Environmental Impact Assessment

June 2024 – Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a comprehensive evaluation of the potential environmental impacts of a project proposal prior to approval and subsequent construction. The key steps (stages) in EIA are screening, scoping, assessment, report, review, decision, and monitoring. Conducting an EIA has many benefits, including compliance with regulations, engaging stakeholders, preventing environmental damage, enhancing decision-making, and promoting sustainable development. However, EIA has challenges, such as dataset gaps, cost and resource constraints, privacy concerns, and a lack of collaboration across EIA departments. In addition, EIA has limitations, as it focuses only on the short-term and direct impacts of a project, overlooking the long-term and indirect impacts on the surrounding environment. Policy-wise, in 1991, the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention) was signed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The Convention mandates its members to conduct an EIA of any planned activities that could significantly impact the environment. EIA has an important role in helping countries accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 7 on energy and SDG 13 on climate action. In addition, EIA helps mitigate climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution.

In this slideshow, you will learn about the definition, steps, benefits, challenges, and UN policy of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).