Applying the best-practice principles and evaluation criteria for effective EIA follow-up governance – a case study of Malta

Building on recently published best‑practice principles and criteria for environmental impact assessment (EIA) follow-up governance, a multi-method qualitative approach is used to apply these at the macro (jurisdiction) level. Through documentary analysis, interviews, a focus group discussion and a policy Delphi, the effectiveness of EIA follow-up governance in Malta is evaluated. A series of tables with scoring for the criteria provide a visual evaluation of EIA follow-up governance performance. This showcases a method that can be used by other practitioners wishing to understand project-EIA outcomes and governance. The application of the principles and criteria offered clear feedback for aspects where information is available. At times, however, lack of information on follow-up activity, and particularly governance arrangements, hindered a robust judgement of the performance for some criteria. Overall, the current state of play in Malta is revealed, along with identified deficiencies that would warrant improvements towards their effectiveness. The methods for applying the principles and criteria are designed to enable any interested party to evaluate any jurisdiction worldwide implementing EIA follow-up. They extend beyond acting as a simple compliance check-box tool to provide guidance and facilitate best practice.