The third webinar in the GTS and SOWA series that explores different aspects of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as required in consenting Irish renewable energy projects. This webinar will focus on improving understanding of cumulative effects – with other projects – and also consider the total effect on a receptor from multiple impacts from the same project.
This webinar is part of a wider EIA series the first and second recordings (Introduction to EIA + Proportionate EIA: Scoping & Significance) are available from our website. Following the 28 January cumulative effects webinar the next events in the series will be:
- March: Ireland EIA Conference 2026 (Athlone) registration required.
- Mid-April: The 4th webinar in the series EIA, Challenge & Case Law
The webinar will be presented by Josh Fothergill FIEMA CEnv and Andy Ricketts ISEP Principal EIA Practitioner covering the following:
- Understanding the difference between cumulative in the EIA legislation and its broader use in practice
- Defining key actions and approaches to doing an effective assessment of cumulative effects between your EIA and others
- Exploring how we improve the assessment of the total (/ complete) effect experienced by a receptor from our project
- Live Q&A on your EIA Questions
The presenters will provide a mix of concepts, good practice and real world progress – drawing from their experience and the drafting of ISEP’s forthcoming guidance – to ensure the webinar’s topic resonates with the challenges faced in practice.
Live Webinar with Q&A, part of GTS and SOWA’s continuing effort to enable greater cross-cutting conversations about EIA and improving the supply of skilled professionals to this and related roles in the sector.
Those attending will improve their understanding of:
- EIA legislation expects on cumulative effects with other projects
- The practice terminology around cumulative effects, how this can generate confusion and advice on how to avoid it
- Advice on steps in assessing cumulation of effects between projects
- Advice on assessing the total effect on a receptor from your project
As with the rest of the series the webinar will open with a brief explanation of Green Tech Skillnet and Skillnet Offshore Wind Academy interest in improving EIA effectiveness by addressing skills gaps for the Irish renewable sector. (Max 5mins)
The webinar’s main content will be delivered by Josh Fothergill (Founder of Fothergill Training & Consulting Ltd) and Andy Ricketts (Senior Director – EIA at Turley). The presentation will begin by explaining legislative coverage of cumulative effects in EIA and the broader use of it and related terminology in practice.
Following the introduction to cumulative effects the presentation will divide its advice into two key areas. The first being a deeper exploration of how to approach cumulative effects between your project – undergoing EIA – and other projects. The second will discuss how to give better consideration to the total effect that will be experienced by a receptor from your project as a whole – an aspect of the consideration of interactions between the environmental factors that must be considered in the EIA process.
The presenters will draw from their own experience in undertaking and capacity building in relation to EIA, as well as considering forthcoming advice within a developing ISEP guide on this subject, which is due to be published in 2026.
The presentation element of the webinar is anticipated to be 45mins and will be followed by a live Q&A with the audience. Questions will be submitted via the live chat function and asked by the GTS-SOWA webinar Chair. (15-20mins)
Those interested in how environmental issues are considered in relation to renewable energy projects whether they are working in the sector or already involved in EIA, or interested in starting / rejoining a career a career linked to the environment and Ireland’s renewable energy goals.
Josh Fothergill
Founder & Director – Fothergill Training & Consulting Ltd
Josh is a leading expert in EIA, acting as the Chair Ireland’s EIA Conference in both March 2025 and the forthcoming event in 2026.
Highlights from his EIA career include creating the UK’s EIA Quality Mark in 2011, authoring the Proportionate EIA Strategy (2017), leading a series of international reviews of: Digital IA (2021); EIA professional recognition (2019); connecting EIA and the circular economy (2021).
Josh founded Fothergill Training & Consulting in 2017, he specializes in enhancing the effectiveness of environmental assessment through capacity building, intelligent client roles and advisory reviews across Ireland and the UK.
He has trained over 1500 professionals in EIA, including FuturEnergy Ireland and SSE Renewables.
Andy Ricketts
Senior Director – Turley (an ISEP EIA Quality Mark registrant) Andy is Turley’s Strategic Director of EIA and is registered with ISEP as a Principal level EIA Practitioner, via the institute’s individual EIA Register.
He is UK based and been at the coalface of project delivery and the application of EIA from the outset of his 22-year career, supporting some of the biggest planning applications and developing and delivering strategies for particularly challenging sites across most development sectors.
Andy is passionate about EIA and its continual evolution and has a track record in direction and specialist management of large multidisciplinary projects across a range of sectors, in particular residential, commercial and mixed use; industrial and manufacturing; and energy generation and infrastructure. Equal to his commitment to technical excellence is his ability to balance risk, commercial drivers and programme.
He is an avid EIA volunteer having been a member of ISEP’s Impact Assessment Steering Group, and continues to author and contribute to various publications and webinars to enhance the profession.Â
