Life beyond the checklist: Revitalizing the potential of environmental impact assessments through co-creation

Large infrastructure projects pose substantial and frequently irreversible threats to biological and cultural diversity. These projects predominantly rely on one-size-fits-all solutions, informed by extractive paradigms that endanger the vitality of social-ecological systems. This tendency towards monotone solutions is epitomised by Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). In principle, EIAs should provide the opportunity for fair, accurate, and open-ended evaluation of projects; instead, they are often used instrumentally to facilitate the implementation of decisions already made elsewhere. Building on debates on the integration of social and cultural aspects in EIA, our work seeks to address three core flaws found in conventional EIAs: (1) an inherent bias favoring development projects; (2) an anthropocentric, short-sighted vision of sustainability; and (3) a lack of meaningful participation by affected human communities. In this paper, we introduce the outcomes of a transdisciplinary retreat where academics, practitioners, and activists designed and tested a Co-Creative Relational Impact Assessment Process (CoRIAP), drawing on two archetypal cases in Kenya and Laos. CoRIAP includes: (a) process-oriented components, aimed at transforming EIA from a routine checklist to a purposeful, inclusive, and open-ended procedure; and (b) measurement-oriented components, aimed at providing a framework for identifying relational criteria that are key to the well-being of humans and broader ecosystems, including ethics, emotions, aesthetics, and alternative ways of knowing. This novel protocol complements and broadens existing EIA practice, while providing communities with a tool for self-strengthening and reflection. On a higher level, our work contributes to refining the theoretical basis for integrating social and cultural elements into EIA practice.