Lessons from an International Initiative to Set and Share Good Practice on Human Health in Environmental Impact Assessment.

Ben Cave,Sarah Humboldt-Dachroeden,Birgitte Fischer-Bonde,Piedad Martin-Olmedo,Ryngan Pyper

doi:10.3390/ijerph18041392

Abstract

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is applied to infrastructure and other large projects. The European Union EIA Directive (2011/92/EU as amended by 2014/52/EU) requires EIAs to consider the effects that a project might have on human health. The International Association for Impact Assessment and the European Public Health Association prepared a reference paper on public health in EIA to enable the health sector to contribute to this international requirement. We present lessons from this joint action. We review literature on policy analysis, impact assessment and Health Impact Assessment (HIA). We use findings from this review and from the consultation on the reference paper to consider how population and human health should be defined; how the health sector can participate in the EIA process; the relationship between EIA and HIA; what counts as evidence; when an effect should be considered ‘likely’ and ‘significant’; how changes in health should be reported; the risks from a business-as-usual coverage of human health in EIA; and finally competencies for conducting an assessment of human health. This article is relevant for health authorities seeking to ensure that infrastructure, and other aspects of development, are not deleterious to, but indeed improve, human health.

Highlights

We present lessons from drafting a technical reference paper [1] for health in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
In 2018, a joint action was initiated by the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) and the European Public Health Association (EUPHA) to prepare a reference paper on health in EIA [1] and to set out ways in which the health sector can contribute to this regulatory requirement
How should population and human health be defined in EIA?

Summary

Introduction

We present lessons from drafting a technical reference paper [1] for health in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). EIA is governed in the European Union (EU) by Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment [4], as amended by 2014/52/EU [5] (hereafter the ‘EIA Directive’). 41 of EU Directive 2014/52/EU states that the objective of EIA [is] to ensure a high level of protection of the environment and of human health. In 2018, a joint action was initiated by the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) and the European Public Health Association (EUPHA) to prepare a reference paper on health in EIA [1] and to set out ways in which the health sector can contribute to this regulatory requirement. Reference papers tend to be non-binding but they can assist agencies in formulating approaches to a topic [7]

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Conclusion