ELAW is working with its partners to analyze more than 50 key aspects of environmental impact assessment (EIA) laws from around the world. This website enables users to easily access EIA laws and regulations, to view summaries of the EIA system for selected countries, and to make comparisons among all of the laws included in the database.

EIA is an important process to ensure that government decisionmakers are informed about the environmental and social consequences of development proposals that they are considering. The EIA process also provides an opportunity for citizens to learn about and participate in decisions that affect their communities and the environment. Many of ELAW’s partners have been instrumental in advancing EIA laws in their countries. Despite the success and effectiveness of EIA, many lawmakers are targeting EIA laws as “anti-development” and eliminating provisions that allow the public an opportunity to be informed and engaged. The purpose of the EIA Laws site is to provide up-to-date information about EIA laws in a format that allows users to quickly see trends and identify international best practices.

This database is a work in progress. We invite you to contact ELAW if there is new or updated information that should be added to the site. We also welcome any feedback you may have. In the coming years, we look forward to adding even more countries to the database. If you have information to share or comments, please email us.

This project has been made possible by the generous support of the Philip Stoddard Brown and Adele Smith Brown Foundation