scholarly journals Integrating human health into environmental impact assessment: an unrealized opportunity for environmental health and justice

2009 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 1159-1175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajiv Bhatia ◽  
Aaron Wernham
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessment ◽  
National Environmental Policy Act ◽  
Case Examples ◽  
Public Health Institutions ◽  
Health Institutions

The National Environmental Policy Act and related state laws require many public agencies to analyze and disclose potentially significant environmental effects of agency actions, including effects on human health. In this paper we review the purpose and procedures of environmental impact assessment (EIA), existing regulatory requirements for health effects analysis, and potential barriers to and opportunities for improving integration of human health concerns within the EIA process. We use statutes, regulations, guidelines, court opinions, and empirical research on EIA along with recent case examples of integrated health impact assessment (HIA)/EIA at both the state and federal level. We extract lessons and recommendations for integrated HIA/EIA practice from both existing practices as well as case studies. The case studies demonstrate the adequacy, scope, and power of existing statutory requirements for health analysis within EIA. The following support the success of integrated HIA/EIA: a proponent recognizing EIA as an available regulatory strategy for public health; the openness of the agency conducting the EIA; involvement of public health institutions; and complementary objectives among community stakeholders and health practitioners. We recommend greater collaboration among institutions responsible for EIA, public health institutions, and affected stakeholders along with guidance, resources, and training for integrated HIA/EIA practice.

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

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1392
Author(s):  
Ben Cave ◽  
Ryngan Pyper ◽  
Birgitte Fischer-Bonde ◽  
Sarah Humboldt-Dachroeden ◽  
Piedad Martin-Olmedo
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessment ◽  
International Association ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Review Literature ◽  
The European Union

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.

scholarly journals The amended EIA directive creates opportunities for public health

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
B Cave ◽  
O Mekel ◽  
J Nowacki ◽  
F Silva ◽  
Y Xiao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessment ◽  
Competent Authority ◽  
Public Health Workforce ◽  
Private Company ◽  
Investment Bank ◽  
European Investment

Abstract Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is conducted by the developer as part of the process of seeking consent to proceed with the project. The developer may be a public authority or a private company. The Directive for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) (2011/92/EU) was amended in 2014 (2014/52/EU). The changes are now transposed into national regulations across European Union Member States. These changes have an influence beyond EU borders, for example, through the policies of the European Investment Bank and the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development. The amendments to the Directive create both opportunities and challenges for public health. The opportunities stem from the changes that have been made to the Directive. Population and human health are now on the list of core topics that must be considered in an EIA. The other core topics to be assessed are each ‘determinants of health’, for example: biodiversity; land, soil, water, air and climate; and material assets, cultural heritage and the landscape. The Directive now requires the interaction between these factors to be considered. The amended Directive includes other issues that are relevant to human health, for example, climate change and vulnerability (exposure and resilience) to major accidents and/or disasters. The developer’s assessment must be prepared by Competent Experts. The changes also pose challenges. These are technical. For example, human health needs to be assessed within the framework of EIA. The changes also pose challenges to the public health workforce. There is a need to ensure there is capacity to participate in EIA. The EIA is typically prepared by the developer and reviewed by the competent authority. There is a role for public health expertise in these complementary activities. This presentation will focus on the opportunities created by the changes to the Directive and the opportunities this creates. It will also touch on the challenges.

scholarly journals ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF A HEALTH TECHNOLOGY: A SCOPING REVIEW

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 317-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Polisena ◽  
Gino De Angelis ◽  
David Kaunelis ◽  
Mackenzie Shaheen ◽  
Iñaki Gutierrez-Ibarluzea
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessment ◽  
Environmental Assessment ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Weight Of Evidence ◽  
Health Technologies

Introduction:The Health Technology Expert Review Panel is an advisory body to Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) that develops recommendations on health technology assessments (HTAs) for nondrug health technologies using a deliberative framework. The framework spans several domains, including the environmental impact of the health technology(ies). Our research objective was to identify articles on frameworks, methods or case studies on the environmental impact assessment of health technologies.Methods:A literature search in major databases and a focused gray literature search were conducted. The main search concepts were HTA and environmental impact/sustainability. Eligible articles were those that described a conceptual framework or methods used to conduct an environmental assessment of health technologies, and case studies on the application of an environmental assessment.Results:From the 1,710 citations identified, thirteen publications were included. Two articles presented a framework to incorporate environmental assessment in HTAs. Other approaches described weight of evidence practices and comprehensive and integrated environmental impact assessments. Central themes derived include transparency and repeatability, integration of components in a framework or of evidence into a single outcome, data availability to ensure the accuracy of findings, and familiarity with the approach used.Conclusions:Each framework and methods presented have different foci related to the ecosystem, health economics, or engineering practices. Their descriptions suggested transparency, repeatability, and the integration of components or of evidence into a single outcome as their main strengths. Our review is an initial step of a larger initiative by CADTH to develop the methods and processes to address the environmental impact question in an HTA.

A SNAPSHOT OF GERMANY'S EIA APPROACH IN LIGHT OF THE UNITED STATES ARCHETYPE

2012 ◽  
Vol 14 (04) ◽  
pp. 1250022 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOHANN KÖPPEL ◽  
GESA GEIßLER ◽  
JENNIFER HELFRICH ◽  
JESSICA REISERT
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessment ◽  
Role Model ◽  
The United States ◽  
Current Status ◽  
National Environmental Policy Act ◽  
25Th Anniversary ◽  
20Th Anniversary ◽  
National Environmental

November 2010 marked the 25th anniversary of the EU Environmental Impact Assessment Directive and the 20th anniversary of its implementation in Germany via the Environmental Impact Assessment Act (EIAA) in 1990. Reflecting back to the original role model for these pieces of legisiation, the 1969 US National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) can bring some interesting differences to light. Four decades of experience from the more mature US EIA system may hold some important lessons for Germany's younger EIAA. While an outright comparison is impossible at this present time, this article aims to contribute a comparative perspective to show the current status of the original US model, NEPA, and the differences in development and practice to Germany's younger EIAA.

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