Occurrence Status of Legally Protected Species in Environmental Impact Assessment Reports

In environmental impact assessments, the presence or absence of legally protected species is one of the important considerations when evaluating site feasibility. In order to use it as basic data for site selection and environmental impact assessment decision-making for development projects, data on legally protected species were constructed using the results of the survey of plants and animals from environmental impact assessment reports completed from 2000 to 2023, and status and characteristics were analyzed. A total of 132 endangered wild species were identified, and their occurrence records were examined across 19,504 cases. Among these taxa, birds were the most frequently identified, comprising 59 species. The species with the highest number of recorded cases among all endangered wild species was otter (<i>Lutra lutra</i>), which had a total of 4,270 occurrences. Among the 17 types of environmental impact assessment projects, the project type that identified the most endangered wild species was construction of a road, with 3,966 cases reported. In contrast, the project type with the highest number of endangered wild species discovered per project was energy development, with an average of 22.0 cases per project. This study will assist policymakers in making informed decisions and contribute to establishing a foundation for harmonious environmental protection and development in the future.