Advancing scoping practice in environmental impact assessment: an examination of the Brazilian federal system

Despite availability of guidance on scoping in environmental impact assessment (EIA) in several jurisdictions, there is limited documented evidence about how scoping is actually conducted in practice. We benchmark internationally recommended good practices and develop a conceptual framework to evaluate scoping practice, applying it to the Brazilian federal EIA process. Practices are organized in four categories: provision of initial information, scope determination, stakeholder involvement and process management. Scoping of 10 projects was analyzed through document review and interviews with government officials. Results show that the process: (i) is supported by interagency review but not by public participation, (ii) features limited focus on relevant issues and impacts; and (iii) strongly concentrates on requiring descriptions of baseline conditions. The research found that deficiencies in scoping led to delays in the review phase and did not prevent conflicts during public consultation. Although staff at the federal environmental agency acknowledges those shortcomings, there is no shared understanding about key actions for improvement.