The 2026 edition of Scotland's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Conference took place on Wednesday 7th October in Edinburgh. The conference's theme of Innovation, Impact and Insight brought together consenting authorities, developers, statutory environmental bodies, consultants, academics, Government departments and NGO representatives to discuss the essential role this assessment tool plays in enabling effective design and timely consenting of projects across Scotland.
 

Over 130 professionals registered for the event and were able to freely gather and discuss enhancing the use of EIA thanks to the generous sponsorship of

Brodies LLP, 

Haskoning, 

Lichfields, 

LUC and 

RSK Environment. 

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Our Founder - Josh Fothergill - once again curated the conference program and Chaired the day. The conference plenary sessions covered the legal context and practice implications following the Wull Muir ruling, an opportunity to meet the authors of forthcoming EIA guidance on interaction effects and cumulative effects, and an exploration of Data Centre development and the role EIA is playing in their design and the consenting process. The conference also includes a series of breakout workshop sessions with all delegates taking part in sessions on: developments in considering Climate Change (GHG, Adaptation & Resilience) in the EIA process, the role for AI and digital tools with the assessment and reporting process, and how to help ensure EIA mitigation measures are effective for the environment, the consenting authority making conditions and the contractor who must deliver them on site.       

 

You can access and download all the presentations from the 2026 conference below, plus the agenda - and, where available, a summary of feedback from the discussions held on the breakout workshops.