Implementing Transboundary Environmental Impact Assessments (TEIA) under the Espoo Convention: Lessons from experience
Keywords:
: Transboundary Environmental Impact, Transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment (TEIA), Espoo Convention, Sustainable developmentAbstract
This study aims at: (1) investigating the experiences of Parties to the Espoo Convention in implementing Transboundary Environmental Impact Assessments (TEIA); (2) identifying gaps, challenges, and factors influencing successful implementation; and (3) refining key findings to support the development of approaches for managing transboundary impacts in the context of Thailand and other ASEAN countries. A qualitative methodology was employed through documentary analysis. Secondary data were collected from the UNECE website, including (1) questionnaire reports from 11 Party of Origin countries, 4 Affected Parties, and 1 non-Party country, and (2) six reports of the Implementation Committee under the Convention. The findings reveal that the Convention Secretariat serves as a key supporting mechanism that plays a vital role in facilitating coherent and continuous implementation among the Parties. The key challenges can be identified as inconsistency of definitions of transboundary impact, along with unclear identification of Affected Parties, different timeframes applied in the TEIA process, and language barriers for communication among related parties. Factors contributing to more effective implementation include an emphasis on early consultations and the establishment of bilateral agreements between Parties. Accordingly, this study suggests that Thailand and ASEAN countries could strengthen legal frameworks, their cooperation mechanisms, and promote knowledge production and capacity building to deal with transboundary impacts based on the concept of the Espoo Convention.
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