IEMA publishes new land and soils guidance

17th February 2022


IEMA has today published new guidance for environmental impact assessment (EIA) practitioners to better assess and manage the effects of development on land and soils, and ensure sustainable outcomes.

A New Perspective on Land and Soil in Environmental Impact Assessment highlights a lack of soil specialists advising on major development projects worldwide.

It recommends a new approach to assessing soil functions, ecosystem services and natural capital provided by land and soils, instead of simply quantifying and financially compensating impacts on agricultural land.

The guidance also highlights and reinforces the importance of soil functions and ecosystems services to wider systems, including carbon and climate, hydrology, food production, biodiversity and ecology.

This will help professionals understand and record the full environmental implications of development on land and soil, embedding sustainable soil management throughout EIA.

“For too long, soil and land considerations have been dealt with inadequately in major infrastructure projects because of a lack of knowledge,” said IEMA CEO, Sarah Mukherjee MBE.

“I am pleased that our experts can help to rectify this and enhance soil health, which is a crucial part of our biodiversity and highlights the need for green skills training in this area.”

The protection of soils is rising up the political agenda after the House of Lords announced last year that a Soil Health Action Plan (SHAPE) for England will be published to restore the health of soils. A consultation on a draft outline is expected in due course.

Lord Goldsmith confirmed that this will be a crucial part of the government’s plan to halt the decline of species by 2030 and meet long-term targets on biodiversity.

IEMA's new guidance has been developed by its Impact Assessment Working Group on Land and Soils, together with key EIA and soil professionals from a wide range of organisations representing practitioners, regulators, academics and stakeholders from across the UK.

The aims are ambitious, but also necessary and timely, according to Impact Assessment Policy Lead, Dr Rufus Howard, (PEIA, CEnv, FIEMA). “The importance of protecting land and soils cannot be overestimated,” he said.

“The vital contribution of soil functions, ecosystem services and natural capital provided by land and soils underpins the healthy functioning of our terrestrial ecosystems on which we all depend.

“I am delighted that IEMA has published the first EIA guidance on this topic to help strengthen the consideration of land and soils in the planning and consenting of development projects."

Image credit: iStock

Subscribe

Subscribe to IEMA's newsletters to receive timely articles, expert opinions, event announcements, and much more, directly in your inbox.


Transform articles

BNG requirements could absorb 650,000 tonnes of carbon each year

The UK’s new biodiversity net gain (BNG) requirements could create 15,000 hectares of woodlands, heath, grasslands, and wetlands and absorb 650,000 tonnes of carbon each year.

13th March 2024

Read more

All major housing developments in England will be required by law to deliver at least a 10% increase in biodiversity under new rules that came into force today.

12th February 2024

Read more

As we approach the 40th anniversary of the Born Free Foundation, co-founder Will Travers OBE tells Chris Seekings how a new approach to conservation is needed to end animal suffering

1st February 2024

Read more

Ajirioghene Samuel looks at some exciting tree-planting initiatives, offering nature-based solutions to climate change impacts

1st February 2024

Read more

The UK should become the first G20 country to mandate financial disclosures on nature to propel widespread adoption by the private sector, according to an influential lobby group.

24th January 2024

Read more

The government is largely “off track” in meeting legally binding targets with nature in danger of “irreversible” decline, according to a highly critical report by the environmental watchdog.

24th January 2024

Read more

Media enquires

Looking for an expert to speak at an event or comment on an item in the news?

Find an expert

IEMA Cookie Notice

Clicking the ‘Accept all’ button means you are accepting analytics and third-party cookies. Our website uses necessary cookies which are required in order to make our website work. In addition to these, we use analytics and third-party cookies to optimise site functionality and give you the best possible experience. To control which cookies are set, click ‘Settings’. To learn more about cookies, how we use them on our website and how to change your cookie settings please view our cookie policy.

Manage cookie settings

Our use of cookies

You can learn more detailed information in our cookie policy.

Some cookies are essential, but non-essential cookies help us to improve the experience on our site by providing insights into how the site is being used. To maintain privacy management, this relies on cookie identifiers. Resetting or deleting your browser cookies will reset these preferences.

Essential cookies

These are cookies that are required for the operation of our website. They include, for example, cookies that enable you to log into secure areas of our website.

Analytics cookies

These cookies allow us to recognise and count the number of visitors to our website and to see how visitors move around our website when they are using it. This helps us to improve the way our website works.

Advertising cookies

These cookies allow us to tailor advertising to you based on your interests. If you do not accept these cookies, you will still see adverts, but these will be more generic.

Save and close