Evaluating the impact of HIA on urban reconstruction decision-making. Who manages whose risks?

Journal Article · Sat Oct 15 04:00:00 EDT 2005 · Environmental Impact Assessment Review

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2005.07.008· OSTI ID:20713498

Bekker, Marleen P.M. ^[1]; Putters, Kim ^[2]

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1. Institute of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam (Netherlands)
2. Department of Law, Administration and Informatisation, University of Tilburg (Netherlands)

Practitioners and academic researchers increasingly look to evaluation of health impact assessment (HIA) to improve its practice, its efficiency and its legitimacy. Evaluation is also used to account to policy-makers, who express doubts that the benefits of HIA justify its costs. Until recently evaluation of HIA focused on instrument design and procedures but now the focus needs to shift to analysis of the interaction of HIA and decision-making. Multiple case studies have been applied to identify the conditions in which HIA produces the desired benefits. These studies used analytical concepts derived from the literature on evaluation, knowledge utilization, science of sociology and knowledge management. This paper describes a case study in which the strategic motives of the decision-makers affected the impact of an HIA. This HIA comprised of a quantitative environmental model 'City and Environment' that was used to assess environmental health impacts of an urban reconstruction plan in a Dutch city. The evaluation of the HIA shows that the decision to follow the recommendations of the HIA was part of a damage control strategy. The more HIA goals deviate from the policy problem and the less HIA is embedded in institutional procedures, then the more HIA impact will be subject to strategic decision-making behaviour. Appropriate cognitive and social strategies are needed to avoid 'negative learning' in those the HIA seeks to influence.

• OSTI ID: 20713498
• Journal Information: Environmental Impact Assessment Review, Journal Name: Environmental Impact Assessment Review Journal Issue: 7-8 Vol. 25; ISSN 0195-9255; ISSN EIARDK
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
DECISION MAKING
ENVIRONMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
EVALUATION
HEALTH HAZARDS
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
RECOMMENDATIONS
URBAN AREAS
WHO