Emphasising enhancement in all forms of impact assessment: introduction to a special issue

Abstract

In the context of impact assessment (IA), 'enhancement' refers to deliberate attempts taken in the design and subsequent phases of projects, programmes, plans and policies to ensure the success of a wider range of direct and indirect positive outcomes to communities and/or the biophysical environment. This can be in the form of opportunities for social and community development, improved health and wellbeing, improved biodiversity, restored ecosystems and landscape character, and protected and respected cultural heritage. This first ever special issue on enhancement advocates that all forms of IA should consider opportunities for enhancement. Specific reference is made to strategic environmental assessment (SEA), environmental impact assessment (EIA), social impact assessment (SIA) and health impact assessment (HIA). The paper presents views from IA practitioners regarding perceptions of the barriers to greater use of enhancement in IA and suggestions for possible solutions to those barriers. Investment in enhancement initiatives contributes to sustainable development and resilience, and is consistent with corporate social responsibility obligations of proponents.

Exploring the social dimensions and complexity of cumulative impacts: a case study of forest policy changes in Western Australia

“…Together, these changes alter the nature of the environment in which social impacts are experienced, thus influencing both the implementation and experience of future activities (Brereton et al 2008, Franks et al 2011. These interactions mean that social impacts caused by disparate factors are experienced cumulatively (Franks et al 2009a, João et al 2011, encouraging increased assessment of cumulative social impacts within SIA (Franks et al 2010b, Esteves et al 2012.…”

Putting social impact assessment to the test as a method for implementing responsible tourism practice

“…This would need to include addressing the common perception that SIA is more interested in the negative impacts than the positive ones (João et al, 2011).…”

Avoiding sustainability trade-offs in environmental assessment

“…For example, because what we are doing on the planet is not sustainable, the typical focus of most environmental assessment law and practice on mitigating significant adverse effects is insufficient; positive enhancements are needed (João et al 2011). Moreover, because the core sustainability concerns are overlapping and interacting, we need to do a much better job of understanding complex system effects and integrating our planning, effects predictions and decision-making so that we pay proper attention to interactive effects and ensuring they are positive.…”

“…In other cases, irreducible residual damage may be addressed through closely related and nearby offsets and substitutions to reduce the associated trade-off, although some trading-off remains and effective use is difficult in practice (Hayes & Morrison-Saunders 2007;Quétier & Lavorel 2011). Where mitigation is accompanied by closely related and nearby enhancement efforts, a significant trade-off may even be reversed, although this too is more often advocated than practised (João et al 2011;Rajvanshi et al 2011). …”

“…This is valuable in a world where trade-offs are commonly assumed to be intrinsic to the fabric of life and are rarely evaluated with sufficient care and rigour. However, making effects less adverse and reducing the severity of trade-off sacrifices cannot by themselves deliver the needed transition to a more desirable and durable future (João et al 2011). For progress towards sustainability, environmental assessments must encourage planning that avoids invidious trade-offs from the outset.…”