Impact assessment for the 21st century – what future?

The third decade of the 21st century will be one of and turning points for impact assessment (IA). The United States’ globally influential National Policy Act (NEPA), which enshrined assessment (EA) into law, is 50 (see. g. Caldwell 1988). Meanwhile, the United Nation’s younger Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have an agenda to 2030 and the International on Climate Change’s 2050 carbon neutral targets drawing closer, while the 1. 5°C and 2°C Paris targets looking frighteningly unlikely to met (UNEP, 2019). In this context, impact assessments of all types will play an important role in delivering the evidence necessary to support climate change, promote environmental justice and a sustainable future. Special Issue of Impact Assessment and Project takes a timely opportunity to consider the and role of impact assessment (IA) for at least next half-century. The Special Issue’s theme, ‘IA for 21st century—What future? ’ aims to push our about IA’s prospects and potential. We asked bold and visionary contributions that would stretch ideas beyond existing practice and policy to envision the major opportunities, challenges, changes and shifts that are likely to shape IA. Questions contributors grappled with included: does the future of impact assessment look?