presentation at iaia15
TRANSCRIPT
QUALITY CONTROL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL APPRAISAL
TOOLS
IA IA 15 SESSION: BUT IS IT ANY GOOD? THE SEARCH FOR QUALITY IN IMPACT ASSESSMENT ( I I )
M AT T H E W C A S H M O R E I VA R LY H N E
H E N S R U N H A A R F R A N K VA N L A E R H O V E N
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• Situated with in context of ‘better regulat ion’ and new theoret ical developments in EA: An opportuni ty for posi t ive reforms?
• Probe the nexus between qual i ty control , qual i ty and effect iveness (QC-Q-EF nexus).
• Qual i ty control serves as an example of taken for granted assumptions about procedures.
• Two contrast ing systems:• The ‘Rol ls Royce’ : the Nether lands.• The ‘VW Beet le ’ : Denmark.
Introduction
D E P A R T M E N T O F D E V E L O P M E N T A N D P L A N N I N G
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• Q1: Are EA reports are more credible in the Nether lands than in Denmark?
• Q2: Do EA reports have a more appropr iate scope in the Nether lands than in Denmark?
• Q3: Does EA lead to greater environmental awareness amongst actors involved in EA in the Nether lands than in Denmark?
• Q4: Does EA lead to a greater integrat ion of environmental values into decis ion making in the Nether lands than in Denmark?
• Q5: Does EA have a greater inf luence on decis ion making in the Nether lands than Denmark?
Probing the nexus
D E P A R T M E N T O F D E V E L O P M E N T A N D P L A N N I N G
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• Survey in NL and DK (and UK)
• 1/3 of “ fu l l t ime” pract i t ioners (NL 400, DK 100)
• Stat is t ical analysis
• Expert interv iews
Methodology
D E P A R T M E N T O F D E V E L O P M E N T A N D P L A N N I N G
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Strong qual i ty control more qual i ty?
Results: Quality of reports
D E P A R T M E N T O F D E V E L O P M E N T A N D P L A N N I N G
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NCEA bet ter scope?
DK: No off ic ia l EIA scoping
Results: Scope of reports
D E P A R T M E N T O F D E V E L O P M E N T A N D P L A N N I N G
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Strong qual i ty control
More impact?
Results: Influence of EA on decision making
D E P A R T M E N T O F D E V E L O P M E N T A N D P L A N N I N G
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The Nether lands• Rol ls Royce leads to better scoped reports (stat is t ical ly
s igni f icant) and s l ight ly h igher levels of credibi l i ty.• But not ‘bet ter ’ substant ive outcomes.• A ref lect ion of i ts success in achieving pol i t ical
consensus?
Denmark• VW Beet le leads to greater environmental awareness
(stat is t ical ly s igni f icant) and integrat ion of env. values.• A more emancipated pol i ty and value inc lusive
democracy?• Or a minimal is t ic approach to EU legis lat ion?
Comparing the two approaches
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• Plenty of research l imitat ions . . . but provides strong empir ical basis for reconceiv ing QC-Q-EF nexus.
• Regulatory reform (and even s impl i f icat ion) could provide an important opportuni ty for re- imagining EA, based on new theor ies, research, etc.
• Part icular ly s igni f icant as overal l effect iveness appears problematic .
Wider agendas
D E P A R T M E N T O F D E V E L O P M E N T A N D P L A N N I N G