Retief F., Bond A., Gunn J.A.E., Pope J., Morrison-Saunders A.
School of Geo and Spatial Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa; School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom; Department of Geography and Planning, School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada; Integral Sustainability, South Fremantle, Australia; Curtin University, Sustainability Policy Institute, Perth, Australia; Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia
Retief, F., School of Geo and Spatial Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa; Bond, A., School of Geo and Spatial Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom; Gunn, J.A.E., Department of Geography and Planning, School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada; Pope, J., School of Geo and Spatial Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa, Integral Sustainability, South Fremantle, Australia, Curtin University, Sustainability Policy Institute, Perth, Australia; Morrison-Saunders, A., School of Geo and Spatial Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa, Integral Sustainability, South Fremantle, Australia, Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia
This paper consolidates international responses to the argument that there is a need to strengthen impact assessment (IA) through greater integration and focus. It is based on invited reflections by various international authors in the field of IA. The main conclusions are that power and context are important underlying reasons for the diversity of IA types; that in certain instances IA legislation works against achieving integration and focus; and that there is a pressing need to be able to measure and demonstrate added value and effectiveness in practice. The paper concludes by setting a research agenda reflecting the need to better understand why diversity exists in IA, what stakeholders expect from the process and how to improve practice based on greater understanding of what the various types of IA deliver. © 2014 © 2014 IAIA.