United Nations Environment Programme
Division of Technology, Industry, and Economics
Economics and Trade Branch
Environmental Impact Assessment

Open Educational Resources on Environmental Impact Assessment
These Open Educational Resources on Environmental Impact Assessment are based on the UNEP EIA Training Resource Manual and are offered by United Nations University Online Learning since 2007. They include three parts: (1) an EIA Course Module defining the needs and objectives and illustrating the processes involved in EIA; (2) an information resource (EIA Wiki) including case studies, legislation, guidelines, assessment techniques and sectors related resources; and (3) an Instruction Guide to assist partnering institutions in adapting the educational resources to their institutional requirements, learning styles and local course content requirements. The course module includes seventeen videos and animations and a large number of built-in assignments and activities that support class room teaching, online learning and self-study.

This UNEP publication provides information and guidance on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) good practice, with particular application to developing countries and countries in transition. It is intended as a resource for those who are involved in EIA/SEA practice, training and professional development. Since EIA/SEAs increasingly include prediction and evaluation of social, economic, health and environmental impacts, particular emphasis is given to concepts, procedures and tools that are used currently or are potentially relevant in implementing an integrated approach to impact assessment of development policies, plans and programmes. As far as possible, it tries to provide comprehensive coverage of generic elements of good practice that appear to be internationally accepted and widely applicable. It also attempts to indicate some of the possible future directions for integrated assessment based on current trends and initiatives.
The first and second editions of the UNEP EIA Training Resource Manual is the result of cooperation among a number of organisations and individual experts committed to supporting environmental assessment as a major part of capacity building for sustainable development. The preliminary version of this edition, published in 1996, underwent a series of formal trials in Uganda, Hungary, Viet Nam, and Tegucigalpa. The results of the trials and updates, as well as feedback from various sources, were used in preparing the second edition. The UNEP Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Training Resource Manual, Second Edition, has been updated to reflect the developments in EIA law, process and practice that have occurred since the preliminary version was published in 1996. The Manual is a tool to assist trainers in preparing and delivering training courses that provide an understanding of, and basic proficiency in, the application of EIA.
The Compendium of "Studies of EIA Practice in Developing Countries" is a companion volume to the UNEP Environmental Impact Assessment Training Resource Manual. It contains a series of case studies of EIA (and elements of SEA) practice in developing and transitional countries. The case studies have been prepared by EIA specialists from developing countries to exemplify how the EIA process is implemented in different parts of the developing world and to identify difficulties that are commonly encountered in EIA practice in this context.

It is intended that the case studies will be of use in two main ways:
Firstly, they can be incorporated into customised training materials to give them added relevance and realism.
Secondly, the studies can be used as 'reference points' or 'building blocks' to develop specific cases that reflect experience and issues of EIA practice in a country or region.