What is environmental assessment?

Daily headlines remind us that planetary boundaries ultimately define our prosperity, health, and security.

Environmental impact assessment legislation helps define a legitimate balance between economy, environment, and society in major decisions.

Almost all countries in the world have adopted environmental impact assessment legislation, committing themselves to effectively consider all critical information to predict future impact on nature and people in major decisions. And to take into account the needs and views of people affected by these decisions in a meaningful and transparent manner.

Visual of hands joining together from different sides

 

 

 

 

Environmental assessment can be conducted at two levels of decision making:

  • Decision-making on projects, such as a dam, motorway, airport or windpark. This is called Environmental and Social Impact Assessment or ESIA.
  • Decision-making on plans, programmes or policies, such as a land use plan or an energy plan. This is called Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) or Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA).

The main objectives and key stages of ESIA and SEA are similar. But the actual scope and relevant stakeholders can be quite different. Want to know more? Watch the short animations!

ESIA 1. Screening

 

ESIA 2. Scoping

 

ESIA 3. Assessment

ESIA 4. Review

 

ESIA 5. Decision-making

ESIA 6. Follow-up

How to prepare for SEA

SEA for planning