The questions you've been posed are both interesting and difficult to
answer. But in the cause of starting a wider debate and generating some
comment and criticism here's my take/experience on the questions.
I think overall 'muddle' is a nice word to use when looking at these
issues - things are confusing and there are no clear trends but some
interesting pointers to the future.
Statutory requirements for HIA:
There seems to be a range of definitions of HIA at work internationally
but in many/majority of cases where the assessment of health impacts is
a statutory requirement these requirements tend to require/or in
practice end up being health risk assessments of emission-related health
impacts (they follow the hazard identification, exposure assessment,
dose-response estimation and risk characterisation model).
Recent Changes:
There is a growing recognition (internationally) of the value of
assessing health impacts especially in relation to the wider
determinants of health but there is disagreement on whether these should
be integrated into impact assessments (e.g. Environmental Impact
Assessment) or carried out separate from them. Overall, I have not
read/experienced/sensed a strong push to have legally mandated separate
HIAs, at policy or practitioner levels.
The European Commission has commissioned some follow-up research on the
workings of the EIA Directive including the human health aspects of EIA
and how the workings of the Directive can be strengthened with regard to
this and other areas (IMP3 research project due to report at the end of
November).
In terms of the UK, environmental consultancies and developers are
becoming more aware and more curious about HIA, (two environmental
consultancies have organised conferences with HIA as a theme) this is
probably through the increasing championing of HIA by local/regional
authorities and PCTs in relation to development projects and spatial
planning. The Chartered Institute for Water and Environmental Management
(CIWEM) are currently developing a position paper/guidelines on HIA and
its value and place in the work of its members.
Linkages to SEA
My experience here is very limited. There has been work on ensuring that
human health is assessed within SEA and approaches have been developed
e.g. London Health Commission work on a Integrated Impact Assessment
model (for the sub-regional spatial plans within London) that would
incorporate best practice from HIA as well as other IAs and be SEA
compliant (as far as I know they are still in/just finishing the
piloting phase).
Hope the above provides some partial answers to your student's questions
rather than just more of a muddle!
Regards,
Salim Vohra
Peter Brett Associates
-----Original Message-----
From: Health Impact Assessment for the United Kingdom and Ireland
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jayne Parry
Sent: 09 November 2005 10:37
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: HIA and SEA
What are people's perspectives on the present situation with regard to
statutory requirements to do HIA in various countries? (How) have
things changed recently - especially in England and the rest of the UK.
How do things link in with SEA?
I ask because a student pushed me on these issues in a recent MPH
tutorial and I found myself getting into a bit of a muddle. Any answers
that throw light on this topic would be most welcome.
Many thanks
Jayne Parry
University of Birmingham, UK.
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