Environmental impact assessment teaching through the eyes of Brazilian practitioners

The proper training of environmental impact assessment (EIA) professionals is essential to advancing its practice. Therefore, understanding how EIA is taught, the challenges involved, and opportunities for improvement is critical for the EIA community. In Brazil, recent studies reveal deficiencies in EIA teaching, which appear to both influence and be influenced by the quality of its practice. However, these studies are limited to specific undergraduate programs or courses, lacking a comprehensive national perspective. Given Brazil’s continental dimensions and over 2500 higher education institutions, mapping EIA teaching poses significant challenges. This study provides a broad analysis of the quality, challenges, and opportunities in EIA teaching in Brazil based on the perception of practitioners. A survey of 200 EIA practitioners from all Brazilian regions, encompassing diverse geographical and professional backgrounds and experiences, suggests that while EIA teaching is perceived to be improving, it remains largely inadequate. It is primarily concentrated in environmental science programs and is often undervalued, resulting in poorly prepared professionals. The findings underscore the urgent need to enhance EIA teaching in Brazil. Participants’ recommendations include expanding EIA teaching to more undergraduate and postgraduate programs and fostering closer integration of teaching, research, and practice.