Gearing up impact assessment as a vehicle for achieving the UN sustainable development goals

Figures & data

Table 1. Impact Assessment Tools and UN Sustainable Development Goals, 2015.

Impact Assessment (IA) Tools	Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) which traditionally focuses on biophysical issues primarily at a project level (Hacking 2018; Morgan 2012), and Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) (Fundingsland-Tetlow and Hanusch 2012)	Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Climate impact assessment but not as a stand-alone process, rather integrated into existing EIA practice (Byer et al. 2018; Doelle 2018)	Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Social impact assessment (SIA) (Vanclay 2003; Esteves et al. 2012)	Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
Health impact assessment (HIA) (Harris-Roxas et al. 2012)	Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Gender impact assessment – usually not a stand-alone process, but integrated into other IA processes (e.g. Kolhoff 1996; UNDP, 2013)	Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Poverty impact assessment (e.g. Asian Development Bank 2012)	Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Economic impact assessment (Dixon et al. 2010)	Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all Goal 9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Territorial impact assessment (Gavanas et al. 2018)	Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Human rights impact assessment (Kemp and Vanclay 2013)	Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Integrated impact assessment which calls for different types of IA to be brought together (e.g. Scrase and Sheate 2002; Morrison-Saunders et al. 2014)	Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

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