An evaluation of ecological impact assessment procedural effectiveness over time

摘要: Abstract Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is an important tool to help decision-makers balance the environmental impacts of a proposed built development with its potential economic benefits. Used in most countries across globe, EIA commonly includes ecological component (Ecological Assessment, or EcIA). However, despite considerable changes relevant legislation, policy and guidance, there has been no recent review UK EcIA chapter content, latest having published 2000. This study attempts determine procedural effectiveness chapters over time by comparing new 112 English from 2000 onwards earlier reviews. was achieved through novel use inferential statistics, approach previously lacking literature. The limitations advantages quantitative methods are discussed. In general, improvement information content time, for example percentage stating size estimating likely mitigation measures. reviews highlighted such severe deficiencies that progress seen post-2000 still leaves scope improvement. Changes EU’s Directive force since May 2014 (and be transposed into Member State legislation 2017) have encourage statistics review: requirement States provide central access should enable representative samples analysed.