Session Description
Impact assessment has evolved from a procedural tool for identifying, predicting and mitigating environmental and social harm into a strategic process that can shape project purpose, alternatives, design, engagement, monitoring and stewardship. As environmental, social and climate challenges intensify, can impact assessment move beyond mitigation and influence regenerative outcomes that place people, planet and place at the heart of development? This panel explores how regenerative thinking can strengthen IA through earlier influence on decisions, recognition of ecological limits, respect for local and cultural knowledge, and stronger alignment between project outcomes, community wellbeing, place-based value and environmental resilience. It will consider what current practice does well, where it constrains ambition, and what must change in governance, assessment methods and decision-making to embed regenerative approaches. A key focus will be to explore how regenerative outcomes can be measured, demonstrated and sustained. This session will examine indicators, baselines, monitoring, governance commitments and adaptive management needed to show whether projects restore ecological function, strengthen resilience, support local value and create lasting benefits. It will also explore how accountability can extend from assessment through implementation, operations and stewardship, keeping commitments visible, measurable and adaptable. By connecting IA’s evolution with its future direction, this session asks whether impact assessment can redefine development success—not only as reduced harm, but as a positive, evidenced and lasting contribution to environments and communities.
Session Summary
Impact assessment has evolved from a compliance tool for predicting and mitigating harm into a strategic process that can shape better development decisions. This session explores whether IA can move beyond mitigation to drive regenerative outcomes, placing people, planet, and place at the heart of future practice.
Session Chair
David McGrath
King Abdulaziz University of Science and Technology
Saudi Arabia
Session Co-chair
Yusuf Raja
Red Sea Global
Saudi Arabia