What Makes a Good Environmental Impact Assessment Consultant?

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is an approach used to assess the significant effects of a proposed development on the environment. At Buro Happold, our generalist EIA consultants play a crucial role in coordinating and producing EIA reports, and therefore help to ensure sustainable and environmentally responsible developments are implemented. Their responsibilities include undertaking environmental screening and scoping, conducting studies and data collection, producing Environmental Statements (ES) and other reports, recommending mitigation measures, and ensuring regulatory compliance.

But what makes a good EIA consultant?

Environmental Knowledge

Firstly, EIA consultants need a sound understanding of environmental, planning, and legal requirements. They need thorough knowledge of various environmental, socio-economic, human health, and engineering disciplines to understand baseline conditions, navigate complex specialised assessments, and determine residual effects (as presented within an ES).

At Buro Happold, our EIA consultants are supported by a number of internal specialist teams, some of which include:

• Greenhouse Gases and Climate change: assessing how a project might contribute to or be affected by climate change.
• Air quality: analysing potential air quality impacts, understanding pollutant dispersion modelling and measures to minimise emissions from development proposals.
• Socio-economics: recognising the social and economic implications of a project.
• Ecology and biodiversity: evaluating impacts on ecosystems, endangered species and habitats.

In addition to technical topics, good EIA consultants should have an adequate understanding of how the law affects EIA, being well versed in both planning, and environmental laws and regulations (most importantly, understanding the legal requirements for EIAs). For projects in England, it is crucial to understand the Town and Country Planning (EIA) Regulations 2017 (as amended) along with key EIA case law judgements. Keeping up to date with legislation is also key. For example, a good knowledge of the recent Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) legislation will help to ensure we are adequately taking into account this requirement.

Similarly, analytical skills are useful for EIA consultants to have so they can understand and analyse complex data to draw meaningful conclusions. This is important, for example, in the process of cumulative assessment (considering other developments in combination, and different effects on the same receptor) in an ES.

Project Management

Secondly, effective EIA consultants excel in project management. Generalist EIA consultants often oversee large and complicated projects and coordinate with many stakeholders, including technical specialists, design teams and regulatory bodies. Good project management skills are therefore essential for keeping projects on track and delivering a successful EIA.

Project management skills that are key for good EIA consultants include:

• Time management skills: they are able to balance multiple tasks, meet deadlines, and coordinate with key stakeholders with many differing requirements.
• Allocating resources: they should effectively allocate resources (including budget and personnel) to conduct thorough assessments.
• Gathering information: they should be able to coordinate the collection of any relevant data needed for technical consultants to complete their assessments.
• Being an integrator during design development: coordinating early engagement, reviewing site alternatives, constraints, opportunities and influencing the design evolution with engagement from the range of professionals that contribute to the EIA makes a material difference to environmental outcomes.
• Leadership skills: effective project management requires leadership skills to guide and motivate the team from start to finish of the project.

Communication

Finally, collaboration is essential for successful EIAs, and this is underpinned by good communication skills from those involved. EIA consultants work closely with engineers, architects, planners, and legal experts – and strong communication skills are needed to develop and maintain these relationships.

Perhaps most importantly, good EIA consultants will be able to adapt their style of communication depending on the audience or who they are interacting with. For example, as well as the need for thorough, well-researched technical knowledge, consultants also need to be able to communicate any technical findings to people with little to no knowledge of EIA in the non-technical summary of the ES. At the same time, they need to build trust and relationships with clients by understanding their needs, negotiating problems and addressing concerns, and providing clear explanations. They also need to engage with local communities that are affected by the development and local authorities (councils). These diverse perspectives need to be listened to and considered for effective EIA.

Conclusion

A skilled generalist EIA consultant combines technical expertise, good project management skills, effective communication, and ultimately, a commitment to sustainable development. By balancing environmental protection and project feasibility, they contribute significantly to reducing adverse environmental effects of development, and maximising beneficial environmental outcomes.

Written by:

Anna W. , Senior EIA Consultant and Amy Jones, Graduate Environmental Consultant from Buro Happold.