Environmental impact assessment - The range of activities covered and the potential of linking to post-project auditing

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is undoubtedly one of the world's most successful environmental policy tools for managing and controlling dynamic development schemes. The aim of our study was to evaluate the numerical and type variability of projects included in EIA. Furthermore, our study focused on identifying possible links to post-project auditing, both selective and predictive EIA power. Data on initiated EIA process were used (13,984 of issued conclusions on Screening and scoping Procedures and 1418 of reasoned conclusion on EIA). The study identified ten types of projects by whose gradual changes in wording and limits in their description in legislation had the impact on the total number of their initiated EIA process. Based on the results, we are able to recommend which types of projects should be focused on when testing EIA selective accuracy (when Competent authority have to determine whether EIA is required or not) and which types of projects we should focus on when testing EIA predictive accuracy (in the case of projects with reasoned conclusion by the Competent authority on the significant effects of the project on the environment). To test EIA selective power, the ten types of projects we selected (their sum between 2002 and 2017) represent approximately 58% of all submitted project by developers to EIA (of the total 13,984). To test EIA predictive power, the five selected types of projects with the most frequently issued reasoned conclusions on EIA (their sum between 2002 and 2017) represent approximately 48% of all issued reasoned conclusions on EIA (of the total 1418). For the optimal legislative setting of post-auditing, it would not be necessary to create audits for each individual project, but only for selected types of projects based on the analysis of numerical and type variability.

Automated summary

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a successful tool for managing and controlling dynamic development schemes. This study evaluates the numerical and type variability of projects included in EIA, with a focus on the links to post-project auditing. Specific types of projects were identified based on changes in legislation, allowing for recommendations on which projects to focus on when testing EIA accuracy.