and how visitor surveys may be used as a tool for supporting EIA follow-up within protected areas. Relevant EIA documentation was appraised to determine EIA performance expectations for management of the Nombolo Mdhluli Conference Centre development in the Kruger National Park. Forty-four expectations were identified, translated into questions, and included in a survey scale. Eighty-nine conference delegates completed the survey whereafter an Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) method was used to map the responses in four IPA map quadrants: 1. Possible overkill, 2. Low priority, 3. Q3 Keep up the good work, and 4. Concentrate here. The IPA map displays 29 items of statistical significance in the four IPA map quadrants with 12 items in the 'Concentrate here' quadrant. The IPA results mapped the need for management to concentrate on responsible building, waste, water, energy, compliance, awareness, cumulative impact management. The paper shows that visitor surveys may be used as a simple but effective tool for supporting EIA follow-up monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is considerable uncertainty about the role that Artificial Intelligence (AI) might play in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), including into research. AI large language model (LLM) chatbots have the potential to increase the efficiency of EIA research, but their outputs can create concerns. This paper investigates the potential time savings achievable using LLM chatbots to undertake a critical review of literature focussing on the use of AI in EIA. Using a combination of ChatGPT and Elicit, literature was reviewed to identify 12 key issues associated with the use of AI in EIA and this paper was prepared in three and a half days from initial conception. A protocol is developed to assist researchers in fact checking evidence delivered through Elicit (or other machine learning tools) which serves as a novel outcome of this research. Using comments from three peer reviewers allowed some more objective reflection on the credibility of the LLM chatbot-derived output, on the appropriateness of the time savings, and on the future research needed on the application of LLM chatbots in this context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental assessments (EAs) in Botswana are insufficiently influential in decision-making and have been criticised for contributing to extended transaction costs and timelines. Therefore, efforts to simplify EA have been undertaken. Whilst internationally, the value of EA is judged by its capability to raise the profile of environmental issues and enhance public participation in decision processes, current EA simplification interventions in Botswana aim at constraining access to environmental information, at reducing public participation provisions and at restricting the scope of environmental impacts to be evaluated. Ultimately, EA is intended to be replaced with outcome-based tools aiming to mitigate and compensate for environmental damage rather than avoiding it. The authors therefore suggest that simplification efforts in Botswana are bound to erode benefits associated with EA and are not fit for purpose. In this paper, three recommendations are offered: whilst outcome-based tools can be prepared for projects that were assessed by EA they must be firmly tiered to them. Furthermore, discretion in decision-making needs to remain in place, and data sharing should be enhanced by placing EA reports in the public domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a case where the SDGs have been integrated into the tender of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the construction of a new metro in Copenhagen, Denmark. The case gives insight into the impact that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can have on three phases of the EIA, namely i. pre-tender, ii. tender, and iii. post-tender process. By using the theoretical framework, 'spaces for practice' and action research, the study uses instances of collaboration between actors to understand how an EIA process responds to the introduction of new demands through the EIA tender. The study shows that incorporating SDGs as a part of the EIA tender can be a way of introducing innovations and new methodological approaches to EIA practice and reorienting conventional practices to provide greater opportunity for actor engagement, coordination, and negotiation, with the potential to drive EIA in more goal-orientated directions. In addition, the new spaces for stakeholder interactions have provided opportunities for collaborating on a commonly agreed approach towards SDG-integration, determining the appropriate scope of SDG relevance, and negotiating the role that SDGs should have in the forthcoming EIA process for the Copenhagen Metro project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piecemeal changes to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process have to date not fully delivered EIA's normative goals and met today's environmental challenges. By regarding the to date approaches to change-making as a problem requiring a solution, this paper applies critical analysis to reflect upon current change-making based on England's EIA system as a case study. The analysis identifies a lack of innovative ideas and sound evidence-based approaches to inform and support the change-making process. Consequently, we argue for an epistemology of change-making (changeology) so that the entire approach can be based on an empirically informed framework, to inform the journey (process) and destination (fit-for-purpose EIA) and make the EIA process fit-for-purpose and aligned to future expectations. Changeology should be viewed as more than informing one-time change-making but as a framework of well-studied practice for changing (or improving) EIA in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examining SEA effectiveness is a complex yet critical component of any well-functioning SEA system. This article reflects on SEA's substantive effectiveness and examines the influence of SEA on development planning for environmental sustainability and the challenges of integrating SEA with decisional processes in Botswana. The paper is set within the context of three government plan-SEAs. Results indicate that despite the strong legislative requirement and understanding of the significance of integrating SEA into development planning, the general effectiveness of the tool is rather limited. Also, the results indicate that the successful integration of SEA findings and recommendations into decision-making in Botswana is threatened by financial constraints, the presentation of SEAs, technical inadequacies, politics, and conflicting stakeholder value expectations. The paper therefore argues that for SEA to guide environmentally sound planning in Botswana, obstacles to environmentally sound decision-making must be addressed. This will require behavioural, institutional, and legislative reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What would impact assessment (IA) look like from the perspective of Nature? This paper intends to provoke a conversation about including Nature in the IA process. It is an intentional provocation to challenge the businessasusual approach driven by proponents. Using reflexivity and embedding images in the text, along with literature review from within IA and wider interdisciplinary thinking, the means for the environment to participate are explored. The paper argues for allowing Nature a voice by including the environment as a stakeholder in a more relational approach to IA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efforts have been made to mainstream the environment in European Commission (EC) development co-operation. In programming, the main tool is the Country Environmental Profile (CEP) which informs, from an environmental point of view, the preparation of Country Strategy Papers (CSPs). Recently CEPs have improved significantly; they have different entry points in CSPs and the results of environmental integration can be found in a series of 'environmental integration outputs'. This paper describes the structure of CEPs, their place in the EC cycle of operations and how they can influence CSPs. It shows, through case studies, the impact CEPs are having on CSPs, resulting in CSPs that prepare the ground for more effective environmental integration throughout the cycle of operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cumulative effects assessments in Canada are increasingly expected to include social impacts from resource development and land-use actions on people, their communities, and livelihoods. As processes and methods for assessing cumulative social effects develop, it is important to understand the capacity needs for implementing such an assessment. This paper explores the regulatory and professional capacity required to assess cumulative social effects of resource development projects. Semi-structured interviews were completed with professionals involved in environmental assessments for hydroelectric development in British Columbia and Manitoba, Canada. A number of key capacity needs are identified in terms of the availability regulation and guidance, the professional expertise needed, and understanding responsibilities and management for cumulative social effects. The paper concludes with a discussion of capacity needs and recommendations for improvements to support the implementation of a social cumulative effects assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous-led impact assessment (ILIA) is a project review process designed and conducted with meaningful input and an adequate degree of control by Indigenous peoples. Using a case-based approach, this paper examines ILIAs conducted in Canada. The research – tools for ILIA – provides examples of options for the design and implementation of ILIA processes which have been utilized by Indigenous Nations while making their own determinations regarding if and how development should occur according to their unique locations, histories, natural resource issues, and governance. We have identified five tools: framework agreements; customized review panels; land use and consultation policy; impact and benefit agreements; and land use planning. Each tool is described along with a case study example of how the tool was applied within ILIA. Although our work focuses on Canada, the examples and tools can be valuable for Indigenous peoples and EIA practitioners in jurisdictions elsewhere who are looking to understand how ILIA might be operationalized to reflect their settings, values, and priorities. The results are helpful to Indigenous governments and groups looking to develop their own approaches to assessment, and for understanding the relative strengths and experiences of options they may consider or adapt for their own needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the development process and key findings of the first-ever health impact assessment (HIA) conducted on the proposed Alpu coal-fired power plant (ACPP) in Eskisehir, Turkiye. The study followed a systematic HIA methodology, commencing with an extensive literature search on coal-fired power plants and the region's specific characteristics during the screening step. In the subsequent scoping phase, in-depth discussions were conducted with a diverse range of experts and stakeholders to be used as inputs. The study findings highlight that the ACPP's impact on human health will be multifaceted. In addition to the estimated additional 10,000 premature deaths attributed to air pollution during the 35-year, the ACPP is expected to have implications for occupational health, including increased occupational diseases and injuries. Furthermore, it may also affect income, employment, food access, and nutritional quality. The health implications of the ACPP will extend beyond Eskisehir, potentially affecting a region with a current population of approximately 11 million residents throughout its lifetime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is a key focus in society, and environmental assessments (EAs) are seen as key instruments to inform decision-makers about climate consequences of plans and projects. Previous research has, however, identified shortcomings of practice of assessing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and their significance, and this paper aims to unfold current practices with a focus on Denmark. From an initial set of 762 Danish EA reports published between 2017 and 2021, researchers scrutinized 102 of them to assess their handling of GHG emissions. The findings show that climate change mitigation receives continuous sparse attention and is only to a limited extent included in the scope of the EA. Moreover, analysis of GHG emissions only involves few phases in a life-cycle perspective, GHG emissions are seldomly deemed significant, and justifications provided are varied and frequently inadequate. The results contrast with the increasing focus in society on climate change as a pivotal concern across numerous societal activities. The repercussions of this current practice are discussed. Finally, a research agenda to support better practice is outlined. Increased focus on climate change has not had a major impact on Danish EA practice. Increasing GHG emissions are almost never assessed as significant. Nine types of justifications for the significance of GHG emissions are identified. Assessing GHG emissions directly against national total emissions is misleading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) of projects and strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of policies, plans and programmes allow environmental aspects to be incorporated into decision-making. The literature and regulations sometimes present SEA and EIA as isolated silos, but in practice there are intermediate approaches. This paper discusses a number of case studies where the application of EIA and SEA is conceptually unclear, although legally appropriate. The application of SEA or EIA depends in practice on the name of the planning document used, rather than its strategic character, with non-strategic SEAs and strategic EIAs due to a mismatch between planning and EA. The gradual transition between SEA and EIA makes it advisable to establish similar administrative procedures, as well as a common screening stage to determine not only whether or not the proposal should be subject to EA, but also the most appropriate approach. More than one EA process may be necessary throughout the planning cycle, requiring effective tiering. The regulations should define what is considered strategic, and regulate the tiering between SEA and EIA processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper, by highlighting the experiences and reflections of experts and practitioners, aims to increase knowledge of how social impact assessment is managed and handled at various stages of the planning process in major infrastructure investments in Sweden. Interviews were conducted with nine experts and practitioners working with issues of transport planning and social sustainability. The informants represent the national and regional level and three established consultancies. The results largely confirm earlier research, and the area of social impacts assessment in transport planning in Sweden can be seen as being fragmented. Many fundamental issues in the field remain to be addressed for future development, including issues such as public procurement, the role (and competence) of the client, the role (and competence) of the practitioner, how SIA should be included in the whole planning process taking into account the different stages (including how the SIA should be documented, delivered and monitored), how methods should be managed and included, and how the genuine experts should be included, i.e. those living and working in the affected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pretrial detention is associated with negative health and mental health outcomes but new policies that limit its use rarely cite the impact that such changes could have on individual or family-level mental health. This paper describes the potential of mental health impact assessments to be used as a tool in policy decision-making about criminal legal system reforms. An abbreviated, retrospective mental health impact assessment of New York State's Bail Elimination Act of 2019 was undertaken based on a review of literature to illustrate how reducing pretrial detention impacts social determinants of health and, in turn, mental health. Evidence is presented about the known effects of pretrial detention on eight social determinants of health and the impacts of those on mental health. The evidence demonstrates that policy decisions have important mental health implications that should be considered as part of the deliberative process. This review supports the use of mental health impact assessments to engage communities, inform policy, and address historical inequities in the criminal justice system in order to reduce the consequent mental health disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Botswana recently introduced strategic environmental assessment (SEA) into her national environmental management framework and the SEA approach used in is anchored on the South African approach which is reported defective where it originates. Furthermore, there is a dearth of literature on the performance of SEA in Botswana. In response, this paper studies the quality of SEAs of three of Botswana's development plans, prepared between 2011 and 2018. The study employs European SEA Directive-based SEA report quality review package. Findings demonstrate that SEA practice in Botswana is generally satisfactory albeit with some critical challenges. Shortcomings relate to the description of the baseline environment; the listing of baseline documents; the identification of problems relating to, and effects of proposed plan on areas of ecological significance; evaluation of secondary, cumulative, and synergistic effects; the elaboration of various properties of effects; consideration given to effects on various sustainability receptors and health implications; the conduct of SEA following applicable national SEA frameworks; the uncertain effects of public participation and SEA on proposed plan; and, the description of how developed monitoring arrangements can be used to reduce duplication of efforts between SEA and EIA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the EIA process and its effectiveness in addressing the impacts of a 190 km long national highway project along the Karnataka coast. We analyse the quality and relevance of the environmental clearance conditions established by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and discusses their potential implications. The findings underline that most of the conditions that pertained to the prevention of pollution, restoration of mangroves, and protection of biodiversity lacked a scientific basis and specific information required for effective implementation. The MoEF&CC also overlooked the social impact of the project and underplayed its own role in ensuring fair compensation to project affected communities for the loss of their land and other livelihoods. The paper concludes by promulgating a long list of irrelevant and ineffective environmental conditions that represent greenwashing because it could misguide affected communities and other stakeholders by creating the impression the state is exercising due diligence in protecting the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social Impact Assessment (SIA) facilitates sustainable and equitable consideration of social issues in transport infrastructure planning. However, SIA practitioners face significant constraints in practice. Good SIA is effective in contributing to institutional mechanisms for holding political, bureaucratic and commercial processes accountable for social outcomes. This paper aims to better understand constraints to the assessment and management of social impacts. Drawing on interviews with expert infrastructure professionals involved in projects in Sydney (Australia), Amsterdam (The Netherlands), and internationally, this paper highlights weaknesses in the implementation of SIA, technical engineering-, time- and cost-focused project management practices, and poorly regulated, politically-driven urban governance and planning processes as key constraints. The findings suggest that overcoming those constraints cannot be the sole responsibility of EIA and SIA practitioners and there is more to be considered than practice alone. Instead, this requires an integrated approach across multi-level governance scales and the lifecycle of projects. This paper concludes that for good practice SIA to be realised as intended, systemic adjustments are needed in the planning of urban transport infrastructure, to address constraints and ensure that social impacts are considered in strategic stages and prioritised equally against other project and urban planning issues in decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extraction of natural resources, such as minerals, oil, and gas, can have profound economic effects. The application of economic analysis methods in impact studies of resource extraction projects holds potential to inform decision-making in order to optimise gains and minimise negative externalities. This paper aims to identify and characterise peer-reviewed publications that report on economic studies implemented as part of impact assessments of resource extraction projects. We conducted a systematic scoping review in PubMed and Scopus of articles published between 1998 and 2020. Out of 1,579 raw hits, we identified 13 articles describing 15 economic analyses of resource extraction projects. Half of the identified papers presented economic analyses conducted in the context of mining and oil/gas projects. The majority of the identified studies dealt with the cost and/or benefits of environmental and/or social impacts. Only one study investigated economic aspects associated with potential health impacts. Given the small number of papers identified, economic analysis of impacts associated with natural resource extraction projects seems to be a small field of published research. Yet the inclusion of economic analysis in impact assessment of resource extraction projects holds promise to better harness benefits for local communities and governments while minimising negative externalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is the first regional organisation, globally, to have a Directive on Gender Assessment in Energy Projects. The Directive provides a framework for Member States to ensure that women and marginalised groups in project-affected communities are adequately protected from adverse impacts of energy projects. Being a recent instrument, one may wonder how this experiment will pan out. Drawing from scholarship on regionalism and using social impact theory, this paper adopts a forward-looking approach to consider if the recently adopted Directive will now become practice. We find that ECOWAS has the procedural legitimacy to successfully impact the domestic institutions of its Member States through this Directive – with ECOWAS being seen as a strong and influential institution by its members. However, ECOWAS' consequential legitimacy, regarding this Directive, may be slightly weakened by its lesser 'immediacy', i.e. its level of interaction with ministries, departments and agencies, when compared to other actors such as international financial institutions. The paper concludes with the recommendation for stronger regional oversight and guidance from ECOWAS. We also call for action to financial institutions, private investors and community-based organisations to make gender assessment in energy projects a consistent and meaningful practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts of development-induced resettlement disproportionately affect women, as they frequently face more difficulties than men to cope with disruption and changes. Women's situation might further deteriorate if there is no mechanism for affected households to enjoy meaningful participation and consultation in the resettlement process. This paper is the result of policy analysis, project implementation experience, and findings of a cross-sectional survey of 876 affected households in Vietnam. We examine women's participation in resettlement processes in large infrastructure projects in Vietnam. The survey findings revealed the limited participation of women in the resettlement processes from all perspectives (meeting attendance, resettlement implementation, and making decisions) at community and household levels. Gender-stereotyped prejudice from community members and the gender-ascribed household division of labour were key factors inhibiting women's meaningful participation. The paper also discusses the implications of the findings for impact assessment practice. We call for a shift in how resettlement is prepared and implemented towards a more comprehensive and gender-informed approach, with a view to making affected people genuine beneficiaries of resettlement programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroelectric stations are a renewable source of electricity, but social and environmental impacts have been hindering social acceptance of new projects. The hydroelectricity sector has been investing heavily in sustainability marketing and social responsibility to improve the sector perceptions among shareholders and minimize public scrutiny. This paper examines corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting of the hydroelectric sector focusing on Canadian corporations. In addition, this paper reveals that although CSR is addressed in either the websites or environmental reports, the type of framework adopted, the completeness, and frequency of reporting is not equally implemented. Overall, financial accountability persists driving the reports attention and playing a major role in the CSR view. This work also attempts to link CSR and social impact assessment to improve sustainability reporting. Several recommendations are presented throughout the text. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using strategic environmental assessment and project environmental impact assessment to assess ecological connectivity at multiple scales in a national park context. Subsequent papers zoomed into specific cases that (1) explicitly incorporated connectivity assessments in the EA process across scales and EA tiers ranging from project-level environmental impact assessments to strategic environmental assessments (Cumming and Tavares [2]), (2) developed and applied strong quantitative approaches to model habitat connectivity for certain target species in EAs (Kor et al. [5]), and (3) explored the contribution of mitigation measures to the connectivity of ecological networks for amphibians (Clevenot et al. [1]). Advancing the consideration of ecological connectivity in environmental assessment - Part 2 of the special issue Despite a rapidly growing body of research about ecological connectivity, studies explicitly examining and advancing its inclusion and consideration in environmental assessment (EA) have remained surprisingly sparse. [Extracted from the article]

Projects and their Environmental Impact Assessments should take account of global cumulative impacts such as those associated with Greenhouse Gas Emissions. The emissions induce the climate emergency which is a major determinant of public health and much else. This opinion paper identifies some challenges and improvements that could be made in current policy, procedure, and methods for mitigating the climate emergency in airport expansion. It does so by analysing the Environmental Statement for the Leeds and Bradford Airport expansion plan, together with existing international, national, and local climate change policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EIA has become an important environmental management tool because it is supported by enforceable legal backing. However, its effectiveness has been debated, especially in developing countries where systems are often mimicked from the Western world. EIA in Namibia has been in place since the enactment of the legislation in 2007 and 2012 respectively. This paper investigates EIA's substantive, normative, and transactive effectiveness in Namibia as perceived by key actors. Data were collected through survey questionnaires and triangulated with semi-structured interviews. A total of 110 actors responded to the survey and 25 experts were interviewed. Interviewees perceive EIA in Namibia as moderately and marginally effective in supporting substantive, normative, and transactive effectiveness. They further perceive that various contextual and administrative challenges affect EIA effectiveness in Namibia. Challenges include poor administration, restrained consideration of assessment findings in decisions, limited learning and environmental awareness opportunities, inadequate public participation, funding, and poor monitoring, and reporting. Interviewees also highlighted political will as necessary to improve funding and appropriate institutional arrangement. Actors perceive that projects meant to improve the livelihood of impoverished communities can be accepted while foregoing environmental objectives. With targeted improvements, EIA can effectively facilitate good environmental decisions, resource mobilisation, and sustainability in Namibia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the authors reflect on public participation (PP) in environmental impact assessment (EIA) processes in Malawi, where EIA is implemented as Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA). Who is invited and who is actively contributing to PP meetings is explored. In this context, 12 ESIAs are examined, six from rural and six from urban areas. While PP principles ask for a balanced approach towards the inclusion of both interested and affected individuals and bodies, in the 12 projects, participants were mostly development and planning experts in urban projects and traditional leaders (chiefs) in rural projects. People without societal positions that were directly affected by developments only represented 15% of those being present in PP meetings. Based on these findings, the authors suggest that PP policy needs to be improved and enforced in order to allow ordinary people potentially directly affected by development to be better represented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significance judgements lie at the heart of EIA and provide the basis and justification for overall decision-making. Although the subjective nature of significance judgements is widely recognized, there has been limited research aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of its implications. This paper builds on the growing tradition of exploring learning from psychology in dealing with challenges in EIA practice, in this case, significance judgements. The aim of this research is therefore, to gain a deeper understanding of the psychology underpinning significance judgements. This is achieved by applying 10 concepts from psychology to the four steps in the 'significance spectrum model', namely: decide thresholds, make predictions, judge acceptability and consider mitigation. The results suggest that significance judgements should (with underpinning concepts from psychology provided in parentheses) aim for a limited number of key thresholds (paradox of choice); design thresholds with future gains in mind (loss aversion), reconsider probability scoring (possibility and certainty effect); avoid judgements based on limited information (What You See Is All There Is, WHYSIATI); utilise statistical prediction over expert opinion (expert fallacy); communicate carefully (priming, framing and cognitive ease); and consider personal attitudes and biases (affect heuristic). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Netherlands' Environmental Assessment (EA) system has continuously been discussed with calls for streamlining and simplifying. This paper aims to provide an overview and to examine these discussions, including their more fundamental background. To this end, we discuss the origins of the Dutch EA-system, its practice, the critique, the regulator's reaction by changing institutional arrangements, and the consequences. We conclude that politically, EA is blamed for cumbersome planning and decision-making, while professionals are more nuanced. We see a process of persistent cumbersome planning and decision-making about plans and projects in a country in which environment and nature are under pressure. This situation is resulting in impromptu 'escape routes' and evermore detailed EA-studies that are costly, time-consuming, lack quality, are contested, and often fail before court. This process is observed for a long time. Although most studies stressed that streamlining and simplifying will not help in accelerating the planning process, nevertheless regulatory changes aimed at this because of political pressure. Overall, as a consequence of the simplification of regulations and the reduction of safeguards, the advanced and comprehensive nature of the original Dutch EIA-system has been called into question. EA as a messenger intrinsically will always be subject to critique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brexit, COVID-19 and climate change pose challenges of national and global importance. They continue to have impacts across the economy, society, health, and the environment, all of which are determinants of health and well-being. Between 2018 and 2021, Public Health Wales undertook three Health Impact Assessments (HIA) in relation to the impact of the challenges in Wales. Based on these, work has been carried out to map the synergies across the 'Triple Challenge'. This paper highlights the commonalities in the impact of the three challenges for Wales, discusses the process carried out, learns from it and proposes actions that can be taken to mitigate harm. Results indicate the three components of the Triple Challenge must not be viewed as separate silos as they have cumulative multi-faceted impacts. This affects some population groups more negatively than others and present a 'Triple Challenge' to nation states in the UK and Europe. A HIA approach can enable a range of stakeholders to critically view similar challenges not just as single issues but as a holistic whole to mobilise action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognising the value of GIS in screening environmental impacts, the South African government has introduced a web-based Screening Tool as a mandatory part of the EIA application process. The Tool draws on numerous databases to depict sensitive attributes of proposed development sites. Enforcement of the Tool has implications for how EIAs are conducted, in terms of both scope and cost. In this paper we present the results of preliminary research into user perceptions of the accuracy and utility of the Tool. Findings from a national survey and several semi-structured interviews show that most users are not confident that the Tool accurately assigns sensitivity ratings according to various environmental themes. Notwithstanding this finding, overall opinion is that the Tool has potential to improve the scientific robustness of the EIA process. It is recommended that practitioners and specialists are involved in further development of the Tool to increase accuracy of the sensitivity ratings. We conclude more generally that integration of GIS can compensate for knowledge gaps and enhance the scientific veracity of EIA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to the literature about environmental impact assessment follow-up, with case studies of stakeholder advisory groups associated with three mining projects in Nunavut, Canada. Based on an analysis of regulatory documents, we conclude that stakeholder advisory groups, as constituted and currently operating in Nunavut, are undermining aspects of the environmental assessment process. For example, potential impacts to wildlife that are invaluable to Inuit communities, as well as proposed measures to mitigate these impacts, have repeatedly been deferred to post-approval discussions in advisory groups. As a result, potential impacts and proposed mitigations are not adequately assessed during decision-making and permitting. Opportunities for public participation are curtailed, as advisory groups have no mechanism for public involvement and suffer from limited transparency. Moreover, these advisory groups have proven to be ineffective forums for guiding post-approval monitoring and addressing project effects. Other jurisdictions can learn from these experiences. A failure to implement best practice principles and stakeholder advice can lead to negative social and ecological outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental assessment (EA) is an important entry point to the development of renewable energy projects, yet the role of EA in the renewable energy sector remains poorly understood in comparison to its role in assessing and managing the potential impacts of traditional fossil fuel-based energy developments. This paper examines the requirements and provisions of EA for renewable energy development, specifically wind energy development, across Canada and the implications for renewable energy transition. Results show considerable variability in EA requirements and provisions for wind energy, including such factors as EA timelines, screening approaches, proponent responsibilities for consultation, and whether a proposed wind energy development even triggers an EA review. Differences in EA systems and procedures for wind energy projects may have implications for the predictability of EA and the relative attractiveness of certain jurisdictions for wind energy developers. As countries transition to renewable energy technologies to meet climate change targets and to deliver sustainable energy to remote and developing regions, the role of EA in balancing good environmental reviews with the pressing need to build and operate renewable power production requires further attention. This paper outlines four areas where improvements are needed in EA systems to meet these dual objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impact assessment can play an important role in global energy transition, delivering knowledge to identify and manage the impacts of renewable energy projects. Yet, there are enduring concerns about IA's efficacy for renewable energy development. Based on content analysis of IA applications for wind energy development in Canada, this paper examines the environmental and social impacts typically assessed across wind energy projects and the mitigation solutions proposed. Results indicate considerable imbalance between biophysical versus social impacts, including mitigation solutions. IAs include far more solutions for managing biophysical impacts than social ones, with impact-to-mitigation ratios of 1:4.3 and 1:1.3 respectively. Most mitigations focus on impact minimisation, followed by avoidance, and are often vague and imprecise regarding the timing, methods of implementation, and responsibility. Notwithstanding common impacts, mitigation actions that were common across projects were too vague or imprecise to support transferable practice to find efficiencies in assessment. Improved understanding the impacts of renewable energy projects and mitigation solutions, and learning from one project to the next, are foundational to advancing the role of IA the transition to renewable energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building upon principles for public engagement and for impact assessment (IA) follow-up, this paper distils best practice principles specific to public participation in IA follow-up. Literature review, followed by a simple survey distributed to IA follow-up and/or public engagement practitioners, helped identify key principles and related published sources. Twelve principles for public participation in IA follow-up are presented, which relate to (1) mandatory public reporting, (2) ease of access to published material, (3) full transparency, (4) clarity about the IA follow-up process, (5) input to decision-making, (6) continuous access to IA follow-up activities and feedback, (7) independent verification, (8) two-way communication, (9) partnerships, (10) Indigenous inclusion, (11) participatory monitoring, and (12) involvement in adaptive management. They form a ladder of public engagement; the initial principles pertain mainly to information provision, with increasing levels of participation and legitimacy inherent in the latter principles. The principles are intended to provide a foundation for practitioners and community members involved in IA follow-up to enhance practice at all stages of the development life cycle, helping to achieve sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In planning regional road development, planners often face a challenge to reconcile various interests and interpretations on the ultimate goals which complicate the discussion decision-making processes. This situation is defined as strategic ambiguity. Standard procedures for impact assessment are mostly ineffective at offering solutions that satisfy all involved stakeholders. This paper analyses the situation by using a Multiple Stream Framework (MSF) approach. MSF identifies three factors, labelled "streams', i.e. the problems, the solutions, and the politics streams, that open sustainability 'windows' for integrating different interests. This paper investigates the opening of such windows in two highway projects in Indonesia. Both projects showed a high ambition for achieving environmental sustainability. In these cases, the window was opened through (i) recognition of the problems and the solutions by the active involvement of stakeholders, (ii) coalitions with influential stakeholders for political supports, and (iii) mobilization of resources and policy networks by the stakeholders. It is concluded that planners might influence the streams to outline decision-making processes and to implement environmental impact assessments effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Criteria for the evaluation of the effectiveness of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) have evolved internationally from the requirement for mere procedural effectiveness, to include criteria such as substantial and incremental effectiveness. This paper provides an overview of the international evolution of effectiveness evaluation for SEA and its parallel progression in South Africa. Within this context, the effectiveness of the two SEA case studies conducted in support of national-scale renewable energy planning in South Africa was reviewed against internationally recognised effectiveness criteria to test their ability to influence decision making for renewable energy projects in the country. The evaluation was informed by the role of the first author as the project director in the case studies. The review found the SEAs to be partially effective, mainly through the introduction of new legislation, processes and systems at the national level that operationalise the outcomes of the SEA. A fundamental limitation emerged in determining whether incremental effectiveness had been achieved as it is too soon to evaluate the effectiveness of the recently promulgated legislation and instruments. The paper builds on previous work on effectiveness evaluations and provides the perspective of an administrative implementer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development projects inevitably pose risks to the health of humans and the planet. Health impact assessment (HIA) practitioners increasingly evaluate the mental health effects of development but have rarely considered those caused by public understanding of risk ('risk perception') itself a determinant of health. This paper proposes a new psychosocial model of public understanding of risk in response to the literature on perceived high risk developments. It exemplifies the psychosocial process that occurs when people respond to industrial threats to health. In doing this, it draws upon literature from psychology, social science and public health. The model is foregrounded in the context of psychosocial health in HIA. The paper also reviews the health and well-being effects that may result. Overall, it is argued that the philosophical and moral underpinnings of HIA compel practitioners and developers to understand the formation and ongoing development of public understandings of risk in light of the cultural, demographic, temporal and other contextual factors shaping them in unique development contexts where HIAs are undertaken, and how understandings of risk actually affect community health. We encourage them to propose mitigation measures and solutions that accord with the values of Planetary Health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the consideration of climate change in environmental assessment (EA) in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector, British Columbia, Canada. Based on an analysis of recent EA applications, results show that climate change is considered, to some extent, in all phases of EA for most LNG projects. However, stakeholders indicate a dissatisfaction with practice – often based on expectations about EA that exceed what it can deliver as a project-based tool, and sometimes based on an incomplete understanding of existing climate change legislation and targets. Results also indicate inconsistent application of existing climate change requirements across project EAs. Notwithstanding proponents often addressing climate change in their EA applications, climate change tends to receive little attention in project decision and approval conditions. The paper concludes with recommendations for better practice climate change consideration in EA that is commensurate with the scope and scale of project-level issues, complemented by more strategic EA and economic instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological connectivity within and across the boundaries of protected areas has become a key theme for conservation practitioners in Canada and internationally in recent years. This paper describes four case studies involving the assessment of ecological connectivity in national parks in Canada. Assessments occurred in three tiers: strategic environmental assessments conducted during management planning processes, an intermediate tier focussed on research and partnering at more refined spatial scales, and project level environmental impact assessments. While improved data, modelling and research on thresholds is needed, the multi-tiered approach facilitated the analysis of information and the collaboration with partners at scales required to conserve ecological connectivity within and across the boundaries of national parks. This work demonstrates practical approaches to conserving ecological connectivity as a response to biodiversity loss and highlights impact assessment in multiple tiers as a solution that is transferable to other sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydro-Québec broke ground on a 1,550-MW hydroelectric complex on the Romaine River in Québec in 2009. The complex is built on the traditional territory of the Innu and mostly affects two communities, Ekuanitshit and Nutashkuan. To assess and limit the impacts of its large-scale projects on Indigenous populations, Hydro-Québec favors a rigorous methodological approach derived from the social sciences that allows scientific knowledge of social phenomena to be developed. This paper looks at the environmental follow-up of Innu land use and occupation conducted for the Romaine hydroelectric complex. It is also an approach that encourages local community involvement in the process and makes rapid response to the unexpected possible, both of which are significant in limiting a project's impacts.Overall, the follow-up has demonstrated that the mitigation measures encouraged use of the land and made it possible for a larger number of people and more diversified groups to get there. Despite its rigor, the follow-up demonstrated the difficulty to evaluate the emotional toll on a people faced with loss of a part of their land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been little empirical investigation of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) performance towards safeguarding conservation and promoting responsible tourism within protected areas. This paper examines the quality of EIA Reports (EIARs) prepared for tourism developments in the world-renowned Kruger to Canyons (K2C) Biosphere Reserve, one of the largest in Africa. An adapted version of the internationally recognised Lee and Colley report review package was used. The review results indicate that the EIARs are, overall, of satisfactory quality and that the reports provide adequate information to support the incorporation of sustainable and responsible tourism principles in decision-making. However, inadequacies are observed in certain review areas, namely public participation, provision for mitigation and monitoring, and content of non-technical summaries. Notably, the analytical review areas (e.g. impact assessment) perform better than the descriptive ones (e.g. presentation of assessment results), which contrasts with review findings reported in the international literature. This research provides important insights and contributes to advancing review frameworks and to ongoing debates around the potential of EIA to foster environmental protection and sustainability within protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity is a core issue in the quest to achieve sustainable development. Although Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) includes biodiversity as an environmental component to consider in decision-making, its inclusion remains a challenge. Since the beginning of SEA practice, several guides have been proposed to address this challenge, but evaluating their success remains problematic. This paper, therefore, aims to develop an easily applied, criteria-based approach for evaluating the biodiversity assessment that takes place within SEA. A test application of the evaluation framework, based on the International Best Practice Principles on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in SEA, demonstrates its success in identifying whether the main elements of biodiversity were considered in a SEA report. However, the criteria focus on inclusion or exclusion of specific details, rather than the substance of the biodiversity consideration, and so further studies need to develop evaluative approaches for the substantive inclusion of biodiversity in SEA practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental Assessment (EA) has been the subject of much debate about its role in resource development. Some have argued that EA in Canada is too complex and should be simplified to enable timely and efficient project development decisions; others have argued that the scope of EA should be expanded to tackle larger environmental and societal challenges, many of which extend well-beyond individual development projects. This paper reflects on past and recent reforms in Canadian federal EA to simplify EA requirements and processes, alongside simplification of the increasingly complex issues that are being introduced to EA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is fairly well-established in Spain, informing decision-makers on the likely environmental consequences of their plans and policies. However, limited attention has been paid to the study of SEA effectiveness in Spain, particularly with regards to practitioner and stakeholder views. This paper aims to bridge this knowledge gap by gathering and examining views on SEA's participatory aspects, the performance of the procedural elements and the overall role of SEA in decision-making. The paper describes the legal implementation of SEA in Spain, and discusses current views on its effectiveness, grounded on the authors' own experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discussions on effectiveness have been around in impact assessment for many years, blending multiple perspectives. This paper is about the effectiveness of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) in Portugal. The adopted framework was set by the editors of this special issue and this paper is contributing results obtained through a questionnaire shared with SEA professionals in Portugal, and also from discussions held in a workshop promoted by the Portuguese national authority on SEA. We have tried to understand the influence of SEA in development processes and the perception on SEA added-value to both environmental authorities and other relevant stakeholders in Portugal. Results are mixed and somehow reveal some confusion between expectations with what SEA aims to achieve, and with what it is actually delivering, which question its effectiveness, as expressed by some opinions that SEA 'magic may be fading away'. However, other outcomes, such as the recognized need for better communication and increased capacity-building, support the conclusion that most SEA practice and experience in Portugal are yet far from SEA full capacity and potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]