IEMA's proportionate EIA summit delivered a great day of engagement and discussion among a range of stakeholders from the EIA community.
Outcomes included a list of credible solutions related to: scoping; assessment and significance; environmental statements; use of technology and the web; enhanced collaboration across the community; and using the opportunity of regulatory change to enable more proportionate EIA. IEMA would like to thank the sponsors Arup, Jacobs and National Grid as well as delegates. A report on the proceedings will be produced shortly.
Ben Cave Associates and IEMA completed their work developing a briefing for Public Health England to help health professionals understand the role of EIA and the implications of the 2014 amendment to the EIA Directive, which requires a greater focus on health issues in assessments. Publication is unlikely until after the UK referendum on EU membership.
IEMA and the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) held a joint workshop in April exploring interest in a global environmental and social competency framework for multilateral financial institutions (MFIs), such as the EBRD and the World Bank. Representatives from 15 MFIs engaged with around 25 IEMA members and practitioners, including those working on Crossrail and the Eurasia tunnel.
Debbie Cousins, EBRD’s senior environmental and social adviser, is to chair an IA network group on environmental and social impact assessment. She will work with members to identify what the group wants to achieve, and what activity it will deliver. If you have any thoughts or ideas email [email protected].
IEMA and IA network activity planned for 2016 includes:
- Webinars on: IA in the financial sector; strategic environmental assessment; transposing EIA: screening; IA – an international perspective; transposing EIA: streamlining v new requirements; proportionate EIA; climate resilience; and health in IA.
- Publications on: EIA post-consent; effective scoping; health in EIA (above); assessing greenhouse gas in EIA; and significance of soil in EIA.
