The Directory includes impact assessment guidelines from a wide range of sources national governments, multilateral development banks, donor agencies, international organisations and NGOs, covering numerous sectors, including water, forests, health, social etc. It is directed at planners, decision-makers, practitioners and institutions with a mandate or interest in promoting, advising or managing impact assessment. It updates and expands the first edition and contains over 800 bibliographic references and abstracts for more than 90 countries and 45 international development agencies. There are two important additions to this edition. Firstly, over 140 country status reports which summarise the legislative and administrative context within which the guidelines operate. Secondly, four introductory chapters. The first provide a general introduction to impact assessment. The others are review chapters covering: the quality of EIA guidelines, their use and circumnavigation; EIA and stakeholder involvement; and strategic environmental assessment (SEA).