Environmental Impact Assessment in the Arctic

Timo Koivurova, Research Professor and Pamela Lesser, Researcher, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Finland, with Sonja Bickford, Lecturer, Industrial Technology, University of Nebraska, Kearney, US, Paula Kankaanpää, Director Finnish Museum of Natural History, Finland and Marina Nenasheva, Lecturer, Northern Arctic Federal University named after M.V.Lomonosov, Russia

'Anyone interested in what makes environmental impact assessment (EIA) work, in any legal system, should own this book and refer to it often. The authors of this scholarly, practical and engaging study keenly observe the political, legal and cultural influences that explain the surprising national differences in the effectiveness of EIA around the Arctic. Their careful and systematic analysis of each country's system is prefaced by an insightful discussion of the literature and theory behind best practices. Each chapter is concise yet complete and documented by a well-chosen bibliography. The interviews with selected expert EIA practitioners add critical first-hand understanding of what helps and what hinders policies, laws and regulations being translated into an effective and transparent EIA process.'

• Contents: Preface Introduction: Arctic Transformation and its Consequences for Environmental Impact Assessment 1. Environmental Impact Assessment: Introduction to a Policy Instrument Manifesting Sustainable Development 2. EIA in the Arctic 3. Theoretical Discussion of Best Practice Research 4. Approach and Methodology 5. Finland, 6. Sweden, 7. Norway, 8. Iceland, 9. Canada, 10. USA, 11. Greenland 12. Russia 13. Synthesis 14. Transboundary EIA 15. Conclusions Index