Adapting to COVID-19 has presented many challenges to the environment and sustainability industry. We are at the start of a pivotal period for how business and society operate, and there will be many implications for your work as an IEMA member.
We are gathering insight about the biggest challenges faced by members, and what resources and support IEMA can provide over the coming months, and in the long term. As an IEMA member you are perfectly positioned to help us gather insight and share best practice from your own experience.
Below, we have listed IEMA’s core areas of work, and outlined some of the challenges we believe will present themselves over the next few months. We would like to encourage you to join with other IEMA members, or to get in touch directly, if you have any solutions or ideas on how each of the key issues are being faced. We’d also like to hear from you if there is something affecting your work that we haven’t listed here as this page will be updated regularly.
Email [email protected] with your contributions
Impact Assessment
Key discussion points include:
- How planning authorities will consider applications
- How monitoring and surveys should proceed
- Consultation and lodgment requirements
- Virtual planning enquiries
- Meeting statutory time frames
IEMA Guidance & Resources
- IEMA blog: CMS & IEMA EIA Consultation
- IEMA blog: Approaching traffic surveys during the Coronavirus shutdown - Chris Ferrary, Senior Director at Temple Group Ltd
- IEMA blog: Leading an ecology team through a pandemic - Dr Mark Webb, Head of Ecology at WSP
Digital Impact Assessment: A Primer for Embracing Innovation and Digital Working:
Embracing innovation and digital’ is one of the four strategic themes for action in IEMA’s ‘Delivering Proportionate EIA’ strategy. The new IEMA primer on Digital Impact Assessment (IA) is a milestone in the professions IA digital journey, and the first published guidance on Digital IA from IEMA. The Digital IA primer has been developed by practicing IA professionals drawn from the Impact Assessment Network. The group have drawn on a wide range of experience from different organisations and specialisms to provide a useful practitioners overview of Digital IA. The primer aims to outline the current situation, the opportunities presented by Digital IA and the challenges faced.
The guidance is aimed at IA practitioners, reviewers and stakeholders. However, whilst the guidance requires a basic knowledge of IA, it is likely to be of interest to wider stakeholders as Digital IA is a key emergent topic of interest. The primer covers a broad range of topics related to Digital IA and has been written by practitioners for practitioners DOWNLOAD HERE
Useful Links
- The Planning Inspectorate has published guidance (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-planning-inspectorate-guidance) on site visits, hearings, inquiries and events. It also has a general update page (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/planning-inspectorate-coronavirus-covid-19-update)
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government planning update (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/875045/Chief_Planners_Newsletter_-_March_2020.pdf)
- Royal Town Planning Institute Covid-19 resources and updates (https://www.rtpi.org.uk/news/coronavirus/)
- Local authorities in England handed new powers to hold public meetings virtually (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/councils-given-new-powers-to-hold-public-meetings-remotely)
Environmental Management and Environmental Auditing
Key issues include:
- sharing experiences and approaches to remote auditing
- compliance obligations including for 14001 and UKAS
- Implications for waste, resource management and packaging.
Useful Links
- UKAS Policy on Accreditation and Conformity Assessment During the COVID-19 Outbreak
- SEPA Covid-19 pages (https://coronavirus.sepa.org.uk/)
- Guidance from the Environment Agency on exceeding waste storage limits at permitted sites (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/exceeding-waste-storage-limits-at-permitted-sites-because-of-covid-19-rps-c2/exceeding-waste-storage-limits-at-permitted-sites-because-of-covid-19-rps-c2)
- Guidance on the prioritising of waste and recycling collection services in Wales (https://gov.wales/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-prioritisation-waste-and-recycling-collection-services)
- https://wishforum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/WISH-INFO-13-COVID19-and-waste-management-activities-issue-1-2-April-2020.pdf
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-to-local-authorities-on-prioritising-waste-collections/guidance-on-prioritising-waste-collection-services-during-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic
Corporate Sustainability
Key issues include:
- Managing risks, dependencies and vulnerability (e.g. disrupted supply chain, workforce, markets, social sustainability impacts)
- Capturing any ‘lessons learned’ and embedding into future approaches
- Demonstration of corporate leadership to unfolding emergency, defining unique contribution and leadership – (see Ebola example in 2016 IEMA publication Beyond the Perfect Storm)
- Maintaining momentum to medium term crisis (e.g. TCFD and Sustainable finance)
- Strategies that will maintain commitments for environmental and sustainability work
- Rejuvenating the case for sustainability when it might be a lower priority during a time of crisis
Useful Links
- UK Listed companies which need the extra time to complete their audited financial statements, have been given temporary relief which allows an additional 2 months in which to publish them, please see link below. https://www.fca.org.uk/news/statements/delaying-annual-company-accounts-coronavirus
- Construction sector information has been published by the Construction Leadership Council https://www.constructionleadershipcouncil.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Site-Operating-Procedures-Version-3.pdf
- International Chamber of Commerce - ICC are developing a Covid Web portal and have issued a joint statement with WHO
- The World Economic Forum are providing information and thought leadership on opportunities to #BuildBackBetterBlog
- Mike Barry – 9 steps to being a better business in a post Covid World
Climate change and energy
Key issues include:
- Mandatory energy schemes and any adjustments (e.g. SECR reporting and potential to use company reporting extensions)
- Adjusting GHG accounting baselines and systems (for example increased home-working and travel reductions)
- Communication concerns and sensitivities
- Links with the climate risk and adaptation agenda
- Maintaining momentum and planning for post-covid climate action
Useful Links
- UK Committee on Climate Change - The Committee are adapting their work programme in response to Covid-19 - https://www.theccc.org.uk/2020/04/14/ccc-to-amend-2020-work-programme/
- Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) - Businesses are able to apply for an additional 3 months to file accounts with Companies House to help them avoid penalties as they deal with the impact of COVID-19. Any agreed extension would also apply to SECR disclosures as part of annual accounts filing obligations- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/companies-to-receive-3-month-extension-period-to-file-accounts-during-covid-19
- Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit - https://eciu.net
- Carbon Brief (updates) - https://www.carbonbrief.or
- Nigel Topping, UK COP26 High Level Champion’s ‘Post-Covid’ - Article