1. 25 years of EIA System (UK) Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
Urmila Jha Thakur

2. Jha-Thakur U; Fischer T (2016)
Jha-Thakur U; Fischer T (2016). 25 years of the UK EIA system: Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, Environmental Impact Assessment Review, Vol. 61:19-26
World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre on ‘Health in Impact Assessments’

3. Outline of Today’s Presentation
Context Setting & Methodology;
Interesting Snap Shots;
SWOT Analyses
Reflections & Conclusions…
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4. Context Setting…
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5. Context Setting….
Following on from Glasson’s: ‘The first 10 years of the UK EIA system : Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats Planning Practice and Research, 1999
World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre on ‘Health in Impact Assessments’

6. World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre on ‘Health in Impact Assessments’

7. Methodology
EIA Survey: Online questionnaire designed to explore the perception of EIA stakeholders which received 181 responses.
Interactive EIA Session: Part of IAIA Ireland-UK branch workshop on ‘Celebrating 25 years of EIA in the UK’. The session was attended by 25 participants.
Systematic Literature Review: of published works from including 1) EIA Review; 2) IAPA; 3) JEAPM; 4) JEPM.
World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre on ‘Health in Impact Assessments’

8. Snapshot: Systematic Literature Review
The review identified 48 articles across the four journals of which 9 are from IAPA,
16 from EIA review, 13 from JEPM and 10 from JEAPM.
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9. Snapshot: Survey Experiences of Respondents within EIA
EIA’s effect during early stages of decision-making
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10. Snapshot: Survey Experience-wise response to statement ‘EIA hardly has
Experience-wise EIA's effect during early stages
of decision-making
Experience-wise response to statement ‘EIA hardly has
any influence on controversial decisions’.
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11. Snapshot: Survey
Question was set asking about EIA’s influence on decision-making. More than a quarter of respondents stated that EIA had led to an explicit consideration of the environment in decision-making. Whilst 42% of them thought EIA had mainly led to limited changes in project planning;
More experienced were more sceptical?
Perception of EIA’s effect on decision-making depending on respondent's
experience
World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre on ‘Health in Impact Assessments’

12. Snapshot: SWOT
Key: Same as 1999; opposite to what it was in 1999; partially same as 1999; – Information not available;
? inconclusive
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13. Snapshot: SWOT
Key: Same as 1999; opposite to what it was in 1999; partially same as 1999; – Information not available;
? inconclusive
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14. Snapshot: SWOT
Key: Same as 1999; opposite to what it was in 1999; partially same as 1999; – Information not available;
? inconclusive
World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre on ‘Health in Impact Assessments’

15. Reflections and Conclusions
External factors have changed more compared to internal factors. Since EIA offers itself as a ‘sensitive barometer of environmental values in a complex environmental society’ the changes we see are reflective of changing values in society (env pressure groups/socio-economic aspects;
Overall, EIA has maintained and on occasion even strengthened its role in influencing decision-making process;
EIA has been delivering higher levels of learning;
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16. Reflections and Conclusions
EIA’s achievement is often underrated within the EA community, perhaps owing to increased expectations which lead to depleting motivations. We refer to this as ‘mid-life crisis’ in EIA);
EIA community should be focussing on enhancing existing strengths and tackling known weaknesses. Like monitoring continues to be a poor element as well as EIA regulations are often misunderstood and misinterpreted.
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17. Thank you!

18. Progressive learning in EIA
Levels of Learning
Learning in EIA
Evaluation
Reflecting and questioning personal, organisational or social beliefs as a result of the EIA experience
Synthesis
Learning through EIA
Analysis
Preparing or participating in the EIA process
Application
Learning about EIA and Learning through EIA
Comprehension
Understanding about appraisal (legal requirements, procedures)
Knowledge
Learning about EIA
EIA Effectiveness
EIA understanding, quality & skill development
EIA understanding & Quality