The role of environmental impact assessment tool in achieving sustainable urban development and its challenges in Iraq

الملخص EN

This research will concentrate on an environmental impact assessment tool as one of the tools which has the capability to achievesustainable urban development, andthe kinks which lead to incapableapplying it in Iraq.

This is done by focusing on the most important principles, objectives, and criteria to evaluate the impact of urban projects on our local environment, as well as the mechanisms to achieve best environmental assessment practices to reduce the adverse environmental effects.

From above,and in this research there will be two parts, one of them will concentrate on building an environmental impact assessment matrix for urban projects, depending on the most important environmental factors affecting urban projects in the local Iraqi environmentand their actions.

While the other part will extract briefly in a developed modeldepending on the sustainability indicators,the obstacles that face the planner and urban designer in achieving sustainable urban development in Iraq.

As aresult, the research emphasizesthe importance of considering this matrix (after developing it)one of the main elements of the planning process in Iraq and an active factor to take the necessary precautions to reduce the negative environmental effects and thus achieve the goals of sustainable development.