Gearing Up Impact Assessment as a Vehicle for Achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Authors

Angus Morrison-Saunders, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Luis E. Sánchez, University of São Paulo, Brazil
François Retief, University of Manitoba School of Law
A. John Sinclair, University of Manitoba - Natural Resources InstituteFollow
Meinhard Doelle, Dalhousie University Schulich School of LawFollow
Megan Jones, Edith Cowan University
Jan-Albert Wessels, University of South Africa
Jenny Pope, Edith Cowan University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2020

Keywords

impact assessment, sustainable development goals, integration

Abstract

This article reflects on the potential for impact assessment (IA) to be a major vehicle for implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While it is acknowledged that the SDGs are intended to deliver broader outcomes than IA currently does, we nevertheless argue there is significant convergence between IA and the SDGs, which we explore utilising the key dimensions of sustainability assessment: comprehensiveness, strategicness and integratedness. We conclude that ‘geared up’ IA might be used as a major vehicle to facilitate achievement of the SDGs. However, IA must become more comprehensive and integrated, such that the full suite of SDGs and their relationships, including trade-offs, can be dealt with in a transparent and inclusive way.

Comments

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal on 22 October 2019, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/ 14615517.2019.1677089

Recommended Citation

Angus Morrison-Saunders et al, "Gearing Up Impact Assessment as a Vehicle for Achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals" (2020) 38:2 IAPA 113.

Publication Abbreviation

IAPA