This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 License. It is free to read, download and share on Elgaronline.com. This carefully conceived Handbook presents a state-of-the-art discussion of the field of social impact assessment (SIA), highlighting contemporary understandings and emerging issues in this continually evolving area of research and practice. Experienced SIA practitioners from around the world share their learnings and advice on a comprehensive range of issues faced in social performance practice.

As this book demonstrates, it is essential to involve stakeholders in assessments of hydropower development. The author targets policy formation after the UNCED and UNSSD conventions. By drawing on some dozen project cases, the author shows how policy changes have gradually influenced project design and implementation. Readers gain new insights into the reality behind hydropower policy changes as they have evolved over the last decade.

This book explores the complex legal, cultural, economic and human rights issues associated with development-induced displacement and resettlement (DIDR) in Vietnam. As in many parts of the world, urban expansion and large-scale infrastructure projects in Vietnam often rely on forced land acquisition, which can result in the involuntary resettlement of households and entire communities. This book examines the adequacy of monetary and in-kind compensation and the support that resettlees need for successful integration into host communities and for sustainable livelihoods and improved well-being. It presents new paradigms and practices that place affected households at the centre of project planning and implementation to fully address the needs of the most vulnerable. This includes women, the elderly, and ethnic minority groups. Bringing together research evidence, practical experience, and insights of distinguished researchers, this book is the first to systematically examine DIDR in Vietnam, a single-party state seeking to balance state interests with the demands of investors and civil society for human rights and participation by affected people. Combining the latest evidence and research findings on development-induced displacement and resettlement in Vietnam with practical experiences in project implementation, this book will be a useful guide for researchers across development, migration, and Southeast Asian Studies, as well as practitioners and policy makers. Its lessons will also be relevant to other countries facing rapid development.

Risk and Social Theory in Environmental Managementmarks a timely contribution, given that environmental management is no longer just about protecting pristine ecosystems and endangered species from anthropogenic harm; it is about calculating and managing the risks to human communities of rapid environmental and technological change. First, the book provides a solid foundation of the social theory underpinning the nature of risk, then presents a rethinking of key concepts and methods in order to take more seriously the biophysical embeddedness of human society. Second, it presents a rich set of case studies from Australia and around the world, drawing on the latest applied research conducted by leading research institutions. In so doing, the book identifies the tensions that arise from decision making over risk and uncertainty in a contested policy environment, and provides crucial insights for addressing on-the-ground problems in an integrated way. * First volume to address environmental risk from a social science perspective * Latest theoretical developments * In depth case studies of contemporary issues (e.g. climate change, water shortages)

This open access book surveys the frontier of scientific river research and provides examples to guide management towards a sustainable future of riverine ecosystems. Principal structures and functions of the biogeosphere of rivers are explained; key threats are identified, and effective solutions for restoration and mitigation are provided. Rivers are among the most threatened ecosystems of the world. They increasingly suffer from pollution, water abstraction, river channelisation and damming. Fundamental knowledge of ecosystem structure and function is necessary to understand how human acitivities interfere with natural processes and which interventions are feasible to rectify this. Modern water legislation strives for sustainable water resource management and protection of important habitats and species. However, decision makers would benefit from more profound understanding of ecosystem degradation processes and of innovative methodologies and tools for efficient mitigation and restoration. The book provides best-practice examples of sustainable river management from on-site studies, European-wide analyses and case studies from other parts of the world. This book will be of interest to researchers in the field of aquatic ecology, river system functioning, conservation and restoration, to postgraduate students, to institutions involved in water management, and to water related industries.

This note provides an overview of good practice standards in Social Impact Assessment (SIA). It has been prepared by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), to provide guidance to practitioners and decision-makers. By applying the approach presented in this note, it is expected that the quality, consistency, and operational relevance of SIAs will improve. SIA facilitates the systematic integration of social issues in the planning and implementation of projects. It improves the quality and sustainability of projects, supports and strengthens national requirements, and enhances project acceptance and local ownership. The SIA helps to identify and manage potential adverse social impacts a project may cause or contribute to, and to maximize benefits to local communities and other groups.