Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a vital means of evaluating the likely consequences of a proposed major action, which will significantly affect the environment, before the action is taken. The first edition of this internationally cited text on the topic has been described as 'a major contribution to the literature on the international practice of EIA' (Town Planning Review).The second edition provides an extensively rewritten, updated, authoritative, international review of EIA, comparing systems used in the UK, USA, the Netherlands, Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia, New Zealand and (new in this edition) South Africa.Key features: *provides a unique introduction to the nature and history of EIA *explores the nature of best practice in EIA *describes national EIA procedures in detail *indicates the direction of future development in EIA *employs an evaluative approach applicable to any EIA system *discusses the rapidly emerging field of strategic environmental assessment Successive chapters discuss each step of the EIA process, each chapter comprising an introductory discussion of approaches to achieving the step, appropriate evaluation criteria, and an analysis of its treatment in each of the seven national systems. Environmental Impact Assessment is a core text for upper-level undergraduate and postgraduate students of environmental impact assessment, environmental science, environmental studies, environmental management, geography, planning, law and engineering. It has also proved to be of key importance to government officials, academics and planning consultancies worldwide.The Author:Christopher Wood is Professor of Environmental Planning and Co-Director of the EIA Centre, School of Planning and Landscape, University of Manchester.