Pub Date : 2022-09-09DOI: 10.1080/14615517.2022.2119526
Laura Clevenot, Céline Clauzel, Karine Tourret, C. Carré, P. Pech
ABSTRACT Several studies assert that transportation infrastructure rights-of-way can play a positive role for many animal species, especially in highly fragmented and human-dominated landscapes. This study examines the contribution of highway stormwater ponds to amphibian ecological networks, questioning both the influence of their location on species richness and their capacity to increase landscape connectivity. The ecological networks of amphibian species were modeled by graph theory around highway A77 (France). Stormwater ponds as well as natural ponds were included as potential habitats and several connectivity metrics were calculated at different scales. The connectivity values of the stormwater ponds were analyzed in relation to species presence data collected in 2018. While most of these ponds contribute little to regional connectivity, some of them represent important connector patches. Statistical analysis also suggests that highway ponds are used by amphibians in areas with few natural pools. This raises questions about how to improve the management of ecological networks by considering the capacity of artificial habitats to serve as a refuge for biodiversity.
{"title":"How much can highway stormwater ponds contribute to amphibian ecological network connectivity?","authors":"Laura Clevenot, Céline Clauzel, Karine Tourret, C. Carré, P. Pech","doi":"10.1080/14615517.2022.2119526","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2022.2119526","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Several studies assert that transportation infrastructure rights-of-way can play a positive role for many animal species, especially in highly fragmented and human-dominated landscapes. This study examines the contribution of highway stormwater ponds to amphibian ecological networks, questioning both the influence of their location on species richness and their capacity to increase landscape connectivity. The ecological networks of amphibian species were modeled by graph theory around highway A77 (France). Stormwater ponds as well as natural ponds were included as potential habitats and several connectivity metrics were calculated at different scales. The connectivity values of the stormwater ponds were analyzed in relation to species presence data collected in 2018. While most of these ponds contribute little to regional connectivity, some of them represent important connector patches. Statistical analysis also suggests that highway ponds are used by amphibians in areas with few natural pools. This raises questions about how to improve the management of ecological networks by considering the capacity of artificial habitats to serve as a refuge for biodiversity.","PeriodicalId":47528,"journal":{"name":"Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal","volume":"40 1","pages":"517 - 530"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48333401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-08-30DOI: 10.1080/14615517.2022.2112812
Lauren M. Arnold, K. Hanna, B. Noble, W. Nikolakis, S. Gergel
ABSTRACT Cumulative effects assessments in Canada are increasingly expected to include social impacts from resource development and land-use actions on people, their communities, and livelihoods. As processes and methods for assessing cumulative social effects develop, it is important to understand the capacity needs for implementing such an assessment. This paper explores the regulatory and professional capacity required to assess cumulative social effects of resource development projects. Semi-structured interviews were completed with professionals involved in environmental assessments for hydroelectric development in British Columbia and Manitoba, Canada. A number of key capacity needs are identified in terms of the availability regulation and guidance, the professional expertise needed, and understanding responsibilities and management for cumulative social effects. The paper concludes with a discussion of capacity needs and recommendations for improvements to support the implementation of a social cumulative effects assessment.
{"title":"Capacity needs for assessing the cumulative social effects of projects","authors":"Lauren M. Arnold, K. Hanna, B. Noble, W. Nikolakis, S. Gergel","doi":"10.1080/14615517.2022.2112812","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2022.2112812","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Cumulative effects assessments in Canada are increasingly expected to include social impacts from resource development and land-use actions on people, their communities, and livelihoods. As processes and methods for assessing cumulative social effects develop, it is important to understand the capacity needs for implementing such an assessment. This paper explores the regulatory and professional capacity required to assess cumulative social effects of resource development projects. Semi-structured interviews were completed with professionals involved in environmental assessments for hydroelectric development in British Columbia and Manitoba, Canada. A number of key capacity needs are identified in terms of the availability regulation and guidance, the professional expertise needed, and understanding responsibilities and management for cumulative social effects. The paper concludes with a discussion of capacity needs and recommendations for improvements to support the implementation of a social cumulative effects assessment.","PeriodicalId":47528,"journal":{"name":"Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal","volume":"41 1","pages":"35 - 47"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47062018","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-08-29DOI: 10.1080/14615517.2022.2118359
L. E. Sánchez
{"title":"“It is the scale of issues that is important”: a review of “Handbook on cumulative impact assessment”","authors":"L. E. Sánchez","doi":"10.1080/14615517.2022.2118359","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2022.2118359","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":47528,"journal":{"name":"Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal","volume":"41 1","pages":"83 - 84"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48824775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-08-29DOI: 10.1080/14615517.2022.2108223
T. Fischer
{"title":"‘Simplification’ of environmental and other impact assessments – an international trend?","authors":"T. Fischer","doi":"10.1080/14615517.2022.2108223","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2022.2108223","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":47528,"journal":{"name":"Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal","volume":"40 1","pages":"355 - 355"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46223559","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-08-23DOI: 10.1080/14615517.2022.2112811
Titus Udrea, Anja Bauer
ABSTRACT Sustainability Impact Assessments (SIA) are a central instrument for evidence-based policy-making in EU trade policy. Computational modelling is the main analytical tool to assess the potential economic impacts of trade agreements. While modelling has long been undertaken by external consultancies, for recent SIAs DG Trade conducts the trade modelling itself. Against the background of this shift from external to in-house modelling, the article addresses the (perceived) roles and authority of modelling in SIAs. Based on the notion of models as boundary objects and two recent SIAs, i.e. TTIP and EU-Australia, we sketch the socio-technical arrangements of models in SIAs. We then discuss the different understandings of the role of modelling by policy-makers, experts, and stakeholders. The in-house shift exposes disagreements on the character and function of models. We further reflect on the potential implications of the in-house shift for the authority of models in SIAs. Our study suggests that there are advantages to in-house modelling, such as control, flexibility, and consistency. However, these might come at the expense of the perceived independence of policy appraisals.
{"title":"Between control and independence: computational modelling within EC’s trade sustainability impact assessments","authors":"Titus Udrea, Anja Bauer","doi":"10.1080/14615517.2022.2112811","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2022.2112811","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Sustainability Impact Assessments (SIA) are a central instrument for evidence-based policy-making in EU trade policy. Computational modelling is the main analytical tool to assess the potential economic impacts of trade agreements. While modelling has long been undertaken by external consultancies, for recent SIAs DG Trade conducts the trade modelling itself. Against the background of this shift from external to in-house modelling, the article addresses the (perceived) roles and authority of modelling in SIAs. Based on the notion of models as boundary objects and two recent SIAs, i.e. TTIP and EU-Australia, we sketch the socio-technical arrangements of models in SIAs. We then discuss the different understandings of the role of modelling by policy-makers, experts, and stakeholders. The in-house shift exposes disagreements on the character and function of models. We further reflect on the potential implications of the in-house shift for the authority of models in SIAs. Our study suggests that there are advantages to in-house modelling, such as control, flexibility, and consistency. However, these might come at the expense of the perceived independence of policy appraisals.","PeriodicalId":47528,"journal":{"name":"Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal","volume":"41 1","pages":"21 - 34"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45535971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-08-10DOI: 10.1080/14615517.2022.2099728
Charla Patterson, Aurora Torres, M. Coroi, Katherine Cumming, M. Hanson, B. Noble, G. Tabor, J. Treweek, Jochen A. G. Jaeger
ABSTRACT Ecological connectivity should be an important consideration in environmental assessment (EA). How often and how thoroughly the analysis of ecological connectivity is integrated in the EA process is, however, unknown. We surveyed EA actors and stakeholders regarding their perceptions of, and experiences with, connectivity analysis in the context of EA. 134 practitioners, regulators, consultants, researchers, and interest groups from all inhabited continents participated. Over 72% of respondents stated that ecological connectivity should always be considered; however, it is often considered too late in the EA process, at a scale of analysis often unsuitable for capturing landscape-scale effects, and relying on overly simplistic metrics or qualitative approaches. This disparity between the availability of a range of quantitative tools and the poor consideration of connectivity in EA raises major concerns about current practice and the feasibility of connectivity analysis in project-based EA. Connectivity consideration will need to be required explicitly and supported by best-practice guidance to address the conditions that should trigger a connectivity analysis, the required types of approaches, and the kind of information required to inform decision-making.
{"title":"Treatment of ecological connectivity in environmental assessment: A global survey of current practices and common issues","authors":"Charla Patterson, Aurora Torres, M. Coroi, Katherine Cumming, M. Hanson, B. Noble, G. Tabor, J. Treweek, Jochen A. G. Jaeger","doi":"10.1080/14615517.2022.2099728","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2022.2099728","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Ecological connectivity should be an important consideration in environmental assessment (EA). How often and how thoroughly the analysis of ecological connectivity is integrated in the EA process is, however, unknown. We surveyed EA actors and stakeholders regarding their perceptions of, and experiences with, connectivity analysis in the context of EA. 134 practitioners, regulators, consultants, researchers, and interest groups from all inhabited continents participated. Over 72% of respondents stated that ecological connectivity should always be considered; however, it is often considered too late in the EA process, at a scale of analysis often unsuitable for capturing landscape-scale effects, and relying on overly simplistic metrics or qualitative approaches. This disparity between the availability of a range of quantitative tools and the poor consideration of connectivity in EA raises major concerns about current practice and the feasibility of connectivity analysis in project-based EA. Connectivity consideration will need to be required explicitly and supported by best-practice guidance to address the conditions that should trigger a connectivity analysis, the required types of approaches, and the kind of information required to inform decision-making.","PeriodicalId":47528,"journal":{"name":"Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal","volume":"40 1","pages":"460 - 474"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"60044863","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-08-05DOI: 10.1080/14615517.2022.2102884
Kay Bergamini, C. Pérez
ABSTRACT During the past 40 years, Chile’s EIA system evolved from a fragmented procedural exercise, with limited technical input into decision-making, to an essential public policy tool. This article presents an overview of the EIA system evolution in Chile, its main characteristics, and procedures, and highlights new advances and practical results in the follow-up stage. The analysis revealed evidence that despite positive improvements in Chile’s EIA process, there remain significant weaknesses in almost all stages. In the follow-up specifically, some pivotal improvements were made in connection with inspection, enforcement, and monitoring practices. In this context, evidence indicates that those changes have impacted positively on the evaluation of obligations contained at the environmental licenses as well as the governance of the process. However, some challenges to be addressed remain mostly related to monitoring, communication, and citizens’ engagement.
{"title":"Environmental impact assessment follow-up institutional and regulatory frameworks: lights and shadows of the Chilean experience","authors":"Kay Bergamini, C. Pérez","doi":"10.1080/14615517.2022.2102884","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2022.2102884","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT During the past 40 years, Chile’s EIA system evolved from a fragmented procedural exercise, with limited technical input into decision-making, to an essential public policy tool. This article presents an overview of the EIA system evolution in Chile, its main characteristics, and procedures, and highlights new advances and practical results in the follow-up stage. The analysis revealed evidence that despite positive improvements in Chile’s EIA process, there remain significant weaknesses in almost all stages. In the follow-up specifically, some pivotal improvements were made in connection with inspection, enforcement, and monitoring practices. In this context, evidence indicates that those changes have impacted positively on the evaluation of obligations contained at the environmental licenses as well as the governance of the process. However, some challenges to be addressed remain mostly related to monitoring, communication, and citizens’ engagement.","PeriodicalId":47528,"journal":{"name":"Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal","volume":"40 1","pages":"423 - 436"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46020167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-07-24DOI: 10.1080/14615517.2022.2102879
E. N. Cele
ABSTRACT Following the adoption of formal EIA procedures in the mid-1990s, there have been no efforts to assess the quality of EISs in Eswatini. This study was necessitated by an attempt to fill this gap. It did so by systematically analysing 125 EISs, submitted from 1996 to 2020, using the Lee and Colley EIS review method. The obtained results are comparable to previous findings in terms of variations in EIS quality within review areas, increase in the average length of EISs over the years, and the association between better results and the most experienced consultants. However, with regard to the quality of EISs over the years, the outcomes of this study are at variance with previous findings. Based on these observations, it is concluded that the quality of EISs in Eswatini is a result of many years of EIA practice without attendant research, coupled with the absence of capacity-building programmes, absence of requirements for EIA consultants, and inadequate EIA guidelines.
{"title":"Quality of environmental impact statements (EISs) in Eswatini: 1996 – 2020","authors":"E. N. Cele","doi":"10.1080/14615517.2022.2102879","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2022.2102879","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Following the adoption of formal EIA procedures in the mid-1990s, there have been no efforts to assess the quality of EISs in Eswatini. This study was necessitated by an attempt to fill this gap. It did so by systematically analysing 125 EISs, submitted from 1996 to 2020, using the Lee and Colley EIS review method. The obtained results are comparable to previous findings in terms of variations in EIS quality within review areas, increase in the average length of EISs over the years, and the association between better results and the most experienced consultants. However, with regard to the quality of EISs over the years, the outcomes of this study are at variance with previous findings. Based on these observations, it is concluded that the quality of EISs in Eswatini is a result of many years of EIA practice without attendant research, coupled with the absence of capacity-building programmes, absence of requirements for EIA consultants, and inadequate EIA guidelines.","PeriodicalId":47528,"journal":{"name":"Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal","volume":"40 1","pages":"399 - 410"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45337858","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-07-22DOI: 10.1080/14615517.2022.2102881
Yong Liu, Xiaoxiao Luo, W. Fu
ABSTRACT China requires residents to provide real names and identification for participation in environmental impact assessments (EIAs). This study examines residents’ willingness to participate in EIAs based on the real-name system. The results of a questionnaire survey in Southwest China showed that after adopting the real-name system, the residents’ willingness to participate in EIAs was reduced. When there was no real-name system, 78.97% of the residents were willing or very willing to participate in EIAs. However, after the implementation of the real-name system, only 40.85% of the residents were willing or very willing to participate in EIAs. The results also indicated that after implementation of the real-name system, the residents’ willingness to participate in EIAs was positively correlated with privacy protection and government trust factors.
{"title":"Does China’s real-name system improve or reduce residents’ willingness to participate in environmental impact assessments?","authors":"Yong Liu, Xiaoxiao Luo, W. Fu","doi":"10.1080/14615517.2022.2102881","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2022.2102881","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT China requires residents to provide real names and identification for participation in environmental impact assessments (EIAs). This study examines residents’ willingness to participate in EIAs based on the real-name system. The results of a questionnaire survey in Southwest China showed that after adopting the real-name system, the residents’ willingness to participate in EIAs was reduced. When there was no real-name system, 78.97% of the residents were willing or very willing to participate in EIAs. However, after the implementation of the real-name system, only 40.85% of the residents were willing or very willing to participate in EIAs. The results also indicated that after implementation of the real-name system, the residents’ willingness to participate in EIAs was positively correlated with privacy protection and government trust factors.","PeriodicalId":47528,"journal":{"name":"Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal","volume":"40 1","pages":"411 - 422"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42245850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-07-21DOI: 10.1080/14615517.2022.2099727
Larissa Oliveira Gonçalves, A. Kindel, Vinicius Augusto Galvão Bastazini, Fernanda Zimmermann Teixeira
ABSTRACT Road networks affect ecological connectivity, which has implications across different levels of biological organization. There are compelling reasons and sufficient approaches and tools to mainstream ecological connectivity into environmental impact assessments (EIAs) of road projects. In this letter, we discuss ways of overcoming the existing gaps and obstacles in the consideration of connectivity loss in EIAs and how to improve mitigation. The selection of target species, shifting from single to multispecies approaches, and the evaluation of scale optimization are challenges that need to be overcome. We also discuss that the mitigation hierarchy, no net loss targets, and the principles of adaptive management should be applied to increase the effectiveness of mitigation measures. We propose to increase the cooperation between stakeholders and practitioners to enhance co-production and build capacity to conduct evidence-based EIAs for assessing ecological connectivity. Finally, we identify directions for future research that can contribute to integrating connectivity into EIA practice.
{"title":"Mainstreaming ecological connectivity in road environmental impact assessments: a long way to go","authors":"Larissa Oliveira Gonçalves, A. Kindel, Vinicius Augusto Galvão Bastazini, Fernanda Zimmermann Teixeira","doi":"10.1080/14615517.2022.2099727","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2022.2099727","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Road networks affect ecological connectivity, which has implications across different levels of biological organization. There are compelling reasons and sufficient approaches and tools to mainstream ecological connectivity into environmental impact assessments (EIAs) of road projects. In this letter, we discuss ways of overcoming the existing gaps and obstacles in the consideration of connectivity loss in EIAs and how to improve mitigation. The selection of target species, shifting from single to multispecies approaches, and the evaluation of scale optimization are challenges that need to be overcome. We also discuss that the mitigation hierarchy, no net loss targets, and the principles of adaptive management should be applied to increase the effectiveness of mitigation measures. We propose to increase the cooperation between stakeholders and practitioners to enhance co-production and build capacity to conduct evidence-based EIAs for assessing ecological connectivity. Finally, we identify directions for future research that can contribute to integrating connectivity into EIA practice.","PeriodicalId":47528,"journal":{"name":"Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal","volume":"40 1","pages":"475 - 480"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44476684","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
京公网安备 11010802042870号
京ICP备2023020795号-1
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：