Source: Weaving Ecosystem Services into Impact Assessment

The Ecosystem Services Review for Impact Assessment (ESR for IA) can be used for two purposes. First, it identifies measures to mitigate project impacts on the benefits provided by ecosystems. Second, it identifies measures to manage operational dependencies on ecosystems. These goals are reflected in the ESR for IA’s four outputs:

  • A list of ecosystem services, for inclusion in the ESIA terms of reference;

  • Identification of priority ecosystem services to be considered and stakeholders to be engaged in further stages of the ESIA process, for inclusion in the ESIA report;

  • Assessment of project impacts and dependencies on priority ecosystem services, for inclusion in the ESIA report; and

  • Measures to mitigate project impacts and manage project dependencies on priority ecosystem services, for inclusion in the environmental and social management plans.