Environmental Baseline Inventory

What an environmental inventory is

The environmental inventory is the descriptive analysis of the current state of the environment within a project's area, and it is one of the mandatory sections of the Environmental Impact Study under Spanish and EU regulation (Annex VI of Spanish Law 21/2013). It characterises the physical, biotic, perceptual, socioeconomic and heritage environment of the surroundings, serving as the basis for the subsequent identification and assessment of the project's impacts.

What it includes

• Physical environment: geology, geomorphology, soil science, surface and groundwater hydrology, climatology.
• Biotic environment: flora, vegetation, fauna and habitats of Community interest present in the study area.
• Perceptual environment: landscape, visual quality and fragility of the territory.
• Socioeconomic environment: population, economic activities and land uses of the surroundings.
• Cultural heritage: archaeological, ethnographic and historic assets identified in the area.

Why it is the basis of the Environmental Impact Study

An incomplete or superficial environmental inventory compromises the quality of the entire Environmental Impact Study, since the subsequent identification and assessment of impacts depends directly on having correctly characterised the initial state of the surroundings. It is common for environmental authorities to request corrections when they detect gaps in the inventory, particularly in fauna and vegetation where fieldwork has not covered the full annual cycle.

Why choose Ideas Medioambientales

We prepare complete, rigorous environmental inventories with our own multidisciplinary team (biologists, geologists, geographers, archaeologists), matching the fieldwork schedule to the biological cycles relevant to each project, with more than 25 years of experience across Spain.

Tell us about your project and we will advise on the scope of environmental inventory required.