Environmental assessment is most effective if governance is good, but in many countries, this is often not the case. So, is it worth doing? “Correct: the presence of good governance is important, but in previous years I’ve also seen that people in countries where governance is less good have called the government to account with the help of environmental assessment. In almost all countries environmental assessment is legally regulated: the legislation specifically mentions certain obligations, such as providing information about an initiative’s environmental and social impacts, stakeholder participation and the publication of decisions. People can insist on these obligations being met – indeed, they are increasingly doing so. And so, governments have to do something about this, which is gratifying.” How would you describe the NCEA? “I think the NCEA is best characterised with the words that were used when I was recently awareded the Rachel Carson prize by the VVM, the Dutch network of environmental professionals. According to the jury I am averse to dogmas, I am transparent and don’t shy away from debate. I think these qualities apply to the NCEA too. They don’t always make you popular, but you shouldn’t want to be. At the same time, this critical stance makes you vulnerable. When the big questions of our time – food security, energy supply, poverty reduction – are involved it sometimes seems that arguments no longer matter. Wishful thinking has taken the place of critical analysis, and pronouncements are judged more on their political correctness than on their content and soundness. That poses the risk of being impopular for an organisation like the NCEA that stresses soundlybased arguments.” So does the NCEA have a future? “Undoubtedly. Precisely because there is a great need for the judgement of independent experts who are not swayed by the political issues of the day.” And what of the future of environmental assessment itself in developing countries? “In the context of the UN we have committed to achieving a number of sustainability targets by 2030. Environmental assessment can play an important role in developing countries for testing the initiatives of companies and organisations and government policy against these Sustainable Development Goals. Moreover, developing countries profit from a ‘tortoise and hare’ phenomenon, as technical advances enable them to leapfrog certain stages. A prime example is mobile 8 The NCEA’s Views and Experiences 2018
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