Environmental impact assessment: National approaches and international needs

Area of Science:

• Environmental Policy
• Environmental Law
• International Environmental Governance

Background:

• The U.S. Environmental Policy Act of 1970 mandated Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) for major projects, establishing a formal requirement for environmental impact assessment (EIA).
• EIA development has varied across Western industrial nations, socialist Eastern European countries, and the Third World.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the global spread and evolution of EIA since its inception.
• To contrast national EIA approaches and identify their inherent limitations.
• To assess the progress and challenges of international EIAs.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of EIA frameworks in the United States, Australia, Canada, West Germany, and the Soviet Union.
• Examination of national legislation and regulations to identify limitations in impact assessment.
• Review of developments and impediments in international impact assessments.

Main Results:

• Diverse national approaches to EIA have emerged, each with unique characteristics and limitations.
• Significant challenges persist in developing effective conceptual, institutional, and methodological frameworks for international EIAs.
• Modest progress has been made in international impact assessments, but key impediments remain.

Conclusions:

• Further action is needed at both national and international levels to strengthen EIA processes.
• Addressing conceptual and institutional gaps is crucial for advancing international environmental impact assessment.
• Overcoming identified limitations is essential for effective global environmental governance.