Conflict Management and Resolution in Environmental Impact Assessment Projects
Conflict Management and Resolution in Environmental Impact Assessment Projects
Designed specifically for the pressures and tensions of EIA projects, the course delves into the root causes of conflict. Through interactive exercises and case studies, gain the confidence to address confrontations constructively, find win-win solutions, and lead your team towards a more collaborative and productive environment.
- Presented by: Palash Sanyal
- Course level: Intermediate/Advanced
- Language of delivery: English
- Prerequisites: General experience in EIA procedure and ESIA coordinator experience from a consultancy, regulator, or client perspective. An interest in self-development, particularly leadership & management skills to enhance personal and project team performance. Increasing workplace need and interest in influencing IA professional outcomes within projects and improve the effectiveness of IA practice in general.
- Homework between sessions: Development of self-development action plans, some self-assessment and light reading.
- Logistics: This course takes place live over Zoom in multiple segments. Course times are listed in UTC; make sure to check that the time of this course works for you in your time zone.
Manage conflict where it actually shows up in IA work.
Conflict is not an exception in impact assessment projects. It is a predictable feature of long timelines, high stakes, regulatory scrutiny, and intense stakeholder pressure. Left unmanaged, conflict undermines teams, decision quality, and project credibility.
This course is designed for practising IA professionals, including consultants, consulting firms, regulators, and project managers, who regularly encounter conflict in EIA and ESIA-related work.
The course focuses on practical conflict-management skills relevant to impact-assessment contexts. This includes internal team conflict, consultant–client tension, interactions with regulators, stakeholder confrontation, and preparation for high-pressure situations such as hearings or formal reviews.
Participants engage in applied role-playing exercises based on realistic IA scenarios. These include difficult meetings, adversarial questioning, breakdowns in trust, and moments where practitioners must respond clearly and professionally under pressure.
How the course has evolved: Originally focused on general conflict resolution techniques, the course has evolved to place stronger emphasis on role-based practice, including simulations of hearings and other high-tension IA situations where credibility, composure, and clarity matter most.
Participants gain confidence and practical strategies for managing conflict early, responding effectively in high-pressure moments, and maintaining professional credibility in challenging IA environments.
Palash Sanyal, ICD.D, PMP, CPF, GCB.D is an executive facilitator, coach, and educator with global experience in impact assessment and decision-making. He has designed and delivered training for the World Bank, The Nature Conservancy, and universities and colleges across Canada and the United States. Palash also serves on several national and international boards in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors, bringing practical governance insight to every learning environment. Feel free to connect with Palash on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/palashsanyal/.
IAIA Members: USD$480 // Non-Members: USD$580. Full payment must be received by the posted registration deadline.
All course times are listed in UTC. Make sure to check that the time of this course works for you in your time zone.
Registration instructions: Create or login to your IAIA Member Compass account. Register online using a credit card. To pay via wire, choose the invoice option at checkout. If paying via wire, please keep in mind that payment must be received by the registration deadline, and wire transfers can take several days to process. Please plan accordingly.
Please register early! The course will be cancelled if the minimum number has not been reached one week before the course start date. If the training course is cancelled at that time due to low enrollment, IAIA will notify you and provide refund information.
Payment & refund policies: Registration is not confirmed until payment has been received and a receipt has been issued. Pre-registration and pre-payment by individual course deadline is required. IAIA will refund registration fees upon written request received before the specific course deadline; a US$125 processing fee will be retained. After the course deadline date, no refunds will be issued for cancelations or no-shows. Substitutions for paid registrants may be made in writing without financial penalty.
Useful course for every context, professional and social.
- Recent course participant
This course has covered so much in the time; the breakout groups were so valuable, seeing how others approach a situation as well as role playing conflict scenarios. I highly recommend this course.
- Recent course participant
It is a must for IA professionals.
- Recent course participant
It helps to understand the dynamics in engagement and be more conscious and a better team member in sessions and in our ESIA work overall.
- Recent course participant
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