Climate Smart Decisions

Impact Assessment (IA) can ensure that the design of policies, plans, programs, and projects properly addresses both the mitigation of climate change (the effects of the proposal on greenhouse gas emissions), and adaptation to climate change (effects of climate change on the proposal). Taking into account climate change in decision-making through IA can help reduce vulnerability to a changing climate and thus increase the resilience of natural and human systems. IA can further play a significant role in achieving national, regional or sectoral climate change objectives. This is a fast tip brief from the International Association for Impact Assessment identifying five important things one should know and do when undertaking an impact assessment.