What are the most successful environmental impact assessments in urban planning?

1 EIA for urban transport

One of the most common and challenging issues in urban planning is how to improve the mobility and accessibility of people and goods, while reducing the negative impacts of transport on air quality, climate change, noise, and biodiversity. EIA can help to compare and select the best transport options for different urban contexts, based on their environmental, social, and economic benefits and costs. For example, EIA was used to assess the feasibility and impacts of introducing bus rapid transit (BRT) systems in several cities around the world, such as Bogota, Jakarta, and Guangzhou. BRT is a mode of public transport that uses dedicated bus lanes, stations, and vehicles to provide fast, reliable, and affordable service. EIA showed that BRT can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, congestion, accidents, and travel time, while increasing ridership, accessibility, and equity. EIA also helped to identify the potential adverse effects of BRT, such as displacement of informal vendors, loss of green spaces, and noise pollution, and to propose mitigation measures, such as compensation, relocation, and landscaping.

2 EIA for urban green spaces

Another important aspect of urban planning is how to create and maintain urban green spaces, such as parks, gardens, forests, and wetlands. Urban green spaces provide multiple benefits for the environment and human well-being, such as enhancing biodiversity, regulating microclimate, reducing flood risk, improving air quality, and promoting physical and mental health. EIA can help to evaluate the environmental and social impacts of creating, restoring, or managing urban green spaces, and to optimize their design and location. For example, EIA was used to assess the impacts of creating the High Line in New York City, a linear park built on an abandoned elevated railway. EIA showed that the High Line can increase the ecological value, aesthetic appeal, and recreational use of the urban space, while preserving the historical and cultural heritage of the railway. EIA also helped to address the potential negative impacts of the High Line, such as gentrification, displacement, and privacy intrusion, and to suggest mitigation measures, such as affordable housing, community engagement, and privacy screens.

3 EIA for urban regeneration

A third area where EIA can play a key role in urban planning is urban regeneration, which refers to the process of transforming degraded or underused urban areas into more livable and productive spaces. Urban regeneration can improve the physical, social, and economic conditions of urban areas, by enhancing the quality of buildings, infrastructure, services, and amenities. EIA can help to assess the environmental and social impacts of different urban regeneration strategies, and to ensure that they are compatible with the existing and future needs of the urban population. For example, EIA was used to assess the impacts of the London Olympics 2012, which involved the regeneration of a large area in East London, previously affected by industrial decline, poverty, and pollution. EIA showed that the Olympics can improve the environmental quality, economic development, and social cohesion of the area, by creating new sports facilities, housing, transport, and green spaces. EIA also helped to identify the potential adverse impacts of the Olympics, such as displacement of residents and businesses, loss of cultural diversity, and increased traffic and noise, and to propose mitigation measures, such as consultation, compensation, and monitoring.