Author Identifier (ORCID)
Abstract
Building on recently published best‑practice principles and criteria for environmental impact assessment (EIA) follow-up governance, a multi-method qualitative approach is used to apply these at the macro (jurisdiction) level. Through documentary analysis, interviews, a focus group discussion and a policy Delphi, the effectiveness of EIA follow-up governance in Malta is evaluated. A series of tables with scoring for the criteria provide a visual evaluation of EIA follow-up governance performance. This showcases a method that can be used by other practitioners wishing to understand project-EIA outcomes and governance. The application of the principles and criteria offered clear feedback for aspects where information is available. At times, however, lack of information on follow-up activity, and particularly governance arrangements, hindered a robust judgement of the performance for some criteria. Overall, the current state of play in Malta is revealed, along with identified deficiencies that would warrant improvements towards their effectiveness. The methods for applying the principles and criteria are designed to enable any interested party to evaluate any jurisdiction worldwide implementing EIA follow-up. They extend beyond acting as a simple compliance check-box tool to provide guidance and facilitate best practice.
Keywords
auditing, effectiveness, EIA follow-up governance, evaluation criteria, multi-method qualitative research, post-permit analysis
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
1-1-2026
ISSN
14615517
Publication Title
Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
School
School of Science
Funding Information
The work was supported by the Tertiary Education Scholarships Scheme (TESS), Malta.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Content Type
Metadata only
Recommended Citation
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND PROJECT APPRAISAL on 8th July 2026, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/14615517.2026.2693828
Smith, C., & Morrison-Saunders, A. (2026). Applying the best-practice principles and evaluation criteria for effective EIA follow-up governance – a case study of Malta. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2026.2693828