Impact assessment for the 21st century – what future?
Sara Bice, Thomas B. Fischer
Abstract
The third decade of the 21st century will be one of \nmilestones and turning points for impact assessment \n(IA). The United States’ globally influential National \nEnvironmental Policy Act (NEPA), which enshrined \nenvironmental assessment (EA) into law, is 50 (see \ne.g. Caldwell 1988). Meanwhile, the United Nation’s \nmuch younger Sustainable Development Goals \n(SDGs) have an agenda to 2030 and the International \nPanel on Climate Change’s 2050 carbon neutral targets \nare drawing closer, while the 1.5°C and 2°C Paris \nAgreement targets looking frighteningly unlikely to \nbe met (UNEP, 2019). In this context, impact assessments of all types will play an important role in delivering the evidence necessary to support climate change \nmitigation, promote environmental justice and \nadvance a sustainable future. \nThis Special Issue of Impact Assessment and Project \nAppraisal takes a timely opportunity to consider the \nshape and role of impact assessment (IA) for at least \nthe next half-century. The Special Issue’s theme, ‘IA for \nthe 21st century—What future?’ aims to push our \nthinking about IA’s prospects and potential. We asked \nfor bold and visionary contributions that would stretch \nour ideas beyond existing practice and policy to envision the major opportunities, challenges, changes and \nparadigm shifts that are likely to shape IA. Questions \nour contributors grappled with included: \nWhat does the future of impact assessment look \nlike?