January 14, 2016
Environmental Design
In November 2015 IEMA published guidance providing ‘a framework for the effective consideration of climate change resilience and adaptation in the EIA process’ in line with the revised EIA Directive 2014. The guidance aims to embed the consideration of climate change (CC) into EIA practice ahead of the revised EIA Regulations. The Regulations are due to be implemented by May 2017 and are expected to have an enhanced focus on CC.
As EIA coordinators we need to ensure that, as appropriate, CC is considered across all relevant disciplines. We work with our in-house landscape architects and ecologists and other consultants within our project teams to ensure that CC factors are taken into account, especially in project design. This is most frequently taken into account in relation to energy supply, resource use and flood risk, but it also informs landscape and ecological design proposals and species selection.
