1. UK action on assessing GHG significance in EIA IAIA17 – Montreal, Canada
George Vergoulas
Wednesday 5th April, 2017

2. The drivers
The new Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive (2014/52/EU)
Legally binding UK target of 80% emissions reduction from levels by 2050
Interim target - 34% UK emissions reduction from levels by 2020
The Paris Agreement
Requirement for more proportionate and high quality EIAs across Europe
Looking for more emphasis on resource efficiency, risk assessment and climate change/ carbon
More robust screening with evidence up front i.e. mini eia
Directive transposed into UK legislation by May 2017

3. The drivers
New media exposure and ‘scary’ headlines all add to the drivers of climate change and carbon emissions. This raises awareness and the profile of the issue.

4. Significance and Mitigation
EIA – the step approach
Screening
Scoping
Baseline
Assessment
Significance and Mitigation
Reporting
Fairly typical EIA process, steps are more or less similar, but little advice on how to incorporate GHG emissions
There is advice on CCA+R, but Carbon can be a separate report or combined with CCA+R – both are acceptable
Guidance document put together for IEMA published sometime in May 2017

5. Scoping
GHG emissions should always be scoped in EIA as good practice, and the assessment detail proportionate to the project size
Engage with local planning authorities, stakeholders and the client
Fully understand the project’s purpose and implications
Identify key contributing GHG sources or activities prior to detailed assessment
Consider mitigation and alternative scenarios as early as possible

6. Requirements for measuring GHG emissions
Defining study goal and scope
Study boundaries
Study period
Inclusions and cut off rules
Quantification methodology
Uncertainty
Using tools
Not re-invent the wheel, a lot of documentation on carbon footprinting (ISO14064, PAS 2080, BS EN 15978) – i.e. assessment
PAS 2080 – Publically Available Specification on Carbon Management in Infrastructure

7. Adopting a life cycle approach and proportionality
Insert PAS 2080 guide figure
Picture of report
Talk about proportionality, exclusion justifications, and flexibility here, this is just a guide, be transparent, use most appropriate sources etc.

8. Significance
GHG emissions from all projects will contribute to climate change; the largest inter-related cumulative environmental effect
GHG emissions have a combined environmental effect that is approaching a scientifically defined environmental limit, as such any GHG emissions or reductions from a project might be considered significant

9. Significance
There is no single preferred methodology for determining significance or defining a GHG threshold.
Contextualising GHG emissions against sectoral, local or national emissions budgets is encouraged
Benchmark, scale and compare. Important to look at the big picture with large scape infrastructure projects over a long period
Compare to regional and national emissions (x %) etc

10. Key lessons Always scope in GHG emissions as good practice
All GHG emissions contribute to climate change
Flexibility – a detailed LCA may not always be necessary
Early stakeholder engagement is encouraged to maximise mitigation

11. Q&A Contact details: George Vergoulas
Arup, 13 Fitzroy Street, London, W1T 4BQ E: T:

12. PAS 2080

13. PAS 2080
A system for the management of carbon emissions for infrastructure projects and programmes of work
Key components:

14. Adopting a life cycle approach and proportionality

15. Mitigation opportunities