IAIA27
Ka mua, ka muri: Looking back for the future of impact assessment
46th Annual Conference of the International Association for Impact Assessment
20-23 April 2027
Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre
Christchurch, New Zealand
Theme and Objectives
With more than 50 years of formal, legislative impact assessment behind us, we are at a pivotal moment of global reflection and renewal:
Are we using the accumulated knowledge and experience about IA to meet emerging challenges?
Have we followed a steady path of progress, or experienced cycles of innovation and setback?
What valuable approaches have we left behind that we now urgently need?
What lessons can we apply to ensure that the practice of impact assesssment improves in the future?
Inspired by the Māori proverb Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua—beautifully described by Dame Patsy Reddy, former Governor-General of Aotearoa New Zealand, as “look to the future while being mindful of the past”—IAIA27 challenges us to move forward with intention, wisdom, and courage.
This conference is your opportunity to help define the future of impact assessment.
We invite planners, practitioners, researchers, regulators, Indigenous leaders, community and industry representatives, and early-career professionals to bring forward bold ideas, critical reflections, and practical solutions. Together, we will explore how impact assessment can evolve to meet today’s complex environmental, social, and governance challenges.
Indigenous communities, in particular, have long developed deep and place-based understandings of environmental systems—knowledge refined over centuries and embedded within culturally grounded management practices. Recognizing, respecting, and elevating Indigenous rights and knowledge systems is not only essential for equity, but vital for strengthening the future of impact assessment practice worldwide.
Conference streams include:
- The evolution of impact assessment: how did we get here, and where are we headed?
- Being adaptive: rethinking impact assessment in a rapidly changing world
- Revisiting past practice: lessons we should not have forgotten
- Respecting traditional, cultural, and local knowledge in impact assessments
- Indigenous-led impact assessment and management
- Changing baselines and the critical role of monitoring
- Learning from past cases to better predict future impacts
- General impact assessment and each of IAIA’s special-interest Sections
Join us in shaping the future of impact assessment by drawing strength from the past, embracing diverse knowledge systems, and reimagining what is possible. Your voice, your research, and your experience matter.
The future is not predetermined. Let’s move it forward together.
Important Dates
18-19 April 2027: Pre-conference training courses and technical visits
20-23 April 2027: IAIA27 Conference
24 April 2027: Post-conference technical visits
1 October 2026: Online registration opens
13 January 2027: Early Bird, session chair, & presenter registration deadline
31 March 2027: Regular registration & payment deadline (No on-site registrations accepted)
10 June 2026: Deadline for training course proposals (no exceptions)
20 July 2026: Deadline for session proposals (no exceptions)
3 August 2026: Sponsored meeting proposal forms due
31 August 2026: Session chairs notified of acceptance status
7 September 2026: Paper & poster abstract submission opens
1 October 2026: Preliminary Program available
2 November 2026: Deadline for submission of paper or poster abstract (no exceptions)
3 December 2026: Authors notified of paper or poster acceptance status
13 January 2027: Registration & payment deadline for presenters & all individuals to be listed in the final program (no exceptions)
31 May 2027: Deadline for papers
Technical visits, training courses, and more
IAIA27 will offer conference sessions, training courses, sponsored meetings, technical visits, and networking events that will promote learning, networking, and making unforgettable memories.
- One and two-day training courses are offered in the two days prior to the start of the conference. Taught by experienced instructors, these courses cover a wide range of topics.
- IAIA conferences offer 130+ technical sessions. No matter your sector—academia, government, industry, donor, consultant, or other—there is something for you.
- Technical visits will be available before and after the conference. Hosted by IA professionals, participants will learn about projects in the region as well as experience some regional culture.
- Networking events such as the welcome reception, newcomer network, and banquet offer entertainment and opportunities to expand your network beyond your usual circle.
Hosted by
ABOUT CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND
Nestled on the east coast of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Te Waipounamu South Island, Ōtautahi Christchurch is a vibrant city where innovation meets natural beauty. Known as the “Garden City,” it blends historic charm with bold contemporary design, shaped by a remarkable spirit of recovery, resilience, and renewal. With the Ōtākaro Avon River winding through its revitalized center, easy access to beaches and the Port Hills, and the Southern Alps just beyond, Christchurch offers a unique balance of urban energy and outdoor adventure.