The Role of Impact Assessment in Facilitating the Consideration of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation

Dear Colleagues,

Early consideration of climate change impacts and adaptation is facilitated by a wide range of international and national guidances to contribute to a sustainable spatial planning and project development. In particular for large-scale infrastructure planning and the prior spatial or transport planning decisions, the role of impact assessment has been discussed over the last years in the context of mainstreaming both climate change mitigation and adaptation. Several studies have pointed out in particular the role of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), which could provide entry points for incorporating climate change impacts and adaptation within the already existing modalities of project design, approval and implementation, as well as into prior planning and development.

Studies from various countries show, however, that the consideration of climate change in precautionary planning is still in the early stages. This Special Issue aims to discuss the role of different instruments of impact assessment (EIA, SEA, HIA, SIA, etc.) in the context of incorporating climate change with a particular view on the benefits and options for tiering when considering climate change in impact assessment at various levels (e.g. for the consideration of alternatives or attention to cumulative effects). Furthermore, the role of impact assessment for the early identification and minimization of conflicts of interest and objectives emerging and/or emphasized due to climate change deserve further attention.

This Special Issue invites original research articles, case studies, reviews and critical perspectives about recent approaches incorporating climate change mitigation and adaptation into impact assessment practice, challenges and benefits resulting from these applications as well as an in-depth view of the role of impact assessment in supporting sustainable development by contributing to conflict prevention and mitigation.

References:

1. Agrawala, S.; Kramer, A.M.; Prudent-Richard, G.; Sainsbury, M. Incorporating Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation in Environmental Impact Assessments Opportunities and Challenges. OECD Environmental Working Paper No. 24; OECD Publishing, 2010.
2. Enríquez-de-Salamanca, A.; Martín-Aranda, R.M.; Díaz-Sierra, R. Consideration of climate change on environmental impact assessment in Spain. Environ. Impact. Asses. 57, 2016, 31–39.
3. EC–European Commission. Guidance on Integrating Climate Change and Biodiversity into Environmental Impact Assessment; European Commission, Brussels., 2013; doi.10.2779/11735.
4. Hands, S.; Hudson, M.D. Incorporating climate change mitigation and adaptation into environmental impact assessment: a review of current practice within transport projects in England. Impact Assess. Proj. Appraisal 2016, 34, 330–345.
5. Jiricka, A.; Völler, S.; Fischer, T.B.; Leitner, M.; Formayer, H.; Schmidt, A.; Wachter, T.F. Consideration of climate change impacts and adaptation in EIA practice—Perspectives of actors in Austria and Germany. Environ. Impact. Asses. 2016, 57, 78–88, doi.10.1016/j.eiar.2015.11.010.
6. Jiricka-Pürrer, A.; Leitner, M.; Formayer, H.; Wachter, T.; Prutsch, A. (2018): Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation in Infrastructure Planning—Lessons Learned from Knowledge Transfer and Communication. In Addressing the Challenges in Communicating Climate Change Across Various Audiences; Leal Filho, W., Lackner, B. Eds.; Springer: Cham, Switzerland; ISBN 978-3-319-98293-9.
7. Jiricka-Purrer, A; Czachs, C; Formayer, H; Wachter, T.F.; Margelik, E; Leitner, M; Fischer, T.B. Climate change adaptation and EIA in Austria and Germany–Current consideration and potential future entry points. Environ Impact Asses. 2018; 71, 26–40.
8. Posas, P. 2011. Adressing Climate Change in Strategic Environmental Assessments: Baseline Data and Due Diligence Criteria for Enhanced Effectiveness. PhD Dissertation, University of Liverpool.
9. Runge, K.; Wachter, T.; Rottgart, E. Klimaanpassung, Climate Proofing und Umweltfolgenprüfung; UVP-report 24 (4), 2010, 165–169.
10. Wende, W.; Schmidt, C.; Albrecht, J. Klimawandel und Klimawandelanpassung in der Umweltprüfung von Raumordnungs- und Bauleitplänen. In HdUVP–Handbuch der Umweltverträglichkeitsprüfung; Storm, P.C., Bunge, T., Eds; 2017, p. 2825.

Dr. Alexandra Jiricka-Pürrer
Guest Editor

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• Impact assessment
• Environmental Impact Assessment
• Climate change adaptation
• Climate change mitigation
• Climate change impacts
• Conflicts of interest and objectives