Incorporating Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation in Environmental Impact Assessments Opportunities and Challenges
AIMED AT: Policy Makers PURPOSE: The paper provides an overview of the key steps in an Environmental Impact Assessment process and identifies potential entry points for incorporating information on climate change impacts. GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Global, Netherlands, Canada, Australia THEMATIC AREA: EIA, climate change integration BASIC STRUCTURE: Existing initiatives are based on a three- level framework that starts with an analysis of broad trends and becomes progressively more specific. First level is intentions. Among the developed countries Canada is probably furthest along in terms of recognition of climate change considerations within the context of EIA. The incorporation of climate change impacts is a requirement of the EIA process for major development projects. Level two is operational guidance and adjustment of legal and regulatory frameworks. Level 3 is implementation. Three countries are taken as an example (Netherlands, Canada and Australia) who already have some level of integration of climate change adaptation in their EIA legal framework.
Incorporating Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation in Environmental Impact Assessments Opportunities and Challenges .pdf
