A Systematic Literature Review on Social Impact Assessment Methodologies: The Case of EU-Funded Projects Targeting Climate Migration

Social Impact Assessments (SIAs) play a crucial role in making evidence-based policies by intellectualizing the impacts, lessons learnt and further adjustments of the projects carried out. Based on the findings of a systematic literature review, the proposed research aims to outline a structured framework to conduct better social impact assessments of the EU-funded projects targeting climate-migrants by seeking ways to incorporate the often-overlooked experiences of these marginalized groups in wider social contexts.

Based on analysis of secondary sources, the current literature highlights several methodologies exist in SIA: qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods and alternative participatory approaches. Upon a comprehensive review of the aforementioned SIA methodologies, qualitative and participatory methodologies’ contribution to adequately represent the migrant population's experiences in the assessment of climate finance and investment projects will be further used to bridge the contextual gap. While quantitative methodologies are effective in capturing broader economic impacts and maintain their importance due to the consistent and comparable results they produce, they tend to overlook social dimensions often and do not fully address the specific needs of vulnerable populations. Among these methodologies, special attention will be given to the cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and the difficulties it encounters in integrating migrants’ experiences into the assessment outcomes and processes will be noted. Finally, the necessity of integrating both qualitative and quantitative approaches will be highlighted.

A comprehensive evaluation framework that combines these methodologies can provide a more nuanced and complete assessment of revealing social impacts, ensuring that the broader benefits of climate finance projects are fully recognised and leveraged as it captures both tangible and intangible benefits. To this end, the research aims to enhance the relevance and accuracy of SIAs, ensuring that they contribute meaningfully to the development of inclusive and resilient communities in the face of climate change.