Introduction

Introduced in 1987, the environmental assessment practice is well established in the Netherlands. However, in the past years, several changes have been made. For example because of incorporating European Directives, 'temporary crisis regulations' or because of new enabling legislation. The current legislation form 2010 will soon be replaced by a new environmental and planning act (ex. 2021).

In the Netherlands we distinguish between:

  • Environmental Impact Assessment for (relatively) simple, straightforward permits: the simplified procedure;
  • Environmental Impact Assessment for complex decisions and SEA for plans and programmes: the full-fledged procedure.

Note that ‘simplified’ does not necessarily mean ‘easy’. For EIA, the type of permit determines whether the simplified or full-fledged procedure applies. For permits related to the Environmental Act and Mining Act for example, the simplified procedure suffices. For EIA for complex decisions, all projects which require an appropriate assessment on the basis of the Dutch Nature Conservation Act and all projects in which a government body is proponent (e.g. expansion airport, projects concerning the infrastructure, housing programmes) the full-fledged procedure is required.


News

Egypt: Workshop on integrating SEA in Integrated Coastal Zone Management

Webpages | 04-03-2024

Egypt: Workshop on integrating SEA in Integrated Coastal Zone Management

Under the Joint Cooperation and Applied Research programme funded by the Netherlands Government, Egypt is addressing climate change induced sea-level…

Vacancy: Spanish speaking Technical Secretary

Webpages | 24-02-2024

Vacancy: Spanish speaking Technical Secretary

The NCEA is looking for a Spanish speaking Technical Secretary / IA Specialist, based in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

Vacancy: French speaking Technical Secretary

Webpages | 21-02-2024

Vacancy: French speaking Technical Secretary

The NCEA is looking for a French speaking Technical Secretary / IA Specialist, based in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Do you want to have an impact on…

Climate change adaptation in water and food security programmes: evaluation report online

Webpages | 17-01-2024

Climate change adaptation in water and food security programmes: evaluation report online

The IOB has released an evaluation report on how climate change adaptation is integrated into water and food security programmes funded by the…

UNESCO, IUCN and NCEA start cooperation to strengthen World Heritage protection

Webpages | 15-01-2024

UNESCO, IUCN and NCEA start cooperation to strengthen World Heritage protection

UNESCO, IUCN, and the NCEA have signed an agreement to reinforce capacity building and quality assurance for Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs)…

Sustainability Analysis: looking back on 2023

Webpages | 19-12-2023

Sustainability Analysis: looking back on 2023

At the start of 2023, NCEA launched the Sustainability Analysis Programme, in short: SusAn. What has happened since then?

Diner pensant and kick off SusAn programme

Webpages | 16-10-2023

Diner pensant and kick off SusAn programme

As kick-off of the Sustainability Analysis (SusAn) program, the NCEA organised a diner pensant last month. The representatives of five independent, DGIS…

Energetic ‘Water as Leverage’ meeting in Cartagena, Colombia

Webpages | 02-10-2023

Energetic ‘Water as Leverage’ meeting in Cartagena, Colombia

Last week, the NCEA was present in Cartagena, Colombia during the presentation of 11 conceptual designs for water- and climate change adaptation in…

Added value of environmental and social impact assessment in city planning

Webpages | 27-06-2023

Added value of environmental and social impact assessment in city planning

Best practice from the Netherlands! In a short video, urban planner and senior designer Ruwan Aluvihare explains the added value of Environmental and…

Knowledge exchange on responsible offshore sand sourcing in Vietnam

Webpages | 14-06-2023

Knowledge exchange on responsible offshore sand sourcing in Vietnam

Last month, the Vietnam Geology Department in cooperation with the Netherlands Embassy, organised a seminar called ‘Experience sharing and cooperation…

2023-2032: a new cooperation between NCEA and Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Webpages | 29-03-2023

2023-2032: a new cooperation between NCEA and Ministry of Foreign Affairs

We are pleased to announce the signing of a new 10-year cooperation agreement with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

New colleagues!

Webpages | 23-01-2023

New colleagues!

It is with great pleasure that we welcome two new colleagues to our international team.

ESIA guidelines oil & gas exploitation - Suriname

Webpages | 01-11-2022

ESIA guidelines oil & gas exploitation - Suriname

The NCEA visited Suriname to support the National Institute for Environment and Development (NIMOS) with the development of ESIA guidelines for offshore…

Synergy: increasing local ownership through environmental and social assessment

Webpages | 02-05-2022

Synergy: increasing local ownership through environmental and social assessment

NWP, RVO and NCEA organised a webinar to discuss the potential to increase local ownership of water management via environmental assessment.

standaard foto

Webpages | 13-12-2021

Workshop IFFD

The NCEA Congratulation to@IFDDfor the organization of the Francophone Assises on the Sustainable Management of the Environment. The Netherlands are…

WWF Netherlands and the NCEA sign MoU

Webpages | 24-11-2021

WWF Netherlands and the NCEA sign MoU

Today, the NCEA signed a cooperation agreement with WWF Netherlands. This cooperation will be a continuation of the work done together in recent years…

Niger delegation Environmental Ministry visits the Netherlands

Webpages | 27-09-2021

Niger delegation Environmental Ministry visits the Netherlands

“Even if our countries are very different, some challenges such as climate change are comparable.” according to one of the Niger delegation members…

Panel session on SEA and Land Governance - June 30th

Webpages | 28-06-2021

Panel session on SEA and Land Governance - June 30th

NCEA colleagues Gwen van Boven and Leyla Ozay will facilitate one of the panel sessions at the upcoming international conference of LANDac, the…

Advice on guidance for ESIAs for dredging material

Webpages | 03-05-2021

Advice on guidance for ESIAs for dredging material

Following the exchange between Colombia and the Netherlands in November on reuse of dredged material, the NCEA advised on the ToR for Environmental…

Publication on EA and landscape management also in French and Spanish

Webpages | 01-03-2021

Publication on EA and landscape management also in French and Spanish

Our recent publication with ten cases on ESIA and SEA in landscape management is now also available in French and Spanish.  Shared Resources,…

Webinar series Jordan ESIA & hazardous substances

Webpages | 07-01-2021

Webinar series Jordan ESIA & hazardous substances

The Jordan Ministry for Environment and the NCEA jointly organised a series of webinars on dealing with the risks of hazardous substances within ESIA.

New MoU Egypt - Dutch water sector

Webpages | 14-12-2020

New MoU Egypt - Dutch water sector

Following successful cooperation since 1970s, Egypt and the Netherlands recently signed a new MoU for an ambitious 4-year cooperation programme in the…

Reuse of dredge material, collaboration the Netherlands - Colombia

Webpages | 30-11-2020

Reuse of dredge material, collaboration the Netherlands - Colombia

To provide input for the implementation of the National Plan for Maritime Dredging of Colombia, experiences and practice on the reuse of dredged…

Publication: 10 cases of the SRJS programme!

Webpages | 26-11-2020

Publication: 10 cases of the SRJS programme!

In a new publication, the NCEA together with SRJS presents an overview of ten cases on ESIA and SEA in landscape management, from ten countries across…

Manual Catchment Plan & SEA development  - Rwanda

Webpages | 25-09-2019

Manual Catchment Plan & SEA development - Rwanda

As part of the IWRM Programme led by the Government of Rwanda and funded by the Netherlands, a manual is produced for the development of Catchment Plans…

Improving ESIA in the water sector – Egypt

Webpages | 23-09-2019

Improving ESIA in the water sector – Egypt

The Egyptian government, specifically the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation wants to improve their ESIA practice in the water sector.

Zanzibari delegation visits the Netherlands

Webpages | 24-06-2019

Zanzibari delegation visits the Netherlands

Utrecht, 17-21 June - A delegation of environmental authorities from Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania,  met with the NAM (Netherlands Oil Company)…

High level Egypt - Netherlands Water Panel

Webpages | 17-04-2019

High level Egypt - Netherlands Water Panel

The Hague - In the presence of Dutch Minister Ms Van Nieuwenhuizen (Infrastructure and Watermanagement) and the Egyptian Minister Dr. Mohamed Abdel Aty…

25 years cooperation NCEA & Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Webpages | 08-04-2019

25 years cooperation NCEA & Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Foreign Ministry of the Netherlands and the NCEA organised a festive symposium on the occasion of 25 years of cooperation. Over a 100 (longtime)…

Dutch support for Ethiopia, role of the NCEA

Webpages | 11-12-2018

Dutch support for Ethiopia, role of the NCEA

Addis Abeba, 3-5 December 2018 - In the coming years, the Netherlands will implement an integrated programme in Ethiopia, in which food security, water…

SEA for water related infrastructure, Pantanal-Chaco landscape

Webpages | 10-12-2018

SEA for water related infrastructure, Pantanal-Chaco landscape

Brasilia, 3-7 December. Which issues are typically encountered in strategic environmental assessments for water related infrastructure decisions? These…

NCEA's Views and Experiences 2018, out now!

Webpages | 25-04-2018

NCEA's Views and Experiences 2018, out now!

It is with great pleasure that we present the newest edition of our views and experiences series. A compilation of recent cases and experiences,…

Introducing SEA in Myanmar

Webpages | 16-01-2018

Introducing SEA in Myanmar

Now is the time for introducing strategic environmental assessment (SEA) in Myanmar, according to the country’s Ministry of Environment…

Two SEA events in Indonesia

Webpages | 13-11-2017

Two SEA events in Indonesia

In October the NCEA was in Indonesia to contribute to two SEA workshops. In the first, participants discussed options to improve stakeholder…

SEA for Sourou development plan, Mali

Webpages | 30-10-2017

SEA for Sourou development plan, Mali

The Netherlands Embassy in Mali and the NCEA facilitated a workshop in Mopti to discuss SEA for a development plan in the Sourou area. Decentral and…

SEA and Delta strategy Myanmar: green or grey?

Webpages | 25-09-2017

SEA and Delta strategy Myanmar: green or grey?

A workshop took place in the framework of the SEA inclusive ‘Integrated Ayeyarwady Delta Strategy’ in Myanmar. The workshop, in which the…

standaard foto

Webpages | 10-07-2017

NCEA's annual report 2016 online!

NCEA's annual report 2016 online!

Strengthening Zambia’s ESIA and SEA system

Webpages | 27-06-2017

Strengthening Zambia’s ESIA and SEA system

Zambia wants to strengthen its ESIA and SEA system. But how to do this? WWF Zambia and the Zambia Environmental Management Agency both asked the help of…

standaard foto

Webpages | 04-04-2017

Making ESIA reports more accessible through interactive websites

How to make ESIA reports more accessible and understandable for the public? With this question in mind, a pilot for ‘interactive ESIA…

Continuing cooperation in Zanzibar

Webpages | 06-03-2017

Continuing cooperation in Zanzibar

Cooperation between the Zanzibar Environmental Management Authority (ZEMA) and the NCEA will be continued. After conclusion of the previous two-year…

Advice on scoping for ESIA for Pan Hlaing sluice, Myanmar

Webpages | 31-01-2017

Advice on scoping for ESIA for Pan Hlaing sluice, Myanmar

Myanmar’s Department of Irrigation asked the NCEA to advise on the content to be addressed in the environmental and social impact assessment…

NCEA wins international award

Webpages | 16-01-2017

NCEA wins international award

The International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) has selected the NCEA to receive its Institutional Award 2017. This award is presented for…

Brainstorm: future of the Espoo Convention and SEA protocol

Webpages | 14-11-2016

Brainstorm: future of the Espoo Convention and SEA protocol

On November 7 Rob Verheem (NCEA) led a brainstorm on the future of the UN ECE Espoo Convention and SEA protocol. The brainstorm was part of the 6th…

Advice on guidelines for ESIA on irrigation in Georgia

Webpages | 12-10-2016

Advice on guidelines for ESIA on irrigation in Georgia

Two members of an NCEA working group visited Georgia (11-14 October) to advise on guidelines for an ESIA. The ESIA concerns a project for rehabilitation…

Catchment planning and SEA workshop in Rwanda

Webpages | 12-10-2016

Catchment planning and SEA workshop in Rwanda

From October 4-6, the NCEA was present at an integrated catchment planning and SEA workshop in Musanze, Rwanda. In this workshop, Catchment Taskforce…

“Making EIA work for Zanzibar”

Webpages | 14-09-2016

“Making EIA work for Zanzibar”

Two high profile seminars on EIA were the final activities of a 2 year cooperation programme between the Netherlands and Zanzibar.

standaard foto

Webpages | 12-09-2016

The Impact of Transport Biofuels on Developing Countries: Ensuring Policy Coherence

Transport biofuels measures in the Netherlands have global implications. What are the impacts on developing countries when choosing between a 2%, 5% or…

standaard foto

Webpages | 15-08-2016

EIA for dutch private investments overseas, article explains why

Article in environmental magazine: environmental assessment for Dutch private sector overseas

Review of ESIA for Bagan project, Myanmar

Webpages | 25-05-2016

Review of ESIA for Bagan project, Myanmar

The NCEA has reviewed the preliminary ESIA for the Bagan multi-purpose beautification project. This project is initiated by the Myanmar Ministry of…

NCEA support for SEA process and new EIA decree in Mozambique

Webpages | 07-12-2015

NCEA support for SEA process and new EIA decree in Mozambique

The NCEA visited Mozambique and attended two meetings. The first was the public participation meeting on the proposed new EIA decree, organized by the…

NCEA's visit to Rwanda

Webpages | 26-01-2015

NCEA's visit to Rwanda

Kigali, Rwanda – 26-28 January 2015. The NCEA visited Kigali to follow up on several leads. The Netherlands Embassy is about to embark on a large…

Publication: NCEA advisory report on ToR of Bagan river multi-purpose project, Myanmar

Webpages | 15-01-2015

Publication: NCEA advisory report on ToR of Bagan river multi-purpose project, Myanmar

In the framework of the cooperation between the governments of Myanmar and the Netherlands, the NCEA advised on the ToR for the EIA of the Bagan river…

NCEA contributions to SEA workshop in Beijing

Webpages | 16-12-2014

NCEA contributions to SEA workshop in Beijing

As part of cooperation activities on SEA between China and the Netherlands, the NCEA contributed to a 2-day workshop on SEA for urban planning (see…

Publication on SEA effectiveness in China and the Netherlands

Webpages | 16-12-2014

Publication on SEA effectiveness in China and the Netherlands

In the past three years there has been an ongoing exchange on SEA between China and the Netherlands. One of the products of this co-operation was…

SEA capacity development in Georgia

Webpages | 15-12-2014

SEA capacity development in Georgia

Last September, an association agreement was signed between the EU and Georgia. The introduction of SEA was identified as a priority for the country.…

Bagan river multi-purpose project in Myanmar

Webpages | 15-12-2014

Bagan river multi-purpose project in Myanmar

A project is planned in Myanmar to improve the navigability of the Irrawaddy river. The project also has a number of secondary objectives, such as the…

SEA introduction Bangladesh

Webpages | 01-10-2013

SEA introduction Bangladesh

Possible SEA introduction in Bangladesh

SEA for IWRM programme in Rwanda

Webpages | 02-12-2012

SEA for IWRM programme in Rwanda

Kigali/Kibuye, Rwanda – 2-7 December 2012. An NCEA expert group visited Rwanda, requested by the Netherlands Embassy, to advise on the scoping…