I have received permission to organize a special session at IAIA'2012 in Porto, Portugal on the topic of "When is SIA Required?" I have a paper on the topic to start the session and am seeking 3-4 short papers from participants in countries where SIA is required and 1-2 from papers countries where SIA is NOT required. Discussion will follow.

The Centre for Regional Engagement at the University of SA, together with the CRC for Remote Economic Participation (CRCREP) is offering a PhD scholarship through the CRC REP research program entitled: Enduring Community Value from Mining.

The World Resources Institute just released Ecosystem Services Review for Impact Assessment: Introduction and Guide to Scoping. WRI invites social practitioners to use this method and provide feedback on how to better reflect the social aspects of ecosystem services throughout the impact assessment process.

The IFC's Sustainability Framework was updated in 2011 to reflect good practice, help protect people and the environment, promote transparency and accountability, and support clients in managing risks and doing business in a sustainable way. The updated framework will be disclosed August 1, 2011, with effective date January 1, 2012.