Environmental impact assessments in international law

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to assess what the current state of play with regard to environmental impact assessments (EIAs) is in international law. This question is posed because of the casual use of the term, and the often fundamental misunderstandings of what EIAs can and cannot do. This paper aims to clarify the current strength of EIAs in the international context, and provide guidance on how they may be applied.