These Principles apply to all stages and types of impact assessment (IA), whether at project or strategic level, and are intended to underpin efforts to achieve sustainable outcomes for biodiversity, ecosystems, and the services they provide. They promote biodiversity-inclusive IA that is compatible with the aims and objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Ramsar Convention, and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS). These require Signatories (“Parties”) to use environmental impact assessment (EIA) for projects and strategic environmental assessment (SEA) for policies, plans, and programs as tools for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystems and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from their use. The Principles are intended to align with the performance standards and requirements of international finance institutions that promote integration of conservation needs with development priorities, to protect and conserve biodiversity and ensure that benefits from ecosystem services are maintained. They should help practitioners to integrate biodiversity and ecosystem services in IA, decision makers to commission and review IAs, and other stakeholders to ensure that their biodiversity and ecosystem services interests are addressed in development planning. They should also support efforts by businesses to strengthen their corporate policies and commitments on the environment and natural capital by mainstreaming biodiversity and ecosystems into their procedures for environmental and social planning, assessment and management.