An Approach to Integrated Appraisal Progress by the Environment Agency in England and Wales

Abstract

As part of its principal aim of contributing towards achieving the objective of sustainable development the Environment Agency in England and Wales established a National Centre for Risk Analysis and Options Appraisal in 1997. This paper describes a key area of the Centre's work over the past four years, namely the development of an approach for appraisal. This approach has been developed jointly by EIA specialists, economists, a social psychologist and an expert in technology assessment. There have been several opportunities for developing tools and techniques for internal use and the Agency has also been able to advise and inform others, particularly the Central and regional governments. This paper aims to summarise some of these case studies for the benefit of a wider audience. Significant challenges remain, not least because there are few role models to follow and relatively little published literature on the subject of appraisal. Challenges are methodological, procedural and institutional. The paper recommends the term integrated appraisal as the umbrella term under which many other approaches (variously termed) fit and develops a checklist of questions to be asked.