Advancing Cumulative Impact Assessment in the Global South

Significant challenges for impact assessment arise from the continuous growth of new infrastructure, including energy-intensive data processing, construction of electricity generation and transmission facilities, the increasing demand for minerals, as well as from the production of biofuels and agricultural commodities. Addressing the combined effects of such development, which primarily occurs in the Global South, requires structured approaches to assess cumulative impacts; however, there is limited experience in assessing these impacts in most countries. We discuss three factors that hinder the widespread adoption of cumulative impact assessment in the Global South context: (i) Despite general legal provisions in many countries, specific requirements are absent; (ii) Low institutional capacity and weak governance to deliver mitigation of cumulative impacts by multiple agents; (iii) Need for specific guidance and expert capacity-building. Although approaches developed in the Global North are extremely valuable to advance CIA worldwide, we argue that the practice has to be fit-for-purpose and adapted to the legal and sociopolitical context of each jurisdiction. Our reflections are an invitation for scholars, practitioners, regulators, Indigenous and civil society organizations to advance the cumulative impacts agenda in international fora in order to provide “cumulative solutions”.