Integrating Resilience Assessment in Environmental Impact Assessment

Abstract

Abstract It has become important in the fields of environmental impact assessment (EIA) and resilience assessment that both disciplines begin to be considered together as complementary approaches aimed at achieving the same goals. There is a great advantage to combining the EIA methodology with a synergetic concept such as resilience, and thereby contributing to a more insightful and effective EIA process. A comprehensive approach is vital for effective assessment and management of environmental impacts and to support better decision making with regard to different planned interventions and socioecological systems. In this paper, we advocate for a hybrid environmental assessment model that combines EIA and resilience assessment. This proposed assessment approach expands the capacity of EIA to evaluate and manage the uncertainties and unexpected outcomes associated with human and natural environmental impacts. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2018;14:567–570. © 2018 SETAC Key Points The inclusion of resiliency concepts in an environmental impact assessment (EIA) framework is needed to ensure the long-term survival of communities and the ecosystems in which they reside. The application of resilience analysis in EIA can be a good tool for understanding systemic risks and then managing or monitoring those risks in the future. EIA practitioners should identify how much recovery would be acceptable for a certain intervention. Embedding resilience assessment into the EIA will lead to the introduction of a more comprehensive approach to improve the effectiveness of the decision-making process.