IAIA Sections

IAIA Sections provide opportunities for IAIA members with mutual interests to share experiences and discuss ideas in an informal setting. Sections provide a forum for active topical debate and for development and promotion of good practice. In future IAIA hopes to strengthen links with other relevant organizations in Section interest areas. There are also plans for the Sections to issue up-to-date key citations, guidance and information on best practice. Some of the Sections have listserv discussion groups. These are open to any IAIA member who is interested in the Section's activities.

Current IAIA Sections

Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. New in 2005, this Section focuses on finding ways and means of increasing and improving the application of EIA to these sectors based on study, research, and input from practitioners.

Biodiversity and Ecology focuses on ecological impact assessment, biodiversity in impact assessment, ecological compensation and mitigation, impact assessment for protected area establishment and management.

Disasters and Conflict. Disasters such as war, famine, floods and cyclones, etc., can have severe impacts on the environment, including biodiversity and social structures. Recovery processes often have to be implemented quickly. Impact assessment tools are needed which can be applied to disaster management and recovery plans to ensure that environmental implications are taken into account. This Section enables IAIA members to share and disseminate information on disaster-issues and to participate in the development of sustainable disaster management strategies.

Corporate Stewardship and Risk Management focuses on environmental auditing and management, incorporating auditing and impact assessment into environmental management systems and the development and operation of corporate environmental strategies.

Health Impact Assessment: health impact assessment throughout the world and integration of human health concerns into impact assessment.

Impact Assessment Law, Policies and Practice. Environmental legislation plays a vital part in effective EA systems. This Section discusses environmental legislation and its role in EA policy and practice.

Indigenous Peoples addresses indigenous issues in impact assessment, including developing guidelines for the recognition and full inclusion of indigenous concerns in all aspects of impact assessment, traditional knowledge, and impact assessment capacity building for indigenous people.

Integrated Assessment of Trade-Related Policies helps members keep abreast of this rapidly developing area of impact assessment by meeting, exchanging ideas, and learning from others who practice in the field. The Trade Section promotes and publishes in IAPA scholarly and general information on policy development, case studies, methodologies and codes of good practice that enables practitioners in developed and developing countries to conduct IAs.

Public Participation. Explore principles and techniques of effective public participation as part of EA.

Social Impact Assessment: the development of professional good practice in all aspects of SIA, drawing on the experience of SIA practitioners in the private, public and academic sectors around the world.

Strategic Environmental Assessment covers all aspects of strategic environmental assessment. Development of legislation. SEA as a tool for cumulative effects assessment

The Student and Early Professional (SEP) group strives to provide activities and services of interest to this highly diverse segment of IAIA membership and to recruit new members in this interest area. SEP has initiated a student waiver, room sharing and/or student hostel and the mentoring programs for the annual conferences.