Principles for Reviewing Environmental Impact Assessments (PREIA)

Edition 16

This course is designed to provide practical guidance to professionals involved in the review and evaluation of Environmental Impact Assessments. It is aimed at professionals who participate in the process of reviewing proposed projects, policies, or programs and/or those working on environmental protection and management, social or natural sciences, public management, etc. and who review and evaluate the results of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) carried out by others. It is intended to apply to a range of legal, institutional, and cultural scenarios and to be used by reviewers from any country where Environmental Impact Assessments are conducted. The course is divided into five modules: (1) The EIA process and the role of the reviewer; (2) Evaluation of an Environmental Impact Assessment document, part 1; (3) Evaluation of an Environmental Impact Assessment document, part 2; (4) Preparation and communication of the reviewer's comments; and (5) Resources for the reviewer and course closing. This course will have an optional synchronous session by videoconference during module 2. Although your participation will not affect the qualification of the course, we recommend it for informative purposes. This course is available in Spanish, Portuguese and English.

As part of the AcademiaBID portfolio, instructor-led courses, differently than self-paced or massive online courses, are taught by a subject matter expert with demonstrated experience in online teaching. Throughout several weeks, participants have numerous interaction opportunities with the instructor(s) and peers, contributing to a more effective learning experience. Assignments and other learning activities will be reviewed by the assigned instructor(s), who will provide personalized feedback.

The course is intended for people involved in the evaluation of Social and Environmental Impact Assessments (EISAs) and management plans for government approval, but may also be useful for those who are responsible for writing EISAs. Minimum technical requirements to be met by the participant: • Office package domain (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and Acrobat software for viewing and downloading documents. • Be an advanced Internet user able to search, access videos, participate in groups and discussion forums, etc. • Own and manage a personal email account to receive notifications and be informed of course developments. • Complete the Navigation Activity in the Classroom. • Excellent command of English, both written and spoken. Please note that completion of this course will require participation in online group assignments. We strongly recommend that participants ensure that their schedule will permit this type of work before enrollment. If you have scheduled field work or anticipate prolonged periods without internet connectivity, please advise your course tutor as soon as possible or consider registering for an edition of the course that better accommodates your schedule.

Participants must pay $10 for registration fee (non-refundable) before January 17th. After, participants must pay $50. If you are interested in applying for an INDES scholarship, consult the FAQ section on this subject. Keep in mind that MOOC scholarships do not apply to this program. The minimum number of participants per edition is 15 participants. If the quota is not completed before the scheduled start date, participants will be notified of a new start date of the course. The Inter-American Institute for Economic and Social Development (INDES) at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has the mission of strengthening knowledge and skills of strategic audiences in the region, seeking to promote the economic and social development of Latin America and the Caribbean. For this reason, our courses are subsidized between 80% and 95% by the IDB's own resources.