ISEP Comment - EIA and Planning Reform

16 July 2020

The Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) has long been an advocate of good practice in EIA, working with developers, statutory bodies and consultants to ensure that the effects of development are assessed, mitigated and inform decision makers.

We are staunch supporter of EIA and the benefits it provides to society, and do not believe that the EIA process is a genuine barrier to achieving the Government’s development ambitions. There is a large body of evidence that points to much more significant issues with the planning system, such as the delay between a consent being granted and a housing development being built. However, we are also aware of opportunities for improvements to EIA.

In 2017 ISEP released a Proportionate EIA Strategy as a collaborative approach for enhancing UK environmental impact assessment practice.

The strategy set out four key recommendations for improving practice:

- Enhancing People - so that those involved in EIA have the skills, knowledge and confidence to avoid an overly precautionary approach

- Sharing Responsibility - recognising that disproportionate EIA is driven by many factors and that enabling proportionate assessment will require collaborative actions that work towards a shared goal.

- Improving Scoping - to generate a more consistently focussed approach to this critical activity throughout the EIA process.

- Embracing Innovation & Digital - modernising EIA to deliver effective and efficient assessment and reporting that adds value to projects and their interaction with the environment.

ISEP’s most recent report on the use of Digital Impact Assessment builds on the proportionate EIA strategy and provides a primer for embracing innovation and digital working. Furthermore, a dedicated microsite gives examples of innovation in practice and shows how the use of technology can help deliver better EIA practice.

In our report on the State of EIA in 2011 we interviewed stakeholders from across the spectrum of private and public practice to look at ways of improving EIA. Our immediate response to our findings was the development and launch in 2011 of the EIA Quality Mark establishing a new standard for organisations that coordinate environmental impact assessments, alongside an EIA Register for EIA Practitioners to improve recognition and professional standards at the individual level.

Alongside the EIA Quality Mark, ISEP also maintains an Impact Assessment Network, with a Steering Group consisting of 15 leading EIA practitioners and experts from both public and private sectors. The IA Network develops and publishes articles, blogs, webinars and guidance on EIA for the benefit of EIA practice. Key outputs from the network included an EIA Guide to Shaping Quality Development (2015) and EIA Guide to Delivering Quality Development (2016). We will continue to advocate for high standards in EIA as a means for local communities and decision-makers to understand the potential environmental effects of new developments. We will share our thoughts with government on how improvements to the current process can best be achieved.


Published by:
image

Martin Baxter FISEP

Deputy CEO

Martin Baxter is Deputy CEO at the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP). He works in the UK and internationally to accelerate the transition to a sustainable future and support people in the development of sustainability skills and green careers. Martin has national and international experience in developing and negotiating global and European environmental management standards and developing capacity for effective and widespread implementation. Martin heads the UK delegation to the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) on environmental management and chairs the ISO environmental management systems committee of ~100 countries. Martin is a Board member of ISEP, and a non-exec director of the Society for the Environment (SocEnv) and the Broadway Initiative. He is a visiting professor at Cranfield University and was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Derby.


Published by:
image

Rufus Howard FISEP

Policy and Engagement Lead

Dr Howard is the policy and engagement lead for Impact Assessment at ISEP and a leading professional in EIA, with two decades of international experience across renewable energy and major infrastructure. A Fellow of ISEP and Chartered Environmentalist, Rufus holds degrees in Biodiversity Conservation and Environmental Law, and a doctorate in Management. A trusted advisor, Rufus has directed environmental projects for major organisations such as the World Bank, The Crown Estate, Natural Resources Wales, the EBRD, Statkraft, Orsted, National Grid, and the Environment Agency. Rufus lives in Kent with his wife and three daughters and enjoys walking in nature, cooking, music, kayaking and archery.