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Module 2.3 Why do you need an impact strategy?
3 ? State of the Environment or Sustainable Development Reports are now mandated by national

statutes and regulations in almost all the countries of West Asia Region. In some cases, strong policy
context may lead a government to undertake or participate in an assessment as a voluntary initiative.

In others, the assessment/reporting programme may be part of a larger performance monitoring
9-12 December, 2013 ? initiate the IEA process, you should think about the potential uses of the assessment. What are
and evaluation programme, across all government departments. While such requirements may

the expected impacts on national and local polices and planning. Who are paying attention to the
findings of your assessment?

SOE/ environmental assessments are not detailed scientific assessments. However, they may focus
more attention being paid to problem areas, and they may recommend a more detailed scientific

assessment of root causes and downstream effects. The findings of the assessments can also lead
to political pressure, educate wide ranges of audiences on key issues and as a result it may initiate
more detailed investigations that are directly linked to specific issues and decisions.

? It is often understood that good information will lead to good decisions. While good information
is necessary, it does not follow that decision- makers will act on it. Decision-makers are often
quite well informed, but their priorities may be different from your. Take proactive steps to ensure
that your assessment doesn’t sit on a bookshelf once it is done, but that it provides good input
to decision-making. Your assessment will lead to recommendations for actions that may require

changes in policy and practice by the government You should plan from the outset how the
findings from your assessment might be used, and how the priorities you identify, become the
priorities of your government and your country.

? An impact strategy begins with articulating what you would like to see changed as a result of
your work. This provides you with purpose beyond simply following through on the mandated
requirement for the assessment. For those conducting an IEA for the first time, it may not be
possible to articulate a specific policy-related change that might be necessary as there is no prior

assessment which identified priority issues. For them seeking better linkages between the findings
of the report and formal decision-making process in government may be their main objective.
Those conducting the assessment for the second time or more might be able to think more
specifically about issues and necessary policy changes identified from the first process.

Regardless of whether this is your first assessment or not, it is important to have a good
understanding of several factors:
? Why the assessment has been mandated? What is the political and bureaucratic context in which
it is taking place? A legislative mandate as articulated in Module 2 is powerful: having such a

8 Developing an Impact Strategy for your IEA