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The state of the art of environmental impact assessment (EIA)

FP Retief et al.

Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal2026https://doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2026.2612894article
ABDC C
Weight
0.50

What the paper says

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) continues to evolve in response to new environmental, social, and regulatory challenges. The aim of this paper is to provide a current perspective on the state of the art of EIA in terms of practice and effectiveness. This is achieved through a literature review and SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats). Results show that EIA practice is globally established, with over 190 countries maintaining some form of EIA legislation, supported by growing numbers of professional networks and best practice guidelines. On effectiveness, while strengths include legal frameworks and institutional maturity, weaknesses, such as poor follow-up, limited stakeholder engagement, and political interference persist. Opportunities lie in leveraging technology, enhancing communication, and strengthening participatory approaches. However, streamlining pressures, political and development agendas, and substitution by other instruments remain significant threats.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2026.2612894

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@article{fp2026,
  title        = {{The state of the art of environmental impact assessment (EIA)}},
  author       = {FP Retief et al.},
  journal      = {Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2026.2612894},
}

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.