Summary: This practitioner’s manual provides step-by-step guidance on integrating processes for biodiversity impact assessment.
Integrated Biodiversity Impact Assessment
Biodiversity is one of the environmental topics of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), is captured by the topics of flora and fauna in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and is pivotal to Appropriate Assessment (AA) but in the focused context of an assessment of the likely significant effects on European sites in view of their conservation objectives. Acknowledging the overlaps and the increasing burden for authorities and individuals, this practitioner’s manual provides step-bystep guidance on integrating processes for biodiversity impact assessment. The Integrated Biodiversity Impact Assessment (IBIA) methodology presented seeks to ensure that legal requirements are fulfilled
while, at the same time, effectively and efficiently connecting relevant procedures, allowing the sharing and reuse of biodiversity data and scientific knowledge supported by a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) framework, and integrating biodiversity considerations with a variety of other concerns during planning and design processes.
It does not replace any of the existing requirements but rather promotes a framework for maximising the co-ordination and integration of processes and outcomes. Its objective is to inform the scope and outcomes of the different processes in a timely manner and promote best practice. Where appropriate, a distinction is made between integrating SEA with AA at plan level, and EIA with AA at project level. This guidance is complementary to other
guidance on approaches and specific requirements associated with SEA, EIA and AA.
