Participation in the 43rd Annual IAIA Conference with ODC
Last year, Open Development Cambodia Organization (ODC) participated in and hosted a panel discussion “Strategic Environmental Assessment in Mekong Countries” at the 42nd Annual IAIA Conference, “Resilience Through Impact Assessment and Leadership,” which was organized in Kuching, Malaysia. As part of its technical assistance collaboration for drafting SEA guidelines in Cambodia, ODC supported two government officers from the Ministry of Environment’s Department of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to attend the conference. ODC assisted the EIA Department in drafting the general SEA guideline and SEA guideline for construction and sand business projects along the Mekong and Bassac Rivers.
ODC’s Natural Resource Management (NRM) Program Coordinator Ms. KOEM Chhuonvuoch, was delighted to join the 43rd Annual International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) Conference which took place from 24th to 27th April 2024, in the Convention Centre of Dublin, Ireland. This significant event brought many attendees from academia, government institutions, companies, funders, consultants, and other stakeholder areas. With over 100 technical sessions available, the conference allowed for extensive discussion and information sharing among delegates. 2024’s theme is “Impact Assessment for a Just Transformation”. Impact assessment practice is becoming increasingly important in combating climate change and biodiversity loss, requiring a shift in policy and practice across all sectors toward environmental conservation and social justice. Just transformations emphasize the importance of social justice when pursuing sustainability.
The conference is crucial and connected to the recent adaption of the Ministry of Environment’s (MoE) Circular Strategy on Environment 2023-2028, which underlines three primary strategic goals: clean, green, and sustainable. One of the significances of the “Clean” strategy is to improve EIAs. The government prioritizes (1) developing policies, strategies, and relevant legal documents, (2) researching and evaluating public and private investment projects to prepare EIA and environmental protection contracts, and (3) monitoring and evaluating the implementation of various public and private investment projects to ensure compliance with environmental standards. The urgent need for collective action emphasizes the need to move to a just transformation, with impact assessors playing an important role. Environmental challenges in Cambodia and Southeast Asia are accelerating and frequently a topic of concern for government and business. Effective EIAs and SEAs may support generating evidence-based decisions and innovations that prioritize the environment and society in policymaking by lobbying for decarbonization, fostering green economies, and emphasizing social fairness.
On 24th April 2024, the conference kicked off with an opening plenary, eight concurrent sessions, poster sessions, and a welcome reception. On the following two days from 25th to 26th April 2024, 31 sessions on the conference theme were held concurrently. These sessions covered a wide range of topics across ten thematic areas, including the role of impact assessment in a just transformation, climate justice, the just transition to transformation, a well-being economy as a transformation model, biodiversity protection, sustainable development goals, energy sector decarbonization, innovative methodologies, decision-support tools, and the protection and promotion of rights to a safe, clean, and healthy environment.
The final day of the 43rd IAIA Conference, 27th April 2024, included 20 concurrent sessions, a closing plenary, an exhibition, and poster dismantling. The event was closed by the speeches of distinguished guests and speakers, concluding with an announcement of the future location for the 44th IAIA Conference.
“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” Robert Swan OBE
