ID: 1878
Presenting Author: Simone Fortunato Mortara
Session: 759 - Railroading the Assessment of Health and Social Valued Components in Impact Assessment
Status: pending
Company addresses poor health coverage and mis/ disinformation in impact assessment by embedding it earlier in the screening and scoping to enhance transparency and strengthen health-relevan
As part of its commitment to advancing Environmental, Social, and Health Impact Assessment practices, the company conducted a global review of assessment methodologies. The analysis revealed a recurring trend: Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is frequently underemphasized during project permitting, with Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA) typically prioritized for regulatory approval. This imbalance can lead to public perceptions that health-related impacts are overlooked, fostering misinformation and eroding trust among affected communities. In response, a strengthened integration of health within ESHIA is being introduced through a structured early health screening and proportionate, decision-focused scoping process. This screening helps to identify material health determinants and clarify Valued Health Components (VHCs) early in the project lifecycle, enabling HIA to inform design choices, alternatives assessment, and mitigation planning. It also supports distinguishing where a comprehensive health assessment is justified and where a lighter appraisal is appropriate, ensuring efforts remain focused on the most significant health determinants. By embedding health considerations into project governance and the development of ESHMPs, this approach aims to enhance transparency, strengthen the credibility and traceability of health decisions, support evidence-based engagement with public health institutions, and reduce vulnerability to misinterpretation and mis/disinformation in project-affected areas.
Simone Mortara is a management engineer with a Master degree in International Healthcare, Economics and Policy. As Head of Eni's Global Health Competence Center, he is responsible for global
Coauthor 1: Foudil Takherist
Coauthor 2: Fareed Ahmed