Chapter Nine - International Perspectives on Environmental Assessment, Engineering, and Planning

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of international perspectives on environmental assessment, engineering, and planning. It begins with a discussion of the international implications of the National Environmental Policy Act, providing examples of situations in which its regulations have or have not been applied internationally. The chapter then describes the current state of the act in a global context and how it may be applied in the future. It then discusses environmental impact assessment in other industrial countries, followed by an evaluation of environmental impact assessment in developing countries. This leads to an examination of the limitations to the effectiveness of environmental assessment in developing countries. Next, it details environmental impact assessment in specific regions of the world, including Asia and the Pacific, Latin America, Canada, Europe, and India. The chapter concludes with a description of the various international organizations that promote environmental assessment in developing countries.