Session Description
The Anthropocene interrogates the epistemic premises of impact assessment (IA), exposing the limitations of approaches designed to assess individual projects rather than interconnected socio-ecological systems. Despite over fifty years of global practice, questions remain about whether IA has delivered equitable and sustainable outcomes beyond procedural compliance. Traditionally, IA has focused on predicting what impacts may occur, with less attention to the social gaps occurring over time, who bears those impacts, who benefits from development, and whose knowledge informs decision-making. Environmental and social burdens continue to fall disproportionately on Indigenous Peoples, rural communities, and other marginalized groups, while cumulative impacts are rarely addressed within project-based assessments. As climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource pressures intensify, these shortcomings call for a fundamental rethinking of IA.This session explores how IA can evolve to meet the challenges of the Anthropocene through cumulative and systems-based assessment, justice-centered practice, and innovative governance. We invite conceptual, empirical, methodological, and practice-based contributions examining distributive, procedural, and recognition justice, Indigenous and local knowledge, Rights of Nature, cumulative effects assessment, climate adaptation, and transformative approaches to environmental governance. Guided by Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua ("I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on my past"), the session asks what the next generation of impact assessment should become. Broadly, Is IA reactive or proactive in the Anthropocene?
Session Summary
After more than fifty years of practice, does Impact Assessment remain fit for the Anthropocene? This session explores how IA can evolve to address cumulative impacts, planetary boundaries, environmental justice, Indigenous knowledge, and transformative governance for more equitable and sustainable development.
Additional Information
This session is intended to foster interdisciplinary dialogue between researchers, practitioners, policymakers, consultants, regulators, Indigenous representatives, and early-career scholars. We particularly encourage contributions from underrepresented regions, as well as comparative and cross-sector perspectives that advance innovative thinking and practical solutions for the future of impact assessment. Most importantly, we encourage scholars to consider what roles IA has played in shaping our planet, with research evidence
Session Chair
Tokunbo Olorundami
York St John University
United Kingdom