a comparison of biodiversity integration into environmental impact assessment procedures in i.r. iran and south asian countries

this paper discusses the integration of biodiversity concerns with environmental impact assessment (eia) procedures of iran. indeed, it compares and analyses this status in six south asian countries. the analysis was based on the reports available from a number of eia report references to biodiversity, and biodiversity related issues, level and compositional, structure or functional component of biodiversity. the analysis provides clear evidence that biodiversity is not being adequately addressed in eia studies undertaken in iran, and some of the studied countries. so, the impacts on biodiversity were not being adequately addressed and that functional biodiversity, in particular, was inadequately assessed. the results show that there are less consideration about biodiversity in iranian eia guidelines (32%) comparing to bangladesh and bhutan (50%), pakistan and nepal (41%) , but more than india (14%) and seri lanka (9%). for optimizing the role and importance of biodiversity concerns in eia procedures of iran, structural and institutional recommendations provided on those aspects of biodiversity that should be addressed in eia. the recommendations should be used for the preparation of guidelines for integration of biodiversity in iranian eia.